- 4 months ago
New Nottingham Forest boss Ange Postecoglu on his hopes for success and the challenge of Arsenal
City Ground, Nottingham, UK
City Ground, Nottingham, UK
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00Thank you very much. We'll crack straight on with Anton for Sky Sports.
00:16Hi, Anton. Nice to see you.
00:17Good to see you, man.
00:19Welcome to Nottingham. How does it feel to be head coach in Nottingham Forest?
00:23Yeah, excited.
00:24Obviously, not really sure when the next opportunity will sort of arise.
00:33Yeah, it happened.
00:35Yeah, really excited.
00:36I mean, it's obviously great to be back in the Premier League,
00:39but great to be in charge of a club with such a storied history
00:46who I firmly believe are on their way up.
00:51And I think it's a great place for me to be.
00:53It all happened so quickly.
00:54Can you give us some insight into the timings of the conversation
00:58about how all this came down?
00:59Yeah, quickly is the word.
01:01Yeah, it kind of developed sort of over the weekend,
01:05but it sort of just all came to a head on the Monday.
01:08And, you know, all my staff are all in different parts of the world
01:11and we had to make some quick decisions.
01:15The President got me in a good moment.
01:17I'd just done the school run,
01:18and that's a great motivator to get back to work, mate.
01:21So, yeah, you know, I think from my perspective it was, you know,
01:29once we got into discussions on sort of, I said sort of preliminary discussions
01:34on the Monday, over the weekend, but on the Monday when it got serious,
01:37I kind of didn't take too much for me to realise this is a great opportunity
01:43and has everything that, kind of, I look for, you know, challenge.
01:48And, yeah, I was excited to take it.
01:50But Nottingham Forest being on the up,
01:52obviously they're having their greatest sort of spell of success,
01:56and it was under Nuno.
01:57How difficult is it going to be to take over from him,
02:00not just because, obviously, of the success of the team,
02:02but also because, obviously, there's a lot to be made of the clash of styles
02:04between you and the previous head coach?
02:07Yeah, look, again, it's the nature of football.
02:11You know, I guess you don't really know what circumstances you'll take over.
02:16You're absolutely right, I think.
02:18When you look at the job Nuno did over the last couple of years,
02:22and to be fair, Steve Koops before that,
02:24because when Koops came to the club,
02:26they weren't looking like they were going to be in the Premier League very quickly.
02:29So, you know, they've had two excellent managers
02:31who have done fantastic work,
02:32and, you know, like I said,
02:35sometimes you don't know when these things will end.
02:38I certainly didn't expect to finish up after winning a trophy either,
02:42so that's just the nature of football.
02:46And, you know, in terms of the style question,
02:49again, it's pretty familiar territory for me.
02:53It was a similar one I took over at Spurs.
02:56You know, they wanted to change kind of the way they played,
02:59but it's a little bit different this time, obviously,
03:01with me taking over, you know, three games into the season.
03:04It'll be a gradual process.
03:05But I think, you know, if you look at the squad,
03:08and even the first two or three games,
03:09I think Nuno himself was probably transitioning
03:12to something a little bit different from what it was.
03:14But, you know what, even if I was playing exactly the same,
03:18we're all different.
03:18We're all different people.
03:19We, you know, talk differently, we coach differently,
03:22even if we're going to play the same style.
03:23So, it's just a matter of making it as smooth as possible for the players.
03:28Can you tell us about your relationship with the owner?
03:31Because he's been sort of open with his praise
03:33previously during the summer.
03:35Obviously, you met up at the awards ceremony in the summer as well.
03:38So, just talk to us about how you know of Andrew Smaronakis.
03:42Look, yeah, I mean, I've probably been in his company
03:47three or four times.
03:48I don't know him well.
03:51You know, we were in Athens because he was presenting me with an award
03:53and I wasn't going to turn it down.
03:54And so, and it was very kind of him and it meant a lot to me
04:00because obviously, you know, I was raised in Australia
04:03but I was born in Greece and, you know, I'm very proud of both nationalities
04:07and a lot of my sort of recognition has come on the other side of the world
04:13so to be recognised by the country I was born in was very humbling.
04:18And so, yes, I had sort of a brief interaction with him there
04:22and there's a couple of other times.
04:24I think one was two or three years ago when Coops was managing
04:28because we both happened to be in Athens at the same time
04:30but I haven't spent a lot of time with him.
04:33But, you know, from afar, you've just got to admire his ambition
04:38and his willingness to, you know, take everything on
04:41and create something special.
