00:00 Scott, thank you for joining us again after the high of last week's away victory at Tramiere
00:08 Obis. We're back in action this Good Friday as Doncaster make the trip to the Broadfoot
00:11 Stadium. Can I get your thoughts ahead of that game?
00:14 Yeah, a game we're looking forward to. Obviously we're at home so that's always a good thing.
00:20 But a game we're looking forward to because I think it will be a really good game. Two
00:26 teams who are in form and two good teams in my opinion. I think that after watching them
00:32 this week, I've been really impressed with them. They play really good football. A real
00:38 strong possession-based team, similar to ourselves in many ways. Grant McCanson did a fantastic
00:44 job there. I think that it'll probably be a tough start to the season. But having said
00:51 that, I think he had or suffered with a lot of injury problems. But they've got players
00:55 who are back slowly now and you can see that they're a good side and probably in a false
01:00 position. But no, Grant's a really good manager and I think that they're a really good side.
01:07 They've got some really good players as well, especially at the top end of the pitch. They've
01:11 got good forwards, they've got good wide players as well who can score goals and can cause
01:16 you problems as well. So we know that we have to be at our very best in order for us to
01:21 win from the game. But like I say, it's a game that we're looking forward to. I think
01:25 it'll be a good game.
01:26 It is one of those football clichés, isn't it? Although we're at the latter stage of
01:29 the season, this is probably one of those ones where you look at the league table and
01:33 you can't actually pay too much attention to it because Doncaster are one of the most
01:37 in-form sides in the league at the moment. They're coming off the back of three straight
01:40 victories. So when you look at the fixtures that we've got coming up, it equally is one
01:44 of the harder ones, isn't it?
01:45 I was really impressed with them when I watched them. Really impressed. They look a really
01:50 good outfit, really organised. They use the pitch really well. They've got players positioned
01:56 around the pitch really well in order for them to play through and around you and through
02:00 you. They've got good movement at the top end of the pitch, like I say. But yeah, they're
02:05 a good side. They're a really good side. Don't read too much into where they are in the division.
02:11 I think that, like I say, they had a rough start to the season, to the campaign, but
02:14 mainly because of injuries I think more so. But like I say, false position for sure. And
02:20 like I say, good, good experienced manager who's done great there.
02:24 Yeah, as you said, both teams in great form in the league. The lads after the Tranmere
02:28 game seem to have had so much confidence. Is that something you noticed at the training
02:33 ground? Because it almost seemed like they just walked in the stadium and they almost
02:36 knew that they were going to win, put in such a professional performance. That must give
02:41 you really good confidence building into these last eight games.
02:44 Yeah, I've never felt it before anywhere I've been as strong as this. I think the feeling
02:48 is fantastic at the moment. And I've been asking for that for many months, to have that
02:54 belief. And it's finally come through now. If anything, I have to call them off a little
03:00 bit because they're chomping at the bit. They can't wait to get out there and play tomorrow.
03:04 I can feel it in the group. And it's a great feeling. It's a great feeling, the buzz around
03:09 the training ground is fantastic. And they have a real belief now and a real togetherness
03:14 as well.
03:15 Yeah, that's perfect timing, isn't it, for them to have probably clicked like that? Because
03:19 as you said, Doncaster is going to be a very tough game, as is Newport. And then we're
03:24 taking trips to two sides that are fighting for automatic promotion. So, to have that
03:30 confidence now must be a great feeling.
03:32 Yeah, we have to build on that. We have to really build on that. The fact that we're
03:37 in such good form at the moment and winning games and playing really well as well. But
03:41 I also have to make sure that we remain grounded and know that we've got eight games left,
03:47 but eight really tough games, let me say. Really, really tough games. And we have to
03:54 take each game at a time and really concentrate our focus on the next opponent, which obviously
04:00 is Doncaster. And that's what we're doing. But like I say, the players are in a really
04:05 good place at the moment and we do need to kind of feed off that, but also remain really
04:12 grounded.
04:13 You'll be serving your second game of the touchline ban. You said after the game against
04:18 Tranmere that you actually really enjoyed being up in the stands. You were very calm and it
04:23 gave you a different aspect. Are you looking forward to that again or is it still that
04:27 sort of anger of wanting to be down pitch side?
04:29 No, I think I actually did really enjoy it, truth be known. I thought it was obviously
04:34 Tranmere's main stand is massive anyway, so it gives you a really good viewpoint. And
04:39 I was in touch with the technical area throughout the game. Not loads, might I add. I didn't
04:45 feel that the performance needed for me to be on the phone all the time. But I was really
04:51 calm, sat up there. I had a little tactics board and my notepad and a coach next to me
04:57 as well. And it was good to watch the team play from kind of up in the stands like that.
05:03 What will it be like tomorrow? Hopefully the same. Hopefully I'll feel that same calmness.
05:11 Of course the main stand here is not as big as Tranmere, so I'll probably feel a little
05:17 more closer to the pitch than I did at Tranmere, which I'm hoping will keep me calm anyway.
05:23 And I hope that we see a good spectacle.
05:26 Yeah, I suppose it's naturally obviously not what you would think about at the time. But
05:30 looking back at it, it almost gives you an insight as to what the fans can see during
05:34 a game, which is something that managers aren't used to. So, Tranmere was a great example
05:39 because as we said after the game we played some really nice football. So that must have
05:42 pleased you as well, from that angle as well, how great it looks and how much we've improved
05:47 over the past year.
