00:00Scott, thank you for joining us. A trip to Wiggins, a bit forward to this weekend. Can
00:05I get your thoughts ahead of that game?
00:07Yeah, looking forward to it. I think the players are chomping at the bit obviously when things
00:11are going well. You know we've played four games and won four. I know the last one was
00:21on penalties obviously, but the players are really keen to get back out there and compete
00:27again. So yeah, a game we're looking forward to, against a good side. So yeah, looking
00:34forward to the game.
00:35Yeah, as you say, we've got a decent side and they're at the other end of the scale
00:38aren't they? They're looking to pick up their first win of the season, so they're going
00:42to be coming at it. It should be an entertaining game shouldn't it?
00:44Yeah, but it's early isn't it? They've been really competitive in certainly the two league
00:48games that I've watched. I've fought against Charlton, they were really good actually.
00:53There was a lot of moments in the Reading game where I thought they were good as well.
00:59So yeah, I've actually enjoyed watching them play. Possession based, lots to look at, lots
01:06of rotations and people ending up in different positions. So we have to be very, very watertight
01:14in terms of how we go about our planning with it. So yeah, a lot of work for me, but I'm
01:21enjoying it.
01:22Yeah, and we're enjoying a good start to the season. I love the stat that came through
01:25today. We've scored the most goals away from home than any other side in the top four divisions
01:30other than Arsenal and Stockport County. So it's a pretty good time to be following the
01:34club away from home isn't it?
01:35Yeah, I didn't know that stat, but yeah it's good. I like that stat. Hopefully we score
01:43some more goals on Saturday. But yeah, like I say, the players are in a good place. I
01:49think they're really confident at the moment. Obviously we've gone and got some good results.
01:52So that helps snowball the effect of what we're trying to do here. So I'm really pleased
02:00at the moment.
02:01Yeah, and that effect is clear that it's taken over the last couple of years, the effect
02:05that you've had and as we spoke about before, the professionalism and the mentality. Because
02:09when you joined us, you'd only been in two away games per season. Now we're regularly
02:14competing for away wins and have scored the most goals. So the transformation has been
02:17incredible hasn't it?
02:18Yeah, but again, it's early still. We got a good result at Cambridge away last week
02:23and it is early. We've got to continue how we've started. We're respectful of the fact
02:30that it is just a start. We're happy with it, of course. We've played well in the games
02:35and obviously the results have been great. So we are respectful of that. We are respectful
02:42that it is just a start and we're humbled about that. So we've just got to continue
02:46with it as well as we can and to make sure we're competitive in every game and to try
02:54and play our style of football is important to what we're doing every day on the training
02:58ground. So yeah, let's hope that we see more of that on Saturday.
03:03Yeah, as we spoke about, it's been a very busy schedule, a very busy start to the season.
03:08How has the squad come through the first part of it as we head into another Saturday, Tuesday?
03:12Yeah, really well actually. They've been quite robust with the games that we've had.
03:16It's been full-on, hasn't it? And it's continued to be full-on even next week. We've got obviously
03:22Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday and then we've got a bit of a break, which I think the players
03:25will probably need a break by then. So there's a few bumps and bruises, a bit of soreness
03:30and that, which there's going to be. But I think that the players have coped really well.
03:36Yeah, and as you said earlier, they're going to want to keep playing, aren't they, when
03:39we're on a winning run, as we spoke about already. You just want to keep going, especially
03:44if we win these next two. We're already putting ourselves in a great position, aren't we?
03:48Oh, if we win the next two, we won't want a break. We'll continue, but we'll take the
03:53break because I think there have been some players that have competed in pretty much
03:59every minute of every game. So they will need a rest at some point. Like I say, this week's
04:04a long journey against a good side. And then obviously we play Brighton on Tuesday, which
04:11is obviously going to be a very difficult game. And then the following Saturday we play
04:15Barnsley at home. So it is full-on and it has been full-on, but we've enjoyed it and
04:22the players have done well.
04:23Yeah, full-on for the players and the staff, but also full-on for the fans as well, as
04:26you said. A long journey there, but when we're putting in such good performances at home
04:30and on the road, it makes following the team a lot more enjoyable. And I think we'll be
04:34back by some good numbers again on Saturday, but it's just incredible to see, isn't it?
04:38Just the away numbers that we're taking places to keep them rising.
04:41Yeah, someone told me it was nearly 500 at Cambridge, which is ridiculous really. We've
04:46probably never taken that many to an away game that early on in the season. So absolutely
04:53delighted with that. And then the noise that they made throughout the game was incredible.
04:57I thought they made the atmosphere at Cambridge. And if they turn up in them numbers again
05:02to Wigan, wow, that'll be impressive. And they are impressive. The fans have been fantastic.
05:08We talk about the players and how well the players have done and the fans have done great.
05:14They turned up in their numbers at Wembley and they've turned up in their numbers again
05:17this start of the season. So we're proud of them and long may that continue.
05:24Excellent. When their fixtures come out, Wigan was one of the games that fans were looking
05:28forward to going because they were a former Premier League side. How excited are you about
05:33going to a stadium like that with Wigan?
05:35Yeah, not excited at all. The game's a game, no disrespect. I think that we just really
05:43focus on the football and the surroundings mean nothing to me whatsoever. We could be
05:47playing in a park. We've got a job to do. I've really focused on them in real detail.