04:42He was open about his ambition and the statement that sort of confirmed
04:45your arrival who was saying we want to compete with the best,
04:47we want to win trophies, you know where this is going.
04:50So, how much pressure are you under?
04:52How quickly do you think it is before you can get Nottingham Forest winning trophies?
04:56That could have been my quote, mate.
04:58We're no different.
04:59I mean, I've said it already that that's what I want to do.
05:03I want to win trophies.
05:04That's what I've done my whole career
05:06and that's what I want to try and do here.
05:08And from that point of view, like I said, you know, looking back,
05:12looking at sort of the opportunity that exists here
05:14is that every club wants to be successful for sure
05:18but what I've seen over the last few years
05:23is since the President took over the club
05:25is that, you know, those ambitions are backed up with actions,
05:30you know, and it's perfect conditions for me.
05:34Richard, PLP.
05:35What have the last few months been like for you personally?
05:39Because you say you don't expect to win a European trophy
05:42and then lose your job
05:43and equally, you often hear from managers,
05:46it's not necessarily just about taking the next job
05:48but the right job.
05:50Look, it was unusual
05:51because it's never happened to me before.
05:55I mean, it's the first time I've really been,
05:57well, it is the first time I've been sacked.
05:59I mean, you know, when I was with the Australian youth team,
06:01my contract finished and I kind of knew it was over
06:03but it was the first time sort of that's happened to me
06:05and the first time I've had an off-season off, you know,
06:09I've had, you know, four or five weeks with the family
06:13which has never happened before
06:14and fair to say it was as tough for them as it was for me.
06:20But, you know, through that time I kind of, like you said,
06:24you wonder about the next opportunity.
06:26I've never sort of put too much thought in it
06:28because, you know, every opportunity I've had
06:30has sort of, you know, come from somewhere
06:33where I hadn't maybe expected it.
06:35What I did know was that, you know,
06:37I was really keen to again go to a club
06:40that will give me that platform
06:41to continue sort of the career I've had so far
06:44and that is to continue winning things.
06:46That was important to me.
06:47Not that they're in a position to do that
06:49but that they have that ambition
06:51and, you know, like I said,
06:54if you asked me at the start of the year
06:56would Nottingham Forest be a possibility?
06:59I would have said to you, no way
07:00because, you know, the job that Nuno had done
07:03and the trajectory of the club was on
07:04but, you know, it presented itself
07:07and I said I was happy to take it.
07:10Obviously you've said that this all came together
07:11pretty quickly over the course of the last seven days.
07:14You've come to a club that in terms of the football demands
07:16are in a similar situation to what Tottenham were
07:19with European expectations from last season.
07:22So from afar then, what's your assessment of this squad
07:25and how well equipped do you think it is
07:26to be able to handle both domestic and European demands?
07:29Yeah, it is a challenge for sure.
07:31You know, we experienced it at Spurs last year
07:32and not just us but I think all clubs that are in Europe
07:35know it's a real challenge with the demands on players these days
07:38and, you know, I really like the squad.
07:42I think it's got great sort of balance
07:46in terms of being able to cover most positions
07:50for the rotations you need.
07:53There's a variance in styles in there
07:55that will allow you to play differently
07:57because there's no doubt European football
08:00has different demands on you than the Premier League
08:03and the cup competitions as well
08:06and we want to compete on all fronts.
08:08So, you know, I've only had sort of two days with the players
08:12only one today with the whole squad
08:14but I think there's a good balance there
08:17of a squad that I think is ready to compete
08:22but also robust enough to handle what's ahead.
08:25Without divulging any secrets,
08:27what have the conversations between you and the players been like?
08:29Because obviously, I imagine for a lot of them
08:31they'll have gone away on international duty
08:32and this will come as a shock to them as well.
08:34Yeah, I think you've got to let people process it.
08:38I mean, you know, I think Tuesday was the first day
08:41of Lost Trucker Days that I scored out at the club
08:43and I just kind of let the players be and the staff.
08:47I mean, it's, you know, because, you know,
08:49I'm sure Nuno had close relationships with all of them
08:51and you've got to let people process that.
08:53I know in the football world we tend to think that, you know,
08:57it's that kind of business, you just move on
08:59but they are human beings
09:00and I thought it was really important, you know,
09:03to let them sort of, in their own minds,
09:06deal with it the best way.
09:07But, you know, from the first conversation I had with them
09:10was that we've got to game Saturday, boys,
09:12and nothing's more important than that.
