- 10 months ago
New Nottingham Forest boss Sean Dyche on porto europa league clash
22/10/2025
City Ground, Nottingham, Uk
22/10/2025
City Ground, Nottingham, Uk
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SportsTranscript
00:00How are we doing? All good?
00:01Yeah, good, thank you.
00:02Look, can you just describe, from a player's point of view, the last five days?
00:09Yeah, it's been class the last few days.
00:13Yeah, there's been a lot of change.
00:16Nothing that a few of us aren't accustomed to.
00:19And yeah, it's been really positive.
00:21Obviously, very early days, but yeah, excited for what's ahead.
00:24Good, it's good.
00:26How awkward does this have it in my next year?
00:28Yeah, it's not ideal, to be fair.
00:30I did tell him, I went all the best.
00:34Mr Forrest, I know you've been on the high for the last couple of seasons,
00:38but how much has this season hurt, considering there's such expectations,
00:43yet results haven't gone according to plan, managers have come and gone,
00:46and the atmosphere around the city ground has changed?
00:49Yeah, it's been tough.
00:51And like I've said before, I think, at the end of the day,
00:54it's our responsibility as players, more than anyone.
00:58We have to take responsibility.
00:59We haven't been good enough.
01:02And yeah, you can't pinpoint on an individual.
01:05We all have to take responsibility as a club.
01:07But we have a new opportunity now, and yeah, we're really excited to tomorrow night,
01:13hopefully, getting off to a good start.
01:14Training today, and yesterday seemed louder, it seemed livelier, there was a lot of laughter.
01:19Is that kind of a relief?
01:21I know, obviously, you're working hard.
01:22I know you're prepping hard for this game, this huge game against Porto.
01:25But is there a sense of relief around?
01:26I'm just marvelling at sitting there wanting these answers, I can't wait.
01:31Yeah, well, look, I feel like a massive strength of this football club is getting that connection between the fans,
01:38the players and the manager.
01:39And let's be honest, the last few weeks, we haven't had a good feeling around here.
01:44Yeah, the city ground hasn't been as lively.
01:48And yeah, the new manager, his coaching staff, especially Stephen, me and yeah,
01:56they've come in and yeah, they've brought that new sense of life, that energy.
02:00And yeah, we'll see what happens.
02:02And yeah, we're really looking forward to it.
02:04Can I just say, in respect to the players, before I got here, I got told that, by the
02:08way, I mean this sincerely, about the squad of the players here have never really made
02:13any misrepresentation of the manager.
02:16I've been told that by a lot of people.
02:17Whenever they get asked, no, no, no, us as players have got to take more responsibility.
02:21And it's a great value to a manager when groups of players do that.
02:23And that's not just Yates here, but I've heard that a lot, you know, about the group.
02:28When people have asked, they've gone, no, no, we've got to take responsibility first.
02:30And, you know, it's a great thing for a manager to hear that when players are honest enough
02:33to go, look, the manager can take it so far, that's their job.
02:36But for players to take responsibility, I think that's a real big thing.
02:39So there's definitely an honesty amongst the group here.
02:42Sorry to interrupt, but I think that's important.
02:43Do you feel a sense of trust already?
02:45Well, it's early, yeah.
02:47I'd like to think they do their own work.
02:48I'd like to think they know enough people in the game and ring around.
02:51I've let them wear white socks, for goodness sake.
02:54I never let anyone wear white socks.
02:55I've had my ex-players caning me, WhatsApps, going, Gaffey, you've got white socks on.
03:00Fair, isn't it?
03:01Not allowed to have snooze or up, so I had to do a deal.
03:03Or somewhere, you know what I mean?
03:05Sorry to interrupt.
03:06Can I ask you a team news question?
03:08We didn't see Chris Wood out there training today.
03:10We know he's been struggling with a knee problem.
03:11Yeah, Ola's got a longer-term situation, I think, is already out there.
03:15And Woody's got a knock.
03:16We're wondering whether it's going to settle down, probably touch and go at the moment,
03:19because it does need settling down.
03:21He's been off the grass, so we're going to have to touch and go and see how that one is.
03:24So is he for tomorrow?
