EMERGENCY signing Gabriel Zakuani knows his experience and leadership qualities can improve Swindon Town’s younger players with regards to their game management abilities.

Zakuani was announced as Richie Wellens’ latest signing an hour before kick-off on Saturday against Bradford City at the Northern Commercials Stadium.

The 33-year-old, previously of Gillingham, will be part of Wellens’ squad until January and has already found a new home in Wiltshire having moved from his home county of Surrey.

Despite Town conceding twice in their defeat to promotion hopefuls Bradford at the weekend, Zakuani insists his new team could’ve poached a point had they managed periods of the game better.

And improving defenders’ levels of game management is part of his plan during his short stay in Wiltshire.

He said: “A young player will pick things up as games go by.

“As things happen, you’ve got to tell players what to expect in certain situations.

“I think there are a couple of things we can do – I went in the changing room after the game and said do this or that when something equivalent happens.

“Hopefully young players take it on board as the season goes on.

“Game time is important, if we managed the game better we could’ve got something."

Some fans have labelled Town’s current block of fixtures as season defining given the quality of teams that Richie Wellens’ men are due to face.

The run has started with three defeats in four games – Cambridge United are the only team currently positioned in the division’s top half to have fallen to defeat against Town.

But Zakuani underlined his belief that no games in League Two will be treated as 'gimmes' by the Town squad.

He instead praised Wellens’ winning mentality adopted ahead of fixtures, regardless of the opposition in front of them.

“There are no easy games at this level,” said Zakuani.

“We’ve got to enter every game with a winning mentality. Richie Wellens made it clear he wanted a win on Saturday.

“While that didn’t happen, it proves the mentality the club has. It’s positive he has that energy.

“He didn’t want us to camp in, he wanted us to win. It didn’t work out, but we could’ve got something out of the game even though we weren’t at our best attacking wise.”