09:14You know, everything else we've got to park,
09:16whatever it is that we may or may not be going through
09:19because the responsibility for me and the players
09:21and everyone involved is to make sure that, you know,
09:24come Saturday lunchtime,
09:25that we are absolutely ready for a big game
09:28and, you know, that's been the conversation.
09:31So I haven't tried to sort of expand on that too much
09:35is what's going to be our best preparation
09:37to take on, you know, one of the Premier League's best.
09:40Is it fitting for you personally,
09:41given your recent history, that it's Arsenal away first up?
09:44Look, it is what it is.
09:46I think our first four games are away
09:48so that's why I've got to look at the stadium today.
09:50I won't see it for a while.
09:52So, but that's OK.
09:54I mean, look, the one thing I do know
09:57is that every Premier League fixture is challenging,
09:59whether that's, you know,
10:01against clubs that are challenging for honours
10:04or others that are fighting for other things.
10:07And it's a great, you know, it's a great game.
10:09You know, Mikel has got them off to a good start.
10:13I think they're strengthened over the summer for sure.
10:16They're a stronger team than they were last year,
10:18so it'll be a great challenge for us.
10:19Have you had any feedback in terms of player availability
10:22who's available, who won't be this weekend?
10:24And basically, I think we've got a clean bill of health,
10:27except for Aina, who's just come back.
10:30Obviously, he had an issue with the national team.
10:32We've seen him for some scans
10:33and we'll get some information this afternoon.
10:36But the rest of the boys, like I said,
10:37today's the first day I've got my eyes on them
10:39and, yeah, they're all fine
10:42and should be available for the weekend.
10:45Shevchenko's the other one, obviously,
10:46because I'm loaned from Arsenal, so I'm available.
10:48That's all it.
10:49Thank you, Richard.
10:50Can we stop with photography now, please?
10:52I'm Natalie for the BBC.
10:57Hi, Ange.
10:58The unity here last year at Forest was fantastic.
11:01It was a dream season.
11:03How can you create that again and build on it?
11:07Look, I think my experience anyway,
11:12I think it's always been here.
11:15You know, my first year at Spurs,
11:18Coops was still a manager here
11:21and they were going through a tough time,
11:23but the supporters were still right behind him
11:25and the team.
11:27I think, again,
11:29that was one of the attractions for me.
11:32You know how closely linked
11:35this football club is to its community.
11:36So, you know,
11:39if you can sort of harness that,
11:40then, you know,
11:42you can create something special,
11:44but that isn't going to happen overnight.
11:46They're not going to love me from the first day.
11:48That's something I've got to earn.
11:49You know,
11:50I've got to earn their sort of trust and respect.
11:53They'll get behind us for sure
11:54because I'm the Nottingham Forest manager
11:56and they always do,
11:57but, you know,
11:58longer term,
11:59I've got to earn people's respect and trust
12:01as I have everywhere else I've been.
12:02And I know if we can tap into that,
12:05we can create something really special.
12:07I think it's one of those unique football clubs
12:10that, you know,
12:11if you get that sort of momentum,
12:14you know,
12:15great things can happen.
12:16Talk about being a winner.
12:18We know that.
12:18We know you're very straight talking,
12:20but the Forest fans will want to get to know you.
12:23In your own words,
12:24who is Ange Postacoglu
12:26and what will you bring here to the city grounds?
12:30I've really talked about myself in the third person.
12:33We got that.
12:34Yeah.
12:35Look, I guess,
12:37I think for the most part,
12:39you know,
12:39what you see is what you get.
12:40I'm no different.
12:41If you sort of button into me in the street,
12:43I try and be myself.
12:45And I'm just very passionate about what I do.
12:51I'm, like I said,
12:52I love creating things that are lasting.
12:57You know,
12:57I think every club I've been to,
13:00I'd like to think I'll be welcomed back
13:02because I think I've left the mark
13:04and that's what I want to do here.
13:08But again,
13:09all that sort of takes time.
13:10I think
13:10the one thing that,
13:13you know,
13:13the fans will know with me
13:15is that,
13:16you know,
13:18I've set my mind
13:19to do something.
13:22I'll see it through
13:22and,
13:23you know,
13:25hopefully I can bring some special ties to the football club.
13:28In the media,
13:29we talk about Ange Ball.
13:30You'll be familiar with that.
13:31But how would you describe your football
13:33and what will the fans see on the pitch?
13:37Yeah,
13:37look,
13:38again,
13:39I've always got to be careful
13:40how I frame these things
13:41because,
13:42for some reason,
13:43they get set in stone.