05:55I think they're a very good side. The results wouldn't suggest that but I take no notice
06:00of that either because in a minute they're going to really kick on because I think they're
06:06a really good side. I think they're really well coached. It's really clear to see when
06:08you watch them. And the surroundings mean nothing to me. I remember taking us back to
06:15when we played at Wembley. As much as it was everybody's day out and 33,000 people
06:21and the stadium and everything else, we had a job to do and it's very similar to that
06:26on Saturday. We've got a job to do and it's great for the fans. I think it's fantastic
06:32for the supporters to go to a big stadium like that but we'll be full focused on the
06:39actual football.
06:40Going back to that stat about scoring more goals away from home than anyone else, is
06:44there a secret to that success or is it just down to good preparation and how you prepare
06:48the players?
06:49I'm hoping it's down to the preparation. The amount of hours that go into it, I'd
06:54like to think it is that. The players take on the information. I've just got to deliver
07:03it and I try and deliver it very clearly. They take on the information but they actually
07:08execute it as well brilliantly. They're a new group and up to now they've executed
07:15it in a real professional manner and I think they've been brilliant so I can't complain.
07:27And talking about executing things brilliantly, Adi Adiemo's goal on Saturday, really well
07:30taken. I remember speaking to you, I think it was East Grinstead, when he made his first
07:35game as a trialist and you said to me, this kid's going to be special. You're starting
07:40to see that now, I know he had injuries last year but he's come on leaps and bounds hasn't
07:44he?
07:45Yeah he has, I really like Adi. He's capable of scoring goals with his left foot, right
07:51foot, from all sorts of angles and distances. He's got a hammer foot, he can really strike
07:58through the ball. I thought he took his goal brilliantly well. I thought he took it too
08:01wide at one stage but it was good action. We played in front of Cambridge and then all
08:05of a sudden brought their press forward which gave us space in behind and fantastic ball
08:12by Josh Flint down the sides of them. I thought he took his touch too wide but he was always
08:18comfortable to go and finish it. Great finish but he's done well for us Adi and he's going
08:22to be a big player for us this season.
08:25Talking of Josh Flint, that leads nicely into my next question. On who'dscored.com, after
08:30the first two games, he ranks as the sixth best player on just ratings and performance.
08:36Just talk about Josh, how well he's settled in.
08:38I'd like to know who the five are in front of him because he's been unbelievable. I don't
08:43know if there's five in front of him is there?
08:45There were but I can't remember who they were but whatever they were.
08:48They must be good because he's been outstanding. One thing I've been really pleased with Josh
08:52and when I spoke to him in the summer, there was one area of his game that I felt that
08:56needed to be improved and he would probably learn that through actually playing games
09:01in the English league. His actual defending, heading balls out of the box and being aggressive
09:09which he probably didn't have that in the league he was playing in last year. But he's
09:15been unbelievable at that. I think that's probably one area that's really not surprised
09:20me because I think he's a very good player but I've been really impressed with that side
09:26of it, how he's defended in 1v1 situations, how he's defended the box, how he's headed
09:32the ball out of the box, how he's headed the ball when balls are played down the pitch,
09:36how he's competed. I've been really impressed with that. Of course, on top of which, he's
09:42a very good player, a very good footballer. He understands positioning, he comes inside
09:49the pitch at the right moment, he receives passes forward, he plays back round. Very,
09:55very good player and he also steps in and becomes an attacking threat from time to time
09:59and he's capable of causing problems in the final third. I think he's done great. I think
10:06he's been a brilliant signing.
10:08And talking of signings, because this is all linking together very well, you mentioned
10:13on Tuesday that you're looking at maybe bringing someone in to strengthen numbers in defence.
10:17Is there any update on that?
10:19No update as of yet. I've not spoken to the owners today, so there could be some more
10:26information on that, maybe later on this afternoon, this evening. But up to now, I've got no update
10:32on it.
10:33I had a fan contact me as well just asking, can you ask Scott if any player is going to
10:37go out on loan or anything? Is there going to be any movement on this?
10:39There is a plan of that. At the moment we've got one or two injuries, so we're quite thin
10:44on numbers actually, even though the numbers are quite big in terms of the squad. But when
10:49you look at the amount of injuries we've got at the moment, pretty much every single player
10:55that's fit is actually travelling with the squad. So yeah, there is plans for players
11:00to go out and get game time. I think that's important that they do that for their development.
11:05So yeah, that is the plan.
11:06Cool. And someone we haven't talked to, we've talked about Dion and Gav and that, but Harry
11:10Forster, I haven't actually asked you about him.
11:11Yeah, so Harry's got a little niggle still, kind of in his thigh and he did get scanned
11:18again yesterday and there's still a little bit in there. So it's taking a little bit
11:22longer than we wanted. But what we don't want to do is bring him back too soon and it goes
11:28again. So we're hopeful for next week and he did a little bit of on the grass training
11:40today with Ricky and we're hopeful that he'll be included in the training next week.
11:46Excellent. And Ronan, he took a bit of a knock on Tuesday, is he okay?
11:49Yeah, Darce is fine. He was off feet today just to kind of give him an extra day, but
11:57he will train and travel with the group tomorrow.
12:01Excellent. Thanks Scott.
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