03:26A back was injured as well, but we'll find out more news on that.
03:28It's touch and go for tomorrow, Chris Wood.
03:30Yeah, we'll see how he is, yeah.
03:31Sorry, sorry, Isaac.
03:34Go for it.
03:35Owen?
03:36BBC?
03:39Hi, Ryan.
03:41Those Forrest connections with Sean, with the rest of the coaching staff, how important do you think?
03:48Yeah, I think very important.
03:49I think probably since Roy Keane and Martin O'Neill were here, we haven't had a coaching staff
03:54who have that connection, and I feel like when they were here, I feel like they just understand
03:59what the club's about, the culture, what makes it tick, and yeah, obviously they know the
04:05club straight away, and you'd like to think that's going to help the players.
04:09And yeah, I think it just, like I said before, I think it just brings the fans closer to the
04:16players on the pitch, and yeah, we're looking for anything we can, and every little 1%, and
04:23yeah, I certainly think that's going to help.
04:25And how are you feeling ahead of tomorrow, another big occasion at the city ground?
04:27I think it's so exciting.
04:30I know we said before we'd even kicked a ball in the Europa League that, you know, we're
04:34back in Europe for the first time in many, many years, and yeah, that buzz obviously didn't
04:41get the result we wanted at home against Michelin, and yeah, a team who have a lot of quality in
04:47Porto.
04:48It's going to be a tough game, but what an opportunity to get a result and, yeah, kick
04:53things off in the best way possible.
04:57Marco for RTP.
04:59Do you have a question, Mark?
05:02Hello.
05:03I would like to ask you, what do you expect from your team, realistic, for tomorrow game,
05:07and what do you expect for the FC Porto team?
05:11Well, Porto have had a great start.
05:12We know they're unbeaten in the league and in Europe, so, you know, they're obviously a
05:16good outfit.
05:17We know that.
05:17We've done some work with the players.
05:18It's been difficult to cram a lot of work in to the players, but I think they've been very
05:23receptive so far and open-minded.
05:26You know, and probably some are just reminders of what they've done well as well.
05:30You know, I've spoke openly before.
05:31I explained to them the pride I took of being on the outside of their group last year watching
05:35them because I thought the way they went about it was fantastic.
05:38Nothing to do with style, but the mentality.
05:41I was saying about the players, the connection they have with each other as a group.
05:44As a manager, if the culture and environment are right, that's a big step forward.
05:48You know, and I don't think it's far wrong.
05:51My point is, you know, there's a glue that holds these lads together and you can feel it.
05:56And now if we can just play our part in maybe just shifting it and sort of shaking it into
06:00our liking and they respond, then we've got a good mixture.
06:04But yeah, so I'd expect the team to go out there and be on the front foot and take the
06:09game on with a high energy sort of towards getting a result.
06:13I think that's the minimum we can expect of each other.
06:16But they are a good outfit.
06:17We know that.
06:18We've shown the team some analysis.
06:19We know the record they've got so far this season.
06:22But here at the City Ground, we think we want to build a mentality where we can take
06:25anyone on.
06:25And certainly they've shown that over the last season, certainly, where they'll go wherever
06:30it is and take the team on.
06:31And we want that mentality to be firm.
06:34Thank you, Marco.
06:35Chris for Sky News Radio.
06:37Ryan, you've spoken of how difficult it's been this season so far and obviously over
06:47the last week or so.
06:49In terms of tactically and what you're taking on board from different managers, obviously
06:54third manager of the season, is that difficult for a group of players to go from one style
06:59to another and then obviously on your third manager of the season to take that on board
07:04as well?
07:04Well, I think I could say, yeah, it's very difficult.
07:07But I think as a player at this level, I think you have to be able to take information on
07:11board very quickly.
07:14Obviously, I've only been here a few days, but we have to be quick.
07:19We need results.
07:20We're in a results business.
07:22We're in a bad runner form.
07:23And yeah, like the manager just said, we want to make the City Ground a fortress.
07:28I think the best teams, when they're on good runs, they're solid, they're hard to
07:32beat at home. And we need to get back to that. We've been conceding too many goals at the
07:37City Ground. And yeah, like I say, it's early days, but you have to take that information
07:43on board quickly and get results quickly.