13:44But,
13:45I do like my teams to play exciting football,
13:48score goals,
13:50get fans excited,
13:51for sure.
13:53I make,
13:54you know,
13:55no apologies about that.
13:56That's just the way I am
13:57and the way I want to see my teams play
13:59and
13:59we want to dominate the ball.
14:02We want to put pressure on the opposition.
14:03We want to score goals.
14:05But all of it
14:06with the end goal
14:07of winning football games
14:08because that's what
14:10excites me more than anything else.
14:12If you win football games
14:13then you can win trophies
14:14and,
14:15you know,
14:16there's no doubt that,
14:18you know,
14:18from my perspective
14:19I see a group of players
14:20and
14:21the opportunity to build
14:22something that I think
14:23not just for Forest fans
14:25but for everyone watching the game
14:26will be,
14:27you know,
14:28good to watch.
14:29Thank you very much.
14:30Dan for ITV please.
14:32Hi,
14:32Andrew,
14:33quick question for clarity.
14:35You say,
14:36well we know,
14:37you win a trophy in your second season.
14:39I won a couple in my first as well.
14:41Celtic,
14:42I won a double in my first year.
14:44So,
14:45there you go.
14:45You going to win one in your first time?
14:46Yeah,
14:47of course I can,
14:48yeah.
14:48I mean,
14:49you know,
14:50I might have to
14:50to have a second year here,
14:51mate.
14:53So,
14:54yeah.
14:55If you do,
14:56there will be comparisons
14:57with Brian Clough here,
15:00obviously.
15:00How much of an inspiration
15:01is he to you
15:02and do you see any similarities?
15:07There will never be any comparison
15:09between me and Brian Clough.
15:10he's a standalone legend.
15:13He's one of these figures
15:15that you can't compare to
15:17as a manager,
15:19as a man.
15:20You know,
15:20I've often said,
15:21I'm a student of the game
15:23and growing up
15:24on the other side of the world,
15:27I just,
15:28I was a voracious
15:29sort of reader
15:30of anything I could
15:31and he's one of the most
15:32legendary figures
15:33going around
15:34and,
15:35you know,
15:36he did it
15:36at a football club
15:39where no one expects
15:40that kind of thing
15:41and I love that
15:42because
15:43it means he's a little bit different.
15:46I want to be a little bit different.
15:47I've tried to be a little bit different.
15:48I've just got a different journey
15:49to everyone else
15:50pretty much
15:51in the Premier League.
15:52So,
15:52but
15:54he's a standalone figure,
15:57mate.
15:57There'll be never any comparison
15:59between me and him
16:00but
16:00if I can bring
16:01similar joy
16:03that he brought
16:04to this football club
16:06and to this city,
16:07I'll be a very,
16:09very happy man.
16:10And finally,
16:11from me,
16:12what's your message
16:12to the supporters
16:13that will be coming
16:14to Arsenal
16:15to watch your first game?
16:17Look,
16:17hopefully,
16:18you know,
16:19they'll get me on the scene
16:20like they always do
16:21and excited about
16:22the possibilities
16:23of what we can achieve.
16:27The clubs back in Europe,
16:28that's a fantastic
16:30incentive for us
16:32to really,
16:33you know,
16:34create something special
16:36along with the
16:37domestic competitions
16:39and
16:39yeah,
16:41hopefully they see,
16:42you know,
16:43an enthusiasm in the team.
16:44Look,
16:44the players have been fantastic.
16:46You know,
16:46it's like I said,
16:47they've had to process it
16:48but
16:48you know,
16:49they also understand
16:50that they have
16:51the responsibility
16:51of this football club
16:52to make sure
16:52they perform.
16:53The last game
16:54wasn't great
16:54so,
16:55you know,
16:56you've got to take
16:56that into account
16:57and say,
16:57well,
16:57we want to make it
16:58immense for that
16:59irrespective of
17:00what's happened
17:01in between
17:01because,
17:02you know,
17:02we want to make sure
17:04that our supporters
17:05go home happy.
17:08Jacqueline,
17:09Channel 7.
17:10Hi,
17:11Ange.
17:11You'll obviously
17:12have a lot
17:12of Australian fans
17:14that are following you
17:14to this new club.
17:16Have you considered
17:16funding some sort
17:17of Amnesty
17:19program back home
17:20so those who bought
17:20a Spurs kit
17:21can now switch
17:22to a Forest one?
17:23Yeah.
17:24Fair to say,
17:25when I first
17:25I gave a Spurs
17:26I didn't know
17:27any Aussie Spurs
17:28supporters
17:28and then all of a
17:29sudden
17:29there's thousands
17:31of them.
