00:00Scott, thanks for joining us, we're back at home this weekend as Bristol Rovers are the visitors, what were your thoughts into that one?
00:07Yeah, looking forward to it, really looking forward to it. I think obviously the last time we were at home,
00:13I thought it was potentially our best performance of the season, albeit we didn't get maximum points from the game,
00:19but we outplayed, in my opinion, the team who were top of the division and I thought we were really good
00:27and probably I'm looking up to win the game, so we're back here again, which is good,
00:33and we take on the challenge of Bristol Rovers and whilst we are where we are, we know how important this fixture is
00:43and we know how important, and we're really focused, you know, the players are really focused, the staff are really focused,
00:48we've trained really well, we've worked hard on lots of things this week that we think is going to improve us,
00:55so, yeah, I'm looking forward to the game.
00:57Yeah, we know obviously you're going into a lot of detail, what was the sort of discussions with the group
01:01on Monday after the Shrewsbury game at the weekend?
01:03Yeah, there was some real honest conversations, I think, I think there has to be sometimes, you know,
01:12I think we, I showed a lot of clips that I felt that we were negative with our play, where we need to be more pragmatic
01:21with our approach to winning a game, and I think I felt that we let ourselves down in a lot of the actions in the game,
01:30where I think we could have, I think it was a game we should have stepped forward more than we did,
01:35I felt we played a little bit too timid, so I debriefed the game and I felt that, I felt that we just didn't do enough, you know,
01:45and that's not acceptable, we have to, we have to all do more, do you know what I mean?
01:50We have to all, I look at the running stats and things like that, as you know, in detail, and we need to do more.
01:56You know, when we're kind of where we are in the division, we've got to run harder than the opposition every week,
02:02and we need to get to that point.
02:04Yeah, what have you identified as Bristol's sort of stronger strengths?
02:08Well, the biggest strength that they've got at the moment is we're not really sure what they'll do.
02:12You know, it's really hard to prepare the team to play against a shape when we're not sure what shape they'll play.
02:22They've conceded a lot of goals, certainly in the last three league games, I think they've conceded about ten goals.
02:28They've played a back five and a back four within them three games, so really difficult to prep for,
02:34but what it does do, it gives me the opportunity to really focus on us, which I've done.
02:40So hopefully we'll see the fruits of that on Saturday.
02:46But like I say, Dale Clark's a very good manager, will want to win this game as well.
02:53I think obviously with the results being not great for them of late, so they need to, you know, get back onto the winning horse as well,
03:02but so do we, and we need to do that fast.
03:07So our need to win this game has to be greater than theirs, and we're going to attack this game.
03:13Yeah, we'll obviously be forced into a change with Harry being suspended, but are you still,
03:17is there any danger of being stuck in between a rock and a hard place of wanting to keep a consistent team,
03:22so the lads can gel properly, but also want to make changes as well?
03:25Oh, I've never had that luxury all season.
03:28Again, we spoke about this the other week, didn't we?
03:30And we're still kind of not at that luxury of doing so.
03:34I've not been able to do it.
03:35So it is what it is, and I pick a team which I feel is going to be enough to win the game on Saturday,
03:41and then I pick a bench which I think can affect later on in the game, and that's what I've got to do,
03:46that's what I'm paid for, but yeah, it's really unfortunate that we've not had that.
03:51I don't think I've ever known a season like it where I've just literally, every game it's a different team.
03:57Yeah, and are we any sort of closer to seeing the likes of Addy and the people we've been forced to not see for a couple of weeks returning?
04:04Yeah, Addy's trained this week, so we probably need to assess again tomorrow before we make a call on that one.
04:15Yeah, I think everybody else, obviously Jay Williams is more kind of longer term.
04:21Joey McKenna's back on the grass, not probably done enough yet.
04:27I think that's about it.
04:29I don't think we're too far away from having a full complement apart from them two.
04:34Thanks.
04:36People will say because of Bristol Rovers' results recently, it's a good time to play them,
04:40but there's no such thing as there in this league.
04:43Whoever's next is next, isn't it?
04:45You know, we've just got to take on who we've got next, and it just so happens it's Bristol Rovers,
04:49and yeah, they're in a bit of a pogrom themselves.
04:55But it kind of doesn't matter, we played Walsall last week here, or the week before, should I say,
05:01who were top of the league, and we were outstanding in that game, and potentially should have won that game,
05:06and probably deserved to win it, if the truth be known.
05:09But we didn't, we come away with a point, but we were very good.
05:11So it kind of doesn't matter. It doesn't matter who we play.
05:14We've got to focus on us, and focus on what we've got to get from Saturday.
05:19And that's three points, and a good performance is what I want.
05:22Yeah, and you said about the last week after the shoot of the game, you've got to be braver.
05:27And you said when you debriefed the game, that's what you said to them, you were too negative.
05:31Is that a mindset thing, or is that a coaching thing as well?
05:34Can you coach people to be braver?