07:45In terms of a group of players as well, obviously securing Europe for the first time in 30 years
07:51as a club, this could be a huge opportunity for you to get some points in the group phase.
07:59Are you keen to ensure that this opportunity is going to pass you by and too many fixtures
08:05go by before you can actually make a real statement in Europe?
08:08Yeah, I totally agree. I think we have to see this as an opportunity to go and grab
08:13it. If we see Porto, you know, they're on a great run. It's going to be a difficult
08:18game. It's going to be a difficult game, but we want them to be thinking, wow, they're
08:23going to be right up for this. When the whistle blows, we need to give absolutely everything,
08:28give the crowd that lift and make sure no games going forward pass us by. I remember
08:35last season how quickly we were at Christmas and the position we were in. I feel like it
08:41was sort of this stage of the season where, you know, you think you're just getting underway
08:44and then suddenly you're at Christmas and, yeah, we can't let any games pass us by and
08:49we have to see every game as an opportunity.
08:51And Sean, how much importance do you place on your start? Because your predecessor in his
08:57first home game in charge had his own supporters calling for him to be sacked. So do you think
09:02you need to start in the best possible?
09:06I'm not going to question, as I said, the managers and their situations or relationships
09:10with the fans. All I want from the team is to express themselves. I want them to be out
09:14there playing for Nottingham Forest. I want them to be on the front foot. I want them to
09:17do all old-fashioned things, but they're real. The front foot mentality has been there
09:22ever since I was in the game, but everyone knows what it means strangely. It seems such an
09:26odd phrase, but everyone knows if you say front foot mentality, everyone will paint a picture
09:30in their minds of what a team is. And it's that effervescence to a team, out of possession,
09:35pressing the energy to press, but the cleverness to press. When's the right time to press?
09:38In possession, can you play? Can you break the lines? Can you open up the game? Transition,
09:42how quickly can you react to attack? How quickly do they react to attack and you defend?
09:47You know, there are all these things, but to encapsulate that is a performance. And when
09:51the whistle blows, we want them to have the knowledge to go and express themselves and
09:54go and play on all them things that I've just mentioned. We're cramming, but I think the
09:58group have been very, very receptive. So we're just trying to give them what we can
10:02give them, but inevitably the whistle blows and it's down to them guys to go out and
10:05deliver. That's what we're looking for, but deliver with that edge. You know, they've
10:08shown it, they've shown it very recently, especially last season, of course, the edge
10:12that it is to win games. That's what we're after. Just remind them that edge is important.
10:17Finally, just when you speak to supporters, there is an extra buzz when it comes to European
10:21nights. Do you sense that from the squad and yourself? Do you get...
10:25Yeah, well, like I said earlier, Woney and Stone, they played in the last European game
10:29there, didn't they?
10:29I've just been told, yeah.
10:31Yeah.
10:32Class.
10:32I know, exactly. He never mentions it. So, you know, them guys know how it feels. It's
10:38new to me here, so I've got to experience that, but what a great experience to be. You
10:43know what I mean? Back at night on Forrest as a manager and then a European night. You know,
10:48that's a great occasion. Now, of course, it doesn't feel great if you don't get the right
10:51result. It's like Yates said, we're going to go out there with the right energy levels,
10:54the right commitment levels, and also the quality of the freedom to show you quality.
10:58And we want all that on the show. That's what we're looking for.
11:02Thanks, Chris. Katerina, CNN.
11:07Hi, for Ryan. I don't know if Morato, maybe Jota, ever told you about the charisma that
11:17Porto has is very specific, maybe lost in the last season, but now I think it's maybe
11:24recovered. Have they told you about that?
11:27No, they haven't, to be honest. Yeah, obviously, Jota's not here with us now, but now they
11:32haven't said anything. I think we're fully aware of the quality that they possess and
11:37can't give too many secrets away, but we're never a good team.
11:41Thank you very much. Any more questions from the floor, please?