17:31So,
17:32yeah,
17:32no,
17:33it's like all my
17:35friends,
17:37you know,
17:37their allegiances
17:38change pretty quickly.
17:40Look,
17:40like I said,
17:41I was very proud
17:42to be,
17:43you know,
17:43I'm proud Greek
17:44but I'm also
17:44very proud Australian
17:45and I love the fact
17:46that,
17:46you know,
17:47people have followed
17:48my journey
17:48from back home
17:49and,
17:49yeah,
17:51it's tough,
17:52you know,
17:53allegiances will
17:54be tested
17:55but I'll find out
17:57who the true
17:58Ange believers are
17:59and who are just,
18:00who's just on the
18:01gravy train
18:01pretty quick,
18:02so,
18:02yeah.
18:03I had a fan
18:03sing,
18:04tie me kangaroo
18:05down Postacoglu.
18:06Do you think
18:06that chant's
18:07going to take off?
18:09I'll leave it
18:09to the fans,
18:10they're pretty
18:11creative.
18:11As long as it's
18:13complimentary,
18:13I'll take it.
18:15Thanks,
18:16Jacqueline.
18:16Hannah from
18:17Nine.
18:18Hi,
18:18Ange,
18:18congratulations.
18:20Another Aussie
18:21over here.
18:22I just wanted to
18:22know,
18:23how did your
18:23Melbourne mates
18:24take the news?
18:25What did they
18:25think?
18:27Yeah,
18:27it was funny
18:28because over
18:28the weekend
18:29I was celebrating
18:31my 60th night
18:32ages ago
18:33to have four
18:34of my best mates
18:35from Aus.
18:36We met on the
18:37weekend and
18:38we had this
18:39whole thing planned
18:40sort of
18:40hangover style
18:43but we were
18:45in bed by
18:4510 o'clock
18:46so we realised
18:47we're 60 years
18:48old but
18:48there was
18:51kind of an
18:51inkling that
18:51something may
18:52happen and
18:52yeah,
18:53look,
18:54they're super
18:54excited.
18:56Fair to say,
18:57they're very
18:58invested in me.
18:59They love the
18:59Premier League
19:00and they love
19:00following whatever
19:03teams I kind of
19:04manage.
19:04so I think
19:06everyone in my
19:08inner circle
19:09are pretty
19:09excited by it.
19:11You've made
19:12history as an
19:13Australian,
19:13as the first
19:13Australian to
19:14manage a
19:15Premier League
19:15team to have
19:16another go.
19:17How proud are
19:18you of this
19:18moment?
19:19Yeah,
19:20look,
19:20I think I
19:21guess the
19:22opportunity
19:23presented itself
19:24because of the
19:24work I've done
19:25so far to get
19:25here and it's
19:27what I've
19:28prided myself on
19:29is that when
19:30I did start
19:30in Australia
19:31I kind of
19:33reached this
19:33point not
19:34because of
19:35anything other
19:36than just
19:36working hard
19:37and being
19:38successful and
19:40that's opened
19:40doors for me
19:41and I feel
19:43pretty humble
19:45and blessed
19:46to be in a
19:47position where
19:48I get another
19:48opportunity to
19:49manage the
19:50greatest league
19:51in the world
19:51and at a
19:53historic football
19:54club I don't
19:54take that for
19:55granted and
19:55that's why I
19:56want to make
19:56sure that I
19:58have success
19:58here as well.
19:59What would
19:59your message
20:00be to young
20:01Aussies who
20:01look up to
20:02you and
20:02want to be
20:03where you
20:03are now?
20:05Don't be a
20:06manager for
20:07God's sake.
20:08No,
20:08look,
20:10I think there
20:11is something
20:11in that and
20:12it's not
20:14something very
20:15easy for me
20:17to verbalise
20:17but I think
20:19for anyone
20:20who does come
20:20from Australia
20:21we realise
20:22just how far
20:22away we are
20:23from this
20:23world and I
20:25think even to
20:25this day
20:26people are
20:28people
20:29particularly
20:29here in the
20:30Premier League
20:30think I only
20:31started coaching
20:31two years ago
20:32when I took
20:32over Spurs.
20:33It seems
20:35everything I've
20:36done up to
20:36that point
20:36doesn't really
20:37resonate with
20:38anyone but
20:39that's okay.