05:36Well, I think from a coaching point of view, if you look at a lot of the data, we're actually,
05:43and I know a lot of supporters probably hate me saying this, but it is the truth.
05:46And I have to focus a lot on the process of what we do.
05:50Because the truth behind it is, the data does tell a story, and I think that we're doing a lot right.
05:58That sounds crazy, because we're second from bottom. But we are doing a lot right, and if the data ends up running true,
06:06we should be top half of the table. But we're not. But eventually it will kind of iron itself out.
06:13It always does. I know the only stat that counts is the actual scoreline.
06:19I get that. I get all of that. And no one gets that more than me.
06:24But I do think that there is a way of playing, and there's a process.
06:29And we're doing a lot of things that are really well.
06:33I coach the team to get the ball to a point on the pitch.
06:37And then it's sometimes down to the individual to sit over the line, and we haven't done that well enough.
06:43And you've got to admit yourself that the games we've played in,
06:47we've created chance after chance after chance nearly every week.
06:50You know, it's never been a worrying thing for me where I've sat here and thought,
06:53we're not creating enough. We're not getting around the goal enough.
06:56We're not getting in their box enough. Nearly every game we have.
06:59And it's just that last bit. And I think sometimes we can be negative with our play.
07:07And I think certainly the defensive unit then feel that there's a pressure on them
07:13because we're not putting the ball in the net at that end.
07:16And then there feels to be a pressure at that end.
07:18And there needs to be a balance between it.
07:20And I understand all of it.
07:22And we've just got to be more aggressive when we cross that halfway line with the ball in control,
07:30with that dominance of how we play, with players positioned properly,
07:35to be ready to put the ball in the net in a ruthless manner.
07:41And we've just been too fluffy and too nice with that.
07:44I think we've just been, we haven't had that cutting edge.
07:47We've not had that nastiness to go and actually we're going to really,
07:53you know, cross that halfway line with control and dominance,
07:56but for a reason. The reason is because we want to put the ball in the net.
07:59And we just haven't done that well enough.
08:01Yeah. And without Harry this week, it gives someone else a chance to sort of make a name for himself.
08:05It's the first time in the league you haven't had Harry this season, isn't it?
08:08I think.
08:09Yeah, I think it is, yeah.
08:10Yeah, it'll be a miss because he creates, he's one that is that maverick that will,
08:15and it is one that will miss a big chance, but it kind of won't phase him.
08:20He'll go and get another one and try again and, you know what I mean?
08:23He'll create something out of nothing.
08:24So it'll be a big miss for us.
08:26Um, but yeah, it is what it is.
08:31And, um, yeah, and we, we've got, we've got enough players in the squad to,
08:37to come in and make a, make a, you know, make that change and make a difference.
08:42And the table you are quite high in is the discipline table at the moment.
08:45Do you think that's more of a reflection of the refereeing standards than it is behaviour of your team?
08:50Uh, it's a really good question.
08:54Um, one that I've got to choose carefully how I answer this because, yeah, I think that,
09:01I think that the standard is an issue and that's, you know, I don't want to probably say too much more than that,
09:13but I think the standard is an issue.
09:15I also think that there's a divide between, uh, the understanding of football players, football managers and referees.
09:24No one understands the other.
09:26Right.
09:27If that makes sense.
09:28And I've actually offered to go, I spoke to Mike Jones yesterday and I've offered to go in and give a talk to the referees about what it's like for a manager to stand on the sideline and be so enthralled in the, in every ball that drops.
09:43And, um, the pressures that you become under as a football manager, because I don't, I'm not saying they don't understand that, but I think there needs to be more of a connection between the referees and the managers and the referees and the players.
09:57And I think there's no connection. I don't, you know, years ago we used to be able to speak to a referee and you'd have a conversation and sometimes they'd tell you to do one.
10:06And, you know, it feels to me as if there's not that personable touch anymore, that it's kind of like, you know, they, they referee it almost like robots in a way.
10:16And I think sometimes they have to be kind of more, um, more about dealing with people.
10:24And yeah, does that make sense to you? I'm probably not coming across very well with this, but yeah, I think, I think there needs to be more of a connection and understanding of, of the officials with the players and certainly with the officials and managers.
10:36Cause at the moment it's, it's, we're miles apart in my opinion. And I, I want to help. I want to, I've offered my help and see if I could do that.
10:43And Mike said, yeah, we'd definitely do that, but we can't do it during the season.
10:46You can't change it during the season.
10:48And not only that, there can't be a bias where I'm coming in and you know what I mean?
10:52So it needs to be probably close season, but I've offered to do it because I feel that there is a gap and there's no understanding between the referees and the, and the, and the managers and the players.
11:02Yeah. And Saturday's game is a repeat of the fixture of when you've returned, I believe your first game.
11:08It was, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You won that one.
11:10Yeah. Yeah. I was going to say you take that Saturday. Yeah. Yeah. Excellent. Thanks Scott.
11:14Thank you. Cheers.
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