11:46Sean, I just wonder, you obviously had a pretty successful season in Europe with Burnley,
11:50and it was their first time in Europe for Donkeys years. I just wonder what your memories
11:54of that were, and very mind how it ended and who it ended again, whether you had a chance
11:59to reminisce with your owner about that?
12:00Yeah, of course. Yeah, we had a bit of a giggle about it. No, I mean, you know, it was a different
12:05thing then. It was a different, it was a surprise package, you know. Well, I suppose in a way
12:10this has been a surprise with the power that these guys showed last season to get there.
12:14It was such an enormous thing at that stage. I will say, I think, you know, this club's
12:18more geared up, the depth of squad, the facilities, everything, you know. Burnley at that time
12:22it came too quick, really. You know, it's such a new experience. The players were all
12:27almost in a confiddlement of how many different ways we've got to travel.
12:30How many different ways we've got to, you know, prep and all them things. I think,
12:35you know, these guys are in Europe for the first time in a long time, but, you know,
12:37there's a lot of European players here, a bit more open-minded to it all. So I think
12:41that's a different thing. But no, I remember them days and it was important to me and my
12:45career and to learn all about that. But you need the luck of the draw. The draw's different
12:49here. You know, playing one of the time, there's a really long name, I can't even say,
12:53one of the Turkish sides. And you're travelling overnight and not getting into bed till six
12:57in the morning and that sort of thing. Then having to fly down to London and play
13:00against, I think it was Fulham. There's a whole different ball game when you're doing
13:04that. You know, the draw here is different. You know, you can be back quite quick, the
13:07players recover and all that sort of thing. So it all plays its part.
13:10Have you forgiven the owner for the away game?
13:12There's no forgiving. We just had a laugh about it. But we did tell a story to each
13:16other. And we both laughed about it.
13:19Any more?
13:20Sure. Not too many managers have their first game. It's such a big, important European
13:24occasion as this. You've not had long to prepare for it. Does that heighten the excitement?
13:29I mean, ideally, you'd have longer, of course. And the players get longer to get used to you.
13:33In the ideal world, which is not in football manager, you have a whole pre-season. Every
13:36manager would like, in the perfect world, every manager goes in on day one of pre-season,
13:40they get six weeks or whatever to work with the players, of course. But football management
13:43is not often like that. You often come into a situation where it's awkward times or not
13:49such good times or a changeover in the club, the hierarchy of the club or whatever it may
13:53be. Ownership can change. So it's rare that you get the perfect scenario. Some more days
13:58would be helpful for me, the staff and the players. But as I said, the players have been
14:02great so far. I'm not just saying it. They've been very open-minded, very responsive to what
14:05we've offered. The work we did today, simplifying some of the basic principles of what we want
14:09to do. So we don't want to overload them with too much information, but enough information.
14:13They've got enough to know what we're going to do and certainly what we're going to look
14:17to do. Like I say, every manager will tell them, when the whistle blows, that's the hardest
14:21bit to control. So get them in the right frame of mind, the right organisational understanding,
14:26but also take the shackles off and go and play. That's the ideal way. But like I say, the
14:31whistle will blow and we'll see.
14:31Last one, Sarah.
14:33How much have you agreed to start at these last few home games, particularly mentioned about the
14:38atmosphere? How much does it kind of impact you? And conversely, how much can it go the other way
14:43if we get a fresh start as we go tomorrow for the New York League game?
14:48Yeah, absolutely. I think I said straight after the game the other day, we were getting clapped
14:55off after a 3-0 home defeat. And I think really that's quite humbling for the players. I feel
15:02like walking in after that, a few of the lads were saying, we owe it to the fans. Whatever
15:07happens, whatever decision the club makes moving forward, we owe more because that's unacceptable.
15:12Yeah, and it's not a nice feeling. And I think at the end of the day, we owe it to them after
15:19a poor start to give even more for the badge to work even harder. Yeah, and we owe it to
15:25the club to start picking up results as soon as we can. Because when you've got that buzz
15:30at the city ground, we can't lose the sight that we're in Europe, that we've got an incredible
15:34opportunity. And yeah, when we get them results, when we get that result tomorrow night, it's
15:40going to be special. It's going to really kickstart our season. And yeah, we're really looking
15:44forward to it.
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