00:00You mentioned it's a hard place to go to Memorial Ground, what makes it such a hard place? Is it the atmosphere?
00:05Yeah it is, it's a really good atmosphere. When it gets going, it gets going well.
00:09A big club, supported well. I played there a few times when I was at Chorlton.
00:13It was always a good atmosphere, a good place to play.
00:16On the flip side, these are the games you want to go to.
00:19The good thing with this year, and I imagine the lads have mentioned the step up
00:23and going to some of the away grounds you go to is big crowds, big clubs, good atmospheres.
00:27I think the lads seem to thrive on that. From what I've seen, we went to Reading for example.
00:31The lads seem to thrive on these occasions, they've worked hard to get there.
00:34I think that's the biggest thing for me, I just want us to go there and attack the game in the best way possible.
00:39Make sure that when the game finishes after 90 minutes we've given absolutely everything.
00:43We've physically given everything we possibly can.
00:48I feel confident in the boys that technically and tactically they're understanding and their ability is good.
00:54If we keep working hard to get ourselves in the right areas and keep trying to do the things we're asking of them consistently
01:00then we can go to places like Bristol and others and give a good account of ourselves.
01:07Hopefully that adds to picking up points and hopefully good wins as well.
01:11I know you're down to bare bones, is there anyone you're expecting back from injury for the weekend?
01:17No, not as it stands. Obviously Ty got minutes in the Bristol Street Rotors game, which was brilliant.
01:25But again, I think the only thing I would just say is before, even for myself, not getting carried away
01:31is that's his first 30 minutes in 10 months. He's only been on the grass for three weeks.
01:37We've got to be really careful with Ty because I think he showed glimpses of how important and what an exciting player he's going to be for us.
01:44But we want to make sure he's on the pitch as much as possible.
01:46So we'll assess how he is, whether he can be a part of the squad or whether that was just the first build-up into where he needs to be.
01:53But no, as it stands, no, we'll have to see how Gav is because he unfortunately had a bit of a tight groin.
02:00So we'll see where Gav's at and then we'll assess it from there.
02:03But the big thing for me is that no matter what happens, no matter who's missing,
02:08I think what this squad have shown is they can be competitive no matter who's on the pitch.
02:11And that gives you massive confidence because when you look around the dressing room as a player or as a coach,
02:17you get to see that it doesn't matter who's there, if they're all fighting for the cause and they're all giving everything for the team
02:23and we're buying into what we're doing, then yes, we want everyone available because it makes us as strong as a squad.
02:29But also you're only as strong as your weakest man.
02:31And at the moment, for me, I don't think I could point out a weakest man.
02:36I think the squad have just gelled together and since we've had all the setbacks or so-called setbacks,
02:40they've become even tighter as a group.
02:42So that's the thing that's most pleasing.
02:44There's one fan who sits near us in the press box who can be particularly critical at times.
02:49On Saturday, after the game, he looked at me and he said,
02:52that Toda Shawunwa, he's some player, isn't he?
02:54And we're just quite high praise for that particular fan.
02:57I mean, what do you think Toda brings?
02:59And is he pushing for a start in the league now?
03:02I know he started last night, but is he sort of pushing now?
03:04Because we haven't seen him start in the league yet.
03:06No, Tols has been excellent.
03:08I think Tols has obviously come over from America, come over from a very different environment.
03:14He's an unbelievable athlete.
03:16He's big, he's powerful.
03:18But I think he's just been getting used to the level and he's building up and up.
03:21And I think we're seeing every training session and every day, we're seeing improvements from Tols.
03:27And I think he's someone that's been really important for us and he's got some brilliant attributes.
03:33And I think he's not just for the short term, he's for the long term for us, Tola.
03:37And I think the big thing for me with Tols is that he just needs to keep impacting games in whatever way.
03:47And I think when we've got the likes of Rushy, Swanee and Tols and with Ty coming in,
03:53it gives us a real mix of attack and threat.
03:56And ideally, you want to get as much attack and threat on the pitch as possible and Tola comes into that.
04:00And I think for me personally, it's not a case of anyone getting a start.
04:05It's a case of everyone being ready to affect it as much as they can.
04:08And obviously, the big thing with this period we're in is just the amount of games,
04:15is making sure that there is a fine balance between understanding that we want our best players on the pitch
04:20or as many attacking players on the pitch as long as possible.
04:23But also, we want to make sure that we're not putting them at too much risk,
04:26hence why we've had to change this team around Burton's and even yesterday.
04:30So no, I'm really pleased with Tola.
04:33And I think he gets his goals, he's starting to score, he's starting to affect games more.
04:39And the big thing with Tola, he's got so much learning and so much understanding to come
04:43that he's only going to get better and better.
04:45So it's just a massive bonus for us that no matter what situation we're in,
04:49we've got good options to be able to find solutions for any problems.
04:52I've done a quick count-up and I think you've had 10 games in 44 days.
04:57And people in football love comparisons.
05:00Scott Lindsay's first 10 games, you're slightly edging it.
05:02He's lost one more game than you.
05:04Does that bode well for the future with what Scott achieved?
05:08Hopefully it bodes well.
05:10I think obviously the big thing with probably when Scott first came in and changed the culture and style
05:17and obviously with us trying to adapt and evolve from what Scott's done,
05:20is that it does take time.
05:22And it's not always as simple as walking in and being able to work with the players
05:26for six, seven weeks in pre-season.
05:28You come in and you're starting a game two days away against Wickham, for example,
05:34and then I don't think we've had two, three days training.
05:37I think we've had three days in a row training once since we've been here.
05:40So it's really hard from a selfish point of view where you want to have loads of time.
05:45But no, I think to do it at this level against these teams that we're playing against
05:50with the situation the squad's currently in, I think it's a huge testament to the lads.
05:54And I think from my point of view, I can really see the building blocks
05:58and see where we're improving.
05:59And I think the lads are starting to grasp that too.
06:02But I think, like I've said before, it's going to be a longer process.
06:04It's not going to be something that happens overnight.
06:06We just have to stay consistent, stay patient and stay together whilst we keep improving.
06:11And I think when we look back in two, three months' time,
06:13we'll really see the changes and the differences.
06:16Yeah, and you mentioned there that you haven't had much time.
06:19After Saturday, I think you've got two weeks where it's Saturday, Saturday, Saturday.
06:23How much are you looking forward to that?
06:25Yeah, no, it'll be good.
06:26I think it'll be good for the lads as well mentally to have a break
06:28and physically as well.
06:29Some of them need the rest.
06:30So it'll be good to be on the training pitch.
06:31It'll be good to set up for two games as well properly.
06:34We're able to get more detail into games.
06:37We went into Burton with one day's prep.
06:40Then we were travelling to Derby and training in the afternoon.
06:43But that's what it is.
06:44That's football, that's life.
06:45So yeah, hopefully it gives us more prep going into games.
06:47It means we're fresher and it sets us up for another incredibly busy Christmas period.
06:53Brilliant, thanks very much.
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