20:40we love being
20:42the underdog,
20:43we love being
20:43written off as
20:44Aussies,
20:45we're a small
20:46country that
20:46takes on the
20:47world in
20:47terms of
20:48particularly in
20:49sport and I
20:50kind of like
20:51being in that
20:51space anyway and
20:52I think for any
20:52young person
20:53irrespective of
20:55where you are
20:55you can talk
20:57about having
20:57dreams,
20:58I surpassed my
20:59dreams probably
20:5920 years ago
21:00about what I
21:00wanted to do
21:01in the game
21:01so to be
21:03sitting here
21:03where I am
21:04now just
21:05goes to show
21:05you that
21:06irrespective of
21:07where you grow
21:08up or whatever
21:09barriers you
21:10may have,
21:11if you kind
21:12of believe in
21:13something it
21:14can happen.
21:15Great, good
21:16luck.
21:17Thanks Hannah.
21:17Max for
21:18TalkSport please.
21:22Hi Ange,
21:22I heard you
21:23talking very
21:24fondly about
21:25Brian Clough
21:25there.
21:26We had on
21:27TalkSport just
21:27the other day
21:28after your
21:28appointment we
21:28had Tony
21:29Woodcock on
21:30who was
21:30obviously a
21:31winner with
21:31that 1979
21:32group and
21:33he said he
21:33was your
21:33neighbour in
21:34North London.
21:35I did,
21:35I bought me
21:35the Tony,
21:36yeah.
21:36and he
21:37was obviously
21:38part of that
21:38team which
21:39was all
21:40about proving
21:41people wrong,
21:41a provincial
21:42team,
21:43nobody knew
21:43about them
21:44at the time.
21:44It feels to
21:45me that the
21:46club even
21:47to this day
21:47is still
21:48trying to
21:48prove people
21:49wrong.
21:49Does that
21:50chime with
21:50you and
21:51do you feel
21:52that you've
21:52got a point
21:53to prove
21:53here at
21:54Forest?
21:55Yeah,
21:55I think
21:56that's a
21:56fair reflection.
21:57We had
21:57John McGovern
21:59at the
21:59training ground
21:59running around
22:00chasing balls
22:00today and
22:01I'm going
22:02what are you
22:02doing John
22:02you're a
22:02legend,
22:03running around
22:04chasing balls
22:04but it's
22:06there is a
22:08little bit
22:08of that
22:08I think
22:09but I
22:11don't see it
22:12as a point
22:12to prove
22:12I don't
22:13have to
22:13prove anything
22:14to anyone
22:14I really
22:16believe that
22:17like the
22:18football club
22:18that you
22:18just let
22:20your actions
22:22speak for
22:23themselves and
22:24you present
22:25yourself and
22:26you kind
22:27of understand
22:29the responsibility
22:30you have both
22:30as a manager
22:31and the
22:32football club
22:32has to
22:33provide joy
22:35to the most
22:36important people
22:36and that is
22:37the supporters
22:37that's why
22:39football clubs
22:39exist, they
22:40don't exist for
22:40any other
22:41reason.
22:41I know
22:41sometimes
22:42especially in
22:42the Premier
22:42League we
22:43think they
22:44do, you
22:44know, it's
22:45about the
22:46money or the
22:47exposure or the
22:48fame but it's
22:49just about
22:50bring joy to
22:51the people
22:51who are the
22:53lifeblood of
22:54this game
22:55and that's
22:57all I care
22:57about, I
22:58don't care
22:58about, you
22:59know, I
22:59guarantee you
23:00I'm going to
23:01win things
23:01here and
23:02people will
23:02still have
23:03doubts about
23:03me because
23:04of who I
23:04am and
23:04probably the
23:05same with
23:06Nottingham
23:06Forest as
23:07well, you
23:07know, but
23:07that's why I
23:08loved, you
23:10know, watching
23:10the club's
23:11recent sort
23:12of history
23:13because if you
23:14look at clubs
23:14that have been
23:15promoted in
23:15recent years,
23:16you know, it's a
23:17struggle just to
23:17maintain Premier
23:19League status
23:19and yet, you
23:21know, from
23:21when the
23:22President took
23:23over, he's
23:23had this
23:24ambition and,
23:25you know, he's
23:26backed it up
23:27and I'm sure if
23:29you asked him or
23:30anyone at the
23:30club, they're not
23:30trying to prove
23:31anyone wrong,
23:31they've just got
23:32this vision in
23:33their head about
23:34what they want
23:34this football club
23:35to be and it's
23:36the same with
23:36me, I'm not
23:38into proving
23:38people wrong, I
23:39just want to keep
23:41doing what I'm
23:41doing because it
23:42brings joy to
23:43people and allows
23:45me to live my
23:46dreams.
