00:00Good afternoon everyone, welcome to our pre-match press conference to preview our game against
00:05Leeds United and we'll start off with Vinny from Sky.
00:07David, can we first of all start with team news and talk of an injury to Jarrod Branthwaite
00:11suffered in training, what's the situation?
00:13Yeah, Jarrod picked up an injury in training so unfortunately we're going to miss him.
00:18But yeah, these things happen.
00:21Do you know how long is there any kind of prognosis on that?
00:23No, well I wouldn't give it anyway but I'm sure the insider inside the club will give
00:27that out, I'm sure of that, so we've got to find out who this is, giving the news out.
00:33I take it that's the situation then you're far from happy with that?
00:36Yeah, I'm unhappy with it, I think all managers don't like it, they thought that it's certainly
00:42coming from within our building and it's up to us to find out and we will do.
00:47Will you have any of Michalenko, Armstrong and Patterson available this weekend?
00:51May have, may have.
00:52What are your thoughts then on what you've been able to do in the transfer market so far
00:58with the players that you've been able to add to the squad?
01:00Well we're pleased with the players we've added to the squad but I'm not pleased because
01:04I think I still need more, we're needing greater numbers and we want to continue adding to what
01:11we have.
01:13We're short in certain areas, we're okay in other departments but look, we've got some
01:19good business done but I would like to have it more if possible.
01:23For what you have been able to do, I'm thinking obviously the most recent is Jack Grealish coming
01:27in, how's it going to work?
01:28How are you looking at playing the likes of Jack Grealish, Illaman and Di, Dwight McNeil,
01:33also bringing Al Karaz and Dewsbury Hall into that, what do you have envisioned for the way
01:37you're going to play?
01:37Well, I think it happens that every football club, whoever plays well gets in the pitch and
01:41gets it, you know, you can't play them all at one time but, you know, if they perform
01:46well then they retain the jersey and they do that and let's hope that we get them playing
01:51well.
01:52If there's anything that we've been missing really from what we've had over the last year
01:56or so, it's goals scored, goals created.
01:59So hopefully the creative players that you've mentioned there will help me up the numbers.
02:03In terms of what you still want to bring in, are you looking at three, four?
02:07Look, I could even say even more possibly but at the moment I'd settle for any of those
02:12numbers if I can get it.
02:13Obviously it's been quite public, the bids that have gone in for Tyler Dibling, what
02:18do you think of the situation at the minute now and the thoughts on the possibility of
02:21a deal for Tyler still happening?
02:23Look, I think like many managers in the Premier League, I think getting deals done has been
02:27really difficult.
02:29I have to say that's one name you've mentioned but we've bid for many players and I'm not
02:32going to mention players or clubs or anything like that because I don't think it's right
02:37when they've not signed for you or we've not done it.
02:40But we have bid for many players and we've not quite got it over the line but I think
02:45there's quite a few clubs who could probably say something similar.
02:48When you yourself are still trying to move in the market, how does it impact day-to-day
02:51the fact that obviously you're working with this group of players out on the training pitch
02:54as well?
02:55Well, if they do as well as they've done last year, they don't need anything better.
02:59It's just that we're numbers.
03:00We had so many players on loan, we let one or two players go so our numbers have dwindled.
03:05But the performances of the team for the last 10 or 12 games was fantastic and if they
03:11give me that, then I would take that now.
03:13How do you view this challenge then, your opening game of the season, going to it on round?
03:17Tough game.
03:18I mean, it's a brilliant stadium, it's got a brilliant support, sort of one club city.
03:26It's been a fabulous football club for a long time, I think we're all thrilled to see them
03:31back in the Premier League because of what they offer, mainly because of their support
03:35that they have at Leeds United.
03:37So, they've been up and down a little bit.
03:40But, tough game when you go to a newly promoted side right away.
03:44But, you know, we finished the season really well, especially when we were away form and
03:48I hope we can continue that.
03:50I said to you the other day, the way you finished the season, it was European form, wasn't it?
03:53Yeah, well, we don't want to set targets which we can't achieve, but I want to put it right,
04:01I want us to start challenging the top end of the league rather than having to deal with
04:05the bottom end of the league.
04:06And going to Island Road, the chance maybe to see Jack Harrison again, how was that decision
04:09to ultimately not keep him on as a permanent signing?
04:13Well, Jack was great for us and done lots of good things, but obviously he was a Leeds
04:18United player, it would be great to see Jack, he's a great boy and we really enjoyed
04:21having him.
04:22I want to ask you, because Daniel Farker has just confirmed that Dominic Calvert-Lewin
04:25is joining Leeds and that will be announced sometime later today, how do you feel about
04:30his decision ultimately to go and now that he's a Leeds player?
04:33Oh, well, I'm pleased for Dom because, you know, I've had a really good relationship
04:37with him and, you know, I didn't really get a chance deeply to work with him, he picked
04:40up the injury, I think it was at Brighton he picked up the injury and we only really got
04:44him back in the last day.
04:45So I think I probably had about one game or two games with Dom, but we just found the
04:51financials just too much at the time and we chose to move on.
04:58So it might have been the right time for Dom as well and I'm really pleased he's got himself
05:03sorted out and he's gone to Leeds United, it's a really good club.
05:07Since you arrived through a big part of last season, we talked about the pressure of it
05:11being the last season at Goodison Park.
05:13How does that compare now to the pressure of the first season in a new home?
05:17Nah, every season's the same for every manager, you have the same feelings.
