Bristol City are top of the Championship after the opening round of fixtures following their win over Sheffield UnitedGerhard Struber in Bristol City training(Image: Rogan/ Bristol City)

Gerhard Struber has admitted that he wants his Bristol City squad to be focused on “the here and now” rather than what they could achieve at the end of the season, with the Austrian insisting the Reds are not one of the teams who can speak about promotion, at this stage.

City got their new Championship campaign off to the perfect start as they romped to a 4-1 win over Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Saturday evening. Two goals from Scott Twine sandwiched strikes from Ross McCrorie and Anis Mehmeti to ensure that Tyrese Campbell’s first of the season was just a consolation for the Blades.

Most pundits and supporters expect Ruben Selles’ side to challenge for the automatic promotion places this season. Naturally, the Reds’ surprise win over the Blades has seen some fans tip the Robins as this term’s dark horses, with Sky Sports even broadcasting an OPTA prediction which gave City an 18.6% chance of promotion in the build-up to Leicester City’s win over Sheffield Wednesday.

READ MORE: Scott Twine sets out goals for new season after firing Struber’s Bristol City to winning startREAD MORE: Gerhard Struber sets Radek Vitek challenge after Man United loanee shines on Bristol City debut

With 45 more league games, and at least two cup matches, to be played between now and May, the Reds’ head coach feels any talk of reaching the Premier League is premature at this stage.

Rather than looking ahead to what may or may not happen at the end of the campaign, the Austrian instead wants his players to work hard and show their quality, week in and week out.

“To be honest, I think not so much about promotion right now,” Struber said when asked if City’s ambition was to push for promotion this season. “I think, when I would think about promotion, this would not help me and also, when I would speak with my boys always about promotion, so many other clubs in this league have a completely different frame to us.

“In this way, I think we should focus completely on ourselves. We should train, of course, with some rulebreakers and with our identity. This helps and makes us unpredictable, but we have to do so many things on a top way that we should think so much more on the here and now and not what’s going on at the end of the season.

“We have 45 games for our chest and I think it’s very, very important that we let us not drive from someone or somewhere.

“We have to be focused, a very close circle, and of course, we want to build and grow our standards always higher, but we are not the teams that can speak about promotion. We are the team that work hard, and we will show it.

Bristol City Live on Whatsapp

Join Bristol City Live’s Whatsapp community for all the biggest Bristol City stories sent straight to your phone

Bristol City Live is now on WhatsApp and we want you to join our community.

Through the app, we’ll send the Bristol City news, live match coverage, team news, transfers, fixtures, analysis and more straight to your phone.

To join our community you need to already have WhatsApp. All you need to do is click this link and select ‘Join Community’.

No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Bristol Live team.

We also treat community members to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out at any time you like.

To leave our community, click on the name at the top of your screen and choose ‘Exit group’.

If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.

Click here to join our WhatsApp community.

“Every time, we will show it, that we are an interesting team.”

While the Reds sit top of the Championship on goal difference after the first round of league fixtures this season, attention now turns to the Carabao Cup this week. City get their latest foray into the competition underway against League Two’s MK Dons on Tuesday night.

Having been active throughout the summer transfer window so far, Paul Warne’s side are one of the favourites to win promotion out of England’s fourth tier this season. The Dons kicked off their campaign with a 0-0 draw at home to Oldham but picked up their first three points of the season in a 2-0 win over Barrow on Saturday afternoon.

Struber has made it clear already this term that he and his squad are looking to progress in both the Carabao and FA Cup this season.

Although it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Robins boss were to rest and rotate in some areas on Tuesday night, there is every chance that many of the players who helped secure the win at Bramall Lane could be involved.

READ MORE: Bristol City match double-winning start as ‘Super Struber’ makes early statement of intentREAD MORE: Bristol City verdict: Reds banish demons as Twine’s ‘special leg’ fires Struber to perfect start