23:47And you said
23:48in your interview
23:49with the club
23:50that was released
23:51last night, you
23:52said, I love my
23:53teams to attack,
23:54score goals, this
23:55is sometimes
23:56misconstrued as
23:57me playing one
23:58way, why do you
23:59think people feel
24:00that way and what
24:02are they missing?
24:05They're missing
24:05everything because
24:06they're not watching
24:07what I do, you
24:08know, and yeah, I
24:10do love my teams
24:11to attack, I do
24:12love my teams to
24:12score goals but the
24:13one constant in my
24:14career is that
24:15everywhere I've
24:16been I've won
24:16things and sometimes
24:18that's taken, you
24:20know, it's all done
24:21in a slightly
24:22different way with
24:23the principles are
24:23all the same but
24:24you know, if you
24:25go back to the
24:25start of my career
24:26I've played just
24:26about every system
24:27there is, I've
24:27played three in
24:28the back, five in
24:28the back, three in
24:29midfield, three
24:31strikers, two
24:31strikers, I've
24:32done 4-4-2 for
24:33a whole season so
24:34you know, it's not
24:35but I think, you
24:38know, it's a
24:39challenging world
24:40where there's a,
24:41you know, there
24:42used to be a
24:43melting pot of
24:43different ideas and
24:44different opinions
24:45it tends to be a
24:46melting pot of the
24:47same opinion these
24:48days sometimes and
24:49it'd be nice if
24:51people just took a
24:52step back and
24:53you know, even if
24:53you look at my
24:54two years at
24:54Spurs, I mean, we
24:55finished fifth the
24:56first year, just
24:57missed a Champions
24:58League spot, you
24:59know, fifth would
24:59have got us a
25:00Champions League
25:00spot in any other
25:01year and we were
25:04really aggressive
25:05with our football
25:06and, you know,
25:07people say, well,
25:07it doesn't work
25:08well, you know,
25:09finishing fifth
25:09after taking over
25:10the team and we'd
25:11lost a generational
25:12talent in the
25:13meantime but now
25:14last year was a
25:15different year for
25:15sure and I had to
25:16adjust the way we
25:17did things but it
25:18brought us success
25:19but I'm never going
25:20to go away from,
25:22you know, I want
25:22my teams to play
25:23football that's
25:24exciting and gets
25:25people talking, you
25:26know, I mean,
25:28even for you guys
25:28I'm sure you don't
25:29want to see, you
25:30know, 20 teams all
25:32playing the same
25:32way, what's the
25:33point?
25:33So, you know,
25:36from my perspective
25:36I always try and do
25:37things a little bit
25:37differently.
25:38You spoke about the
25:39variance in the squad
25:40and how you're
25:41excited that that team
25:43of players can play
25:44in lots of different
25:45ways and the owners
25:47obviously invested
25:48incredibly heavily
25:49this summer.
25:50Do you feel on paper
25:52compared to what you
25:53had at Spurs, you
25:54know, there's so many
25:55years all the time,
25:56do you feel that on
25:57paper you've maybe got
25:58more to deal with the
25:59rickets of Thursday
26:01Sunday than you did
26:02It kind of depends.
26:04Like I said, last
26:05year was a bit of a
26:05unique season there
26:06where, you know, we
26:08didn't have a great
26:09pre-season and we
26:10just weren't prepared
26:10and in the end
26:12ultimately that cost
26:13us, we just didn't
26:13prepare well.
26:14Now, obviously I'm
26:15coming in three games
26:16in so, you know, in
26:17terms of the
26:19preparation for this
26:20season, I do think
26:21that when I look at
26:22the squad there's
26:23certainly a little bit
26:26more experience than
26:26there was.
26:27You know, we signed
26:28some young players at
26:29the beginning of the
26:29year last year, Spurs
26:30which we had to blood
26:31but I just know the
26:33demands of Thursday
26:34Sunday football,
26:35particularly when
26:36you're playing in
26:36Europe, playing away.
26:39I think I'm better
26:40equipped to handle it
26:41as well as a manager
26:42and the staff I have
26:43where we kind of
26:43know, you know,
26:45maybe, you know,
26:46for the other guys
26:46at Nottingham and
26:47they've done a lot of
26:48work studying, you
26:49know, clubs like
26:50ours and sort of
26:51Villa last year and
26:52to prepare for the
26:54season so they've
26:54done all the right
26:55things but me and
26:56the coaching staff
26:57have actually got the
26:58real life experience of
26:59what it's like and I
26:59think that'll help us
27:01sort of navigate it
27:01a bit better.
