00:00Scott, thank you for joining us. It feels like a while since we've been in match action.
00:05We've got second-place Stockport visiting us this weekend. Can I get your thoughts out of that game?
00:09Yeah, like you say, it's been a long time, so I think the players are itching to get out there soon.
00:15So yeah, we've had a lot of time to prepare for the game.
00:19So we've had some really good, positive training sessions, put a lot of detail into the team.
00:26And again, we're looking forward to it at home, obviously. We like playing at home.
00:30To see the home fans is always positive, and they support us really well.
00:35So yeah, that's good. But we know it's going to be a tough game because Stockport are, like you say,
00:41I think second in the division at the moment, and they're there for a reason.
00:46I know we're only four games in, but I suggest that they'll probably be in and around that position most of the season.
00:52So yeah, we know it's going to be a tough game.
00:54On the other side of this sort of miniature one-week break that we've had, do you think it's done the players some good?
00:58Has it given you a chance to get some proper minutes in at the training ground, but also a little bit of match rest as well,
01:02considering we were pretty much Saturday, Tuesday up until then?
01:04Yeah, I think that was important. We looked at giving them some time off because of that.
01:10I think it has been quite relentless from the start of the season.
01:14So it was important that they did get some rest within that two-week period.
01:19But it was also important that we got a lot of work done on the training ground as well around that rest.
01:24And I think we've got the balance pretty much spot on, according to my head of performance we have anyway.
01:31So hopefully we'll see the fruits of that on Saturday.
01:34Yeah, you've already spoke about Stockport's threats.
01:37We had two very good games with them last season, didn't we?
01:39Two very closely contested matches.
01:41So we probably expect nothing different at the weekend.
01:44I suppose we're all doing League 2 very good service at the moment because you've got them and Wrexham up there as well.
01:49It should be another exciting game against them, as we've seen before.
01:53Yeah, they've got some very good players.
01:56Not just the starting XI, the lads on the bench as well and even the lads in the stands.
02:01They've got some very, very good players.
02:03They've got a very good manager as well.
02:05Dave's done a fantastic job there.
02:07He's a serial winner.
02:11And yeah, they've got some good threats.
02:13Top of the pitch, Kyle Wharton, big armful, big, strong, powerful boy.
02:17And some good players kind of playing off him in the shape of Louis Barry and Will Collar.
02:22You know, they're very good players.
02:24They've got players deeper than them two who are actually really capable footballers.
02:29And of course, wide players who cause you problems and players at the back who are very defensively strong
02:36but also capable of scoring goals on any set piece as well.
02:39So listen, we know what they're capable of.
02:42We have to be at our very best and execute our game plan and be on point with everything.
02:50And I'm sure we'll be OK if we do that.
02:52Yeah, we're going to have real hunger, aren't we, to get the winning streak going again, aren't we?
02:56Because obviously, on the other side of the break, it was a disappointing defeat to Barnsley.
03:01So that hunger to sort of get back to winning ways is going to be really strong, isn't it?
03:04Yeah, of course.
03:05And I think the disappointing thing about the Barnsley game was the way we played.
03:08I didn't think we played very well in the game.
03:11You know, I'll take losing games but playing well, which we did.
03:17I felt at Wigan, I thought that we were the better side.
03:20We lost the game 1-0.
03:23Don't get me wrong, I don't want to lose a game.
03:25I want to win a game, you know, and that's what we are.
03:27We want to win as many games as we can.
03:29But we come away from Wigan relatively happy with the process and how we play.
03:36We had all the ball.
03:37We had the higher xG.
03:38You know, we created chances at that game.
03:40We didn't put the ball in the net.
03:43You know, if you play that game 99 times out of 100, you probably win it.
03:48You know, a large majority of times when you play that.
03:52But like I say, we know that this is a hard game.
03:57We want to get back into winning ways for sure.
04:00But we've got to be on point with everything we do.
04:03The week off could also be a crucial week in getting some of the players
04:06that have been injured, you know, getting back.
04:08Has that sort of helped in that process?
04:10Are we closer to seeing any of the lads that we perhaps haven't seen before?
04:12Yeah, I think we're always getting closer.
04:14It can be frustrating at times as well because we have to phase them in
04:18and we don't want to phase them in too soon.
04:21And then there's a relapse on whatever injury it is.
04:27So it's been good, but still we're not full complement yet.
04:32We've still got a few that we're waiting on.
04:34Yeah, and as you've already touched on, it'll be good to be back at home
04:37in front of a strong home crowd again this weekend.
04:39So as always, get behind the boys in your numbers
04:42and the lads will be sure to give them something to cheer about.
04:44That's one thing that we're never let down by the fans, are we?
04:48You know, the fans are so good.
04:50You know, we might not perform brilliantly in some games,
04:55but the fans always do, don't they?
04:57And that's something that we really enjoy.
05:00Obviously playing at home because of the fans and we come out and applaud them
05:03and we hope that we can give them something to cheer about
05:06and to sing about at the end of the game.
05:10Scott, you mentioned obviously Stockport.
05:12When we spoke earlier in the week, you said you're not surprised
05:14with where they are on the table.
05:16What have you seen from them from what you've seen this season
05:18that is maybe different from last season?
05:21Nothing really that's different really.
05:23You know, I think they play in the same manner.