05:22It's great if you can get off to a good start and we can, and that would be the plan, try
05:26and get yourself a good start to the season, get yourself fixed.
05:30Last year it was a poor start to the season but a great finish, so we have to hopefully do
05:35both of them if we can, but no, it's a different level, we're in a new stadium, we've got a lot
05:41of new things happening this year.
05:42Basically, we're trying to build a new team in some ways as well and it would be very
05:48hard for us to do that all in one window and we have to do some of it, but hopefully we
05:55can get a side which was as competitive as we were last year.
06:01Thanks David, good luck.
06:01Cheers, thank you.
06:02Thanks for the name of God to Damien at Premier League presence.
06:05Hi Damien.
06:05Hello there.
06:06Just on that subject of the new season, in all your years connected with Everton, do you
06:11look forward to this more eagerly than previous years because of the new stadium and the new
06:16players?
06:17I really look forward to the future for Everton.
06:20It's a wee bit of trepidation at the moment because we're the ones who are going to the
06:24new stadium and going to the new stadium has never been an easy gig for any team who's
06:28done it.
06:29Also, the turnover of players we've had this year is huge.
06:33But I'm looking at most teams now in the Premier League.
06:37It used to be in past, you would hopefully maybe sign three players a season, maybe four players
06:41in a close season.
06:43But I just think because of the size of the squads, players maybe not being happy and
06:47having to move on every year.
06:50I think that most clubs are signing six, seven, eight players.
06:54I think a lot of the clubs are doing that now.
06:55So we're no different.
06:57But I think the difference was is we had five players on loan last year and that's a hard
07:01thing to try and replace.
07:04Just on the subject of Grealish, how is he looking in training?
07:07You've had several sessions, I'm guessing, with him already.
07:09Is he in your thoughts to go straight in?
07:11Yes, looks the same.
07:13Big calves.
07:14Yeah, looks the same.
07:17Is that your own Monday?
07:19Yeah, well, you need to turn up and find out.
07:21You know, that's what everybody has to do.
07:23Thanks, Damon.
07:25We'll go to Phil at Radio Merseyside.
07:28Just on Jack Grealish, actually, and how he's been looking in training this week, I've been
07:32speaking to a few City fans who've been talking to me about where they think he might play
07:36best.
07:37Obviously, he plays mostly off the left, but they've always wanted to see him have a go
07:41in the number 10.
07:41Where do you think Jack Grealish is strongest?
07:43Yeah, I think Jack can play in several positions.
07:47I think he could play as a midfield player as well.
07:49He's a player who doesn't give the ball away very often.
07:52But my aim is to get Jack in positions where he can be creative for us and score goals and
07:57assist with goals.
07:59Look, it's a big challenge for Jack as well.
08:01So I'm looking forward to seeing how he responds to it.
08:08The best one I can think of was when I brought Jesse Lingard to West Ham.
08:12Jesse Lingard was probably not expected to be too successful and maybe a little bit worn
08:19down.
08:20I think Jesse came in and scored 10 goals in 12 games or 12 goals in 10 games.
08:24It was around those numbers he was at.
08:26He got himself back in the England team, got back in the England squad for how he'd performed
08:30because it was the games in the Premier League and he showed his quality.
08:34If Jack can do a little bit of that, Jesse Lingard, then it'll be a great story for Jack
08:40because it's a big year for England, World Cup.
08:43And I've only seen him for a few days here live and close up.
08:48And he's looked fabulous in how he looks and he's in good enough shape.
08:53So there's lots of good things to light about Jack.
08:56I just need to make sure I get it at the right time and make sure he's played football
09:00and we think he's had enough minutes, et cetera, et cetera.
09:03And I know you mentioned about potentially looking at additional signings.
09:07Do you feel like the right-hand side, both going forward and at the back, is somewhere
09:11where maybe you're a bit light?
09:14You should be the scout.
09:16Yeah.
09:16Yes, we do.
09:19And another question about right-back, you've got obviously Jake O'Brien, who's played there a lot.
09:25Do you, on the other hand, think that actually you're not too bad for players who can do a job there?
09:30Maybe James Garner is another one.
09:31Yeah, but we would like, we know Jake can do the job there.
09:37He can play centre-half as well.
09:41You know, Seamus is still around as well, who we'll use when we think he's fit and ready as well.
09:46We've got Patterson as well.
09:47So we have people in the position.
09:48So we may try and get another right-back, but at the moment we might just have some other priorities.
09:56I know you said in pre-season that you weren't completely satisfied with Beto and how he was getting on.
10:03I just wonder where you see his sort of efforts now, if you're happy and confident that he can get more goals this season
10:11with a lot of attacking talent added to the squad.
10:13I think I disagree with what you said.
10:15I don't think I did say that about Beto.
10:16But I would always be saying it because I want more goals from my centre-forwards.
10:20We've not scored enough goals in pre-season.
10:22So if that was picked up on Beto, then it's the wrong reference.
10:27But it's the right words because we want him to score more goals.
10:31Is Barry pushing him close?
10:33Yeah, actually he is and he will do.
10:36But again, we've just got to ease people in and make sure that we're not expecting too much too soon
10:40and expecting them, you know, young French centre-forward.
10:43I think when I came in, I don't think Beto was getting a game or very little games.
10:49He went on to be a star for us last year and hugely important for us.
10:54Thanks, Phil.
10:55Any further questions in the open section before we move on?
11:00No?
11:01OK, thank you.
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