27:02I don't know mate,
27:21I've only met him a few
27:22times and I just said
27:25yes to him so look,
27:28I think, you know,
27:30I think people have
27:30sort of, you know,
27:34have the kind of
27:35existence that he has.
27:38It's very hard for us
27:39to relate to but like I
27:42said, the one thing
27:42about him is that
27:43people can't deny is
27:44that I think he's
27:46taken over this
27:47football club with the
27:50right intentions.
27:51It wasn't a vehicle for
27:52people to sort of find
27:55out who he is or for
27:56him to kind of, you
27:58know, thrust himself
27:59into the spotlight.
28:00He wants to have a team
28:01that wins things.
28:02He, you know, it's, it's
28:06not easier but, you
28:07know, you can go into
28:08London, take one of the
28:10big clubs, buy one of the
28:10big clubs and you're
28:11already guaranteed
28:12success.
28:13You know, I love the
28:14fact that he's picked
28:14up, like I said, a club
28:15of fantastic history but
28:17they're in the
28:17championship and he's
28:18taken them back into
28:19Europe.
28:20I think there's, there's
28:21some real merit there
28:22and I think that tells
28:23you enough about the
28:24kind of person he is.
28:26Thanks, Max.
28:27Any final broadcast
28:28questions?
28:30Yeah, Jonathan.
28:32Press Association.
28:33You spoke about how
28:35it actually made you
28:40feel into the
28:41different
28:41groups and different
28:42groups.
28:44Yeah, it wasn't
28:45great.
28:47I knew it was coming
28:48so I wasn't a
28:49surprise so that's the
28:49one thing.
28:50I knew it was coming
28:51a fair way before the
28:53final.
28:54But, you know, I
28:55had, sort of, we won
28:56it and we had the
28:57parade so it was a
28:58great three days and I
28:59didn't want it to
28:59tarnish that but after
29:00that I kind of knew it
29:01was done.
29:02So, yeah, from my
29:03perspective, you have a
29:05chance to process that.
29:07Whether I feel it was
29:08unjust, I mean, it's just,
29:09you know, other people
29:10make those decisions,
29:11they make those
29:12determinations, that's
29:13up to them.
29:14You have to ask them
29:15their reasoning for it.
29:16But, you know, what I
29:18do know is I had two
29:19years where it was
29:20very, very challenging
29:22but, you know, I
29:25worked with some
29:26fantastic people in the
29:27football department.
29:29The, you know, the
29:30supporters, we put them
29:32through some tough
29:32times but, you know,
29:34there isn't a spur
29:35supporter that I don't
29:36come across now.
29:37It doesn't want to hug
29:38me and take me home for
29:39dinner so I must have
29:40done something right.
29:40And I think that's
29:42ultimately that's what
29:43we do it for.
29:44I'm very proud of what
29:45we achieved there and,
29:46you know, it'll always
29:47take a special place in
29:48my heart.
29:49But how it ended, I
29:50have, you know, you
29:54know, I don't really
29:55think about it a lot.
29:56And to be fair, you
29:57know, I've done it a
29:58couple of times myself.
29:59I left Celtic, you
30:01know, and I'm sure that
30:02they were disappointed
30:02when I left.
30:03I left Yokohama.
30:04They were disappointed.
30:05So you understand that
30:06that's, you know, part of
30:07the business we're in.
30:08But that's OK, you
30:10know, it's allowed me
30:11now to move into this
30:13and maybe that's, these
30:15things happen for a
30:15reason.
30:16Can you just say what
30:19it's like to work for
30:20the government for your
30:21project?
30:23Yeah, look, I don't
30:25think it's kind of the
30:26forum for me to speak
30:27about that, you know,
30:29at length.
30:31Look, again, I didn't
30:33have a great deal of
30:34interaction with Daniel.
30:34That's the reality of
30:35it.
30:36You know, I tend to get
30:37on with my daily
30:38business and do what I
30:39need to do.
30:41You know, he was there
30:42for a very long time.
30:43He invested a hell of a
30:44lot in that football club
30:45in terms of building it
30:46up to where it was.
30:48You know, I guess he
30:51appointed me, so I've
30:52got to be, you know,
30:53thankful for that.
30:53And hopefully I repaid it
30:55with, you know, providing
30:57a trophy that they hadn't
30:57had for a very long time.
31:00Cameras off, please.
31:01Written section embargo
31:03till 10.30.
Be the first to comment