05:25I think they're very capable.
05:27I think they've got good players in every position.
05:29It's what they've got, you know.
05:30And they've got good players sitting on the bench
05:32and they've got good players sitting in the stands.
05:34And, you know, they're certainly capable of putting passes together
05:39and dominating the ball, but they're also capable of going
05:43kind of direct off Wotton, but with a real, you know,
05:49not just a case of lumping the ball up the pitch,
05:51but you can see it's coached, you know.
05:53And Louis Barry gets in some fantastic positions
05:56as does Will Collar kind of off Kyle Wotton
05:59and they're very capable.
06:01And the wide players are very capable as well.
06:03And they don't concede very many, you know.
06:06So they're a strong team.
06:08We know that, you know.
06:09They're a very strong team.
06:10And I'd say the manager's a very capable manager.
06:13And, you know, we know it's going to be a tough game,
06:17but like I say, we've done a lot of work this week.
06:19We've put a lot of detail into the players
06:21about what we want to do in and out of possession.
06:23And if we get it spot on and on point,
06:25we've got a chance.
06:26Yeah.
06:27And you said that you're likely they'll be there
06:30probably near that top end at the end of the season.
06:32When you look at the table now,
06:34I know it's only four games.
06:35Is it a good indicator or generally is it quite just...
06:39No, I don't think so.
06:40I think it's probably too early to look and judge
06:43and think, you know, that's probably where everybody
06:45will be because I don't think it would be.
06:47I don't think it will be.
06:48I think there's a long way to go, obviously.
06:50But I do think the likes of Wrexham and Stockport
06:53will be potentially in and around where they are now.
06:56Yeah.
06:57And the squad is still at Aquinas infancy.
06:59They're a new team now.
07:01Do you know your best XI yet
07:02or are you still working that out, do you think?
07:05I think that you're constantly working that out,
07:08even with a team that's not a new team.
07:11You're always looking at where we can shift things about
07:14and maybe have a different way of attacking
07:17or a different way of building,
07:18different way of defending.
07:21I've got a group of players that's been given to me
07:24that we can mould into a winning formula,
07:29that we think,
07:30and a team that the supporters can be proud of again.
07:34And yes, we had two really good results in the early part,
07:39the first two games, obviously.
07:41And then we've had two kind of poor results.
07:44So it potentially might be like that to start with
07:47because of it being a new group.
07:49It might be up and down at times,
07:51but we're hopeful that,
07:53given the hours and the time on the training ground,
07:56that we can eventually see a bit of continuity,
07:59i.e. with the starting team and also with the way we play.
08:03I think there's been times where we've looked amazing,
08:05certainly the Wigan game didn't win,
08:08and then we've looked not amazing,
08:09which was the week after against Barnsley.
08:11So I think we're going to get that a little bit.
08:13I just ask for people to be patient with it.
08:15Yeah.
08:16And I think the next couple of weeks,
08:17you haven't got midweeks,
08:18I think it's Saturday, Saturday, Saturday.
08:20Do you prefer that,
08:21or do you like the sort of hustle and bustle of a Saturday, Tuesday?
08:24It don't matter.
08:26Listen, I'm not going to say, yeah, I prefer that.
08:28And then, you know,
08:30because I don't want to be negative about when we play on a Tuesday
08:33because I think that it is what it is
08:34and we have to prepare and prepare the team accordingly,
08:39no matter what,
08:40and then recover accordingly and get ready for the next one.
08:42If it's Saturday to Saturday,
08:43then we can potentially get more work on the training ground
08:47and more coaching into them.
08:49But listen, players improve by playing games as well.
08:52So we want to, we're happy for a Saturday, Tuesday.
08:55I think normally when you play a Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday,
08:58it's normally the third game where you see fatigue.
09:00You know, obviously you saw the Wigan game,
09:04we played really well.
09:05We then go to Brighton,
09:06we play really well and then we're poor on the third game.
09:09And I think that that is a factor
09:10that I have to maybe consider moving forward about
09:12maybe making changes in the third game
09:16if we do play Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday.
09:19Yeah, and when we spoke earlier in the week,
09:21you mentioned Dion was getting back into training.
09:23How has he come through this week?
09:24Yeah, he's done parts of training today.
09:28So we're going to see again tomorrow,
09:31see where we're at with him.
09:32But he did parts of the training today.
09:34Obviously, you've got a former player coming back,
09:36part of a promotion winning team,
09:37Corey, a dying goal.
09:38How much work have you done on him this week?
09:40None.
09:42No, listen, Corey was with me for 18 months,
09:46so I kind of know his strengths and I know his weaknesses.
09:50So, of course, we'll be looking at picking holes in his weaknesses
09:58and obviously being mindful of his strengths.
10:00Really like Corey, I think, you know, he's a great lad,
10:03first and foremost, a really good person.
10:05I speak to him now still,
10:07the odd text message here and there,
10:09but he's a great lad and, you know, I wish him well.
10:12And they've had a good start to the season, obviously.
10:15He's kept a couple of clean sheets.
10:16And, yeah, he's a good goalkeeper.
10:21We know he's a very good goalkeeper.
10:22That's why Stockport went and signed him, you know.
10:24But, yeah, we've done a lot of work on what we think
10:30and how we can pick holes in his, you know,
10:34obviously in his weaknesses.
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