05:48 Yeah, I do watch all the games back. So we do watch it from a camera angle anyway after
05:53 the game sort of thing. So we do kind of get the same view, obviously afterwards. But like
05:58 I say, I think the performance was really good at Tranmere. I didn't have to feel any
06:03 anxiousness because of the way we played. But I think when you are in that technical
06:09 area, you become more of an animal to want to win a game aggressively because you're
06:19 down there with the guys, you feel like you're part of it and you want the players to see
06:23 an energy from you down there. And of course you can't have that same manner about you
06:32 when you're sat in the stands. You've got to be calm or you'll get chucked out.
06:35 Yeah, the fans were excellent and Tranmere have been excellent on the road. This Friday
06:41 should hopefully be no different. We've got a sold-out Ballroad Stadium. We've actually
06:45 gone on sale this morning with 550 tickets that we've taken back off of Doncaster. So
06:50 we're aiming for a record league attendance. It's not all down to the tickets being £2.
06:55 Obviously that will have a big interest to people as well. But it's testament to the
06:58 football we've been playing this season and how with eight games to go we're right in
07:02 the mix. It must be really exciting knowing that we're going to have a properly packed
07:06 stadium to play in on Friday.
07:08 Yeah, I think, listen, you get to Easter and we're talking about playoffs, then you know
07:13 you've had a good season, right? Let's hope that we're talking about it after the Easter
07:17 holidays. But yeah, listen, the fans have been fantastic home and away. They've travelled
07:23 in their numbers, they've spent a lot of money up and down the country and I'm grateful of
07:27 that and so are the players. We hope that we've given them something to cheer about,
07:32 which we feel that we have. I think that we've played some really good football this season.
07:37 We've scored some really good goals this season and long may that continue. And hopefully
07:43 with the eight games left that we have enough points on the board to continue the season
07:49 for a couple of weeks into the playoffs.
07:53 Is there a temptation to join the fans tomorrow in the stand rather than sit up in the stand?
08:00 Yeah, probably. But no, listen, I've got to remain professional and watch the game from
08:08 a tactical point of view and make sure that I do my job properly. And yeah, let's just
08:14 see where that takes us.
08:16 Yeah, absolutely. Going back to the players, you're saying you have to feed off the confidence
08:21 at the moment but also keeping grounded. How difficult is that to manage with this group
08:25 of players? Is it quite simple?
08:26 I think it's a good problem because I've been asking for them to believe in themselves for
08:31 long enough now and I've felt that they've probably not really showed that all season
08:36 until probably the last two months. And when they start looking at what we've got left
08:43 and what we can actually achieve, there is a real belief amongst the group. But like
08:49 I say, we have to really respect what we've got in front of us, which is eight tough games
08:55 starting on Friday tomorrow. You know, a tough game, a really tough game and we'll be really
09:02 grateful of them. But we know what we've got to do and the players are really focused.
09:09 Yeah, and it seems like it took a while to actually get into the playoffs. You were there
09:13 and thereabouts but you finally got in there last weekend. Is there a different pressure
09:16 now that you're in that position and you've got to stay there?
09:19 No, not really because we're not supposed to be there anyway. We were supposed to be
09:23 in the bottom two, according to a lot of people. So we've got no pressure on us at all. I think
09:29 if anything we build our own pressure because we know what we want to do and what we want
09:33 to achieve. But you know, you see teams nearly every season come from nowhere and end up
09:40 in that last playoff place. I'm not saying that we are going to be that team. Obviously
09:43 we want to be. But you see it year on year. I remember a couple of seasons ago, Bristol
09:49 Rovers under Joey Barton, early part of the season didn't start off particularly well.
09:55 In fact, probably up until maybe January was probably in the bottom half of the division.
10:00 Ended up getting automatic I believe that season and went bang, bang, bang. Towards
10:05 the back end of the season went and won an unbelievable amount of games straight off
10:09 the bat and got automatic promotion. So it just goes to show, these last games anything
10:15 can happen. There could be a team from mid-table come from nowhere and make a challenge. We've
10:20 just got to make sure that we really concentrate and focus on what we've got to do. I'm sure
10:26 with the eight games left and I'm sure with what we know we can achieve, I'm sure we can
10:31 get there.
10:32 And with the quick turnaround for Monday's game, I know you're quite meticulous in watching
10:37 games, watching your position. Have you been cramming Newport in as well or do you wait
10:41 still until after the Doncaster?
10:43 No, so I've mainly focused on Doncaster. However, I did spend a bit of time on Tuesday watching
10:52 Newport because I wanted to make sure that if I am going to rotate it around who's better
10:59 suited to play in what game. So I think that was probably the first time that I've done
11:04 that throughout my managerial career. I usually just focus on one team at a time. Don't get
11:11 me wrong, I have totally focused on Doncaster but I did spend some time on Tuesday to look
11:15 at Newport briefly. But that will be done mainly on Saturday where after Friday's game
11:22 I will spend hours on Newport and making sure that we get that right as well.
11:27 A few lane highs this weekend then!
11:29 Yes, always!
11:31 And with the squad, where are we? Any news on Liam and Dion?
11:36 Yes, so Liam and Dion both trained as did Ben Gladwin today with the squad. So there
11:45 is a chance that at least maybe two of them could be included in the squad. Well, I'm
11:54 saying could be included in the squad, could be included in the squad over the weekend.
11:58 So whether it's Friday or whether it's Monday we'll have to wait and see.
12:01 Excellent, thanks Scott.
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