00:00Has the defensive record been down to what you've been doing behind the scenes?
00:04Because two clean sheets here, well clean sheets have been really hard to come by, especially at home.
00:08That must be really pleasing for you and what have you been doing behind the scenes for sure?
00:12Yes, it's pleasing for sure. I think it's not easier but it's easier to win games
00:22without having to score so many goals every week, for sure.
00:27We do seem to be a team that can cause a lot of problems and create opportunities in score goals
00:32so it's definitely getting the balance right.
00:34There's still things to improve on, it's definitely something we've focused on
00:39of trying to be better as a team collectively when we don't have the ball.
00:43Three or four weeks we're not going to fix everything and all of a sudden look perfect.
00:49It's understanding that a little bit but I think the boys have responded really well
00:54to what we've asked them and the clean sheet, as much as everything today,
00:58the clean sheet was important for us.
01:00Betty?
01:01Hi Michael, what sort of challenge does a team like West Ham pose for you?
01:06Obviously they're fighting relegation towards the bottom of the table,
01:10is it a different challenge to approach?
01:13I think you've got to go into the game understanding the situation of both teams.
01:18We've tried to paint our picture to the players in every game we've played so far
01:21and it'll be the same come Tuesday night.
01:24The type of game, the feel of the game, what kind of skills we're going to have to draw on,
01:30different games throw up different things.
01:32And yeah, for sure, teams towards the bottom of the league are really fighting for things,
01:40but so are we and we've got to fight for it.
01:43You'd like to think that balances out in some ways and it's who can come out on top
01:49at the end of it, but sure we're totally aware of what we're going into on Tuesday night
01:53and how difficult it will be.
01:54What do you make of West Ham other than you know?
01:59Yeah, well, there's a bit of change.
02:01I think injuries as well as difficult.
02:03I think they're very good on transition, very dangerous.
02:05We've got some really good attacking players, so we've looked at them already
02:11and kind of have an idea with that, as they would have done for us.
02:15But yeah, they're a threat and when they get up ahead of steam at home they're a dangerous team.
02:22So definitely got to be ready to cut with all that.
02:25Sam?
02:26Michael, you said from the press conference that you won't get carried away,
02:30you won't allow them to get carried away.
02:32When you took over at Middlesbrough you won a lot of matches,
02:36there were a couple of defeats, but you won a lot of matches.
02:39Is there anything from that period that you can learn about this period
02:44and keeping focused and maintaining your sights on the next game
02:50and not getting carried away?
02:52Because it's an easy thing to say.
02:54It's a really easy thing to say and, listen, part of it,
02:59you've got to enjoy the buzz of winning, right?
03:02You have to, that's what we're in it for.
03:05So you've got to manage the highs of it and you've got to enjoy,
03:08initially, the feeling of winning a game, you know?
03:11You can't kind of just be flatlined the whole time,
03:14but certainly going into the next game you've got to then regroup
03:17and prepare again for what's next.
03:19But you definitely take the confidence and the feeling from the games
03:23that you've had, knowing you can go into the next game
03:25with a little bit more feel-good factor about it.
03:30I guess the big challenge is knowing what's got you there
03:36and all the hard work and the preparation and what it takes
03:39to win a game of football at this level is tough,
03:41so never assuming the next one's just going to be all right.
03:44But you've still got to allow yourself to feel the little bits of
03:48waves of emotion with it, because, yeah,
03:51you're all a bit boring and pointless if you didn't really,
03:54to be honest, winning games is what we all strive for, you know?
03:57So, the boys have been good with that though,
04:00they've managed it really well and kind of had the higher to win,
04:03come back into training and focused on the next one
04:06and we've got to keep that going.
04:08You won't do what your own manager used to do,
04:11give the players a bulk in even when they've won a game or anything like that?
04:16There's a time and a place where everything's time, isn't it?
04:19Hi, Michael. Bruno said on TV after the game
04:22that you remember what he said to you last time you were manager,
04:25that you were going to be a great manager and he still believes it.
04:28Can you remember what he said to you last time you were in charge about that
04:32and how does it make you feel to hear someone like that?
04:35Yeah, I've known Bruno for quite some time and know him really pretty well
04:39and seen him the odd time when I've left the club in Buckingham.
04:43I've got a really good relationship with him, you know,
04:47I understand how much he's a really intelligent footballer,
04:50he's bright, he cares a lot for this club,
04:53so in terms of that side of it, we all want the same thing, you know,
04:58so it's obviously nice when players that you respect,
05:03as I do with Bruno a lot, he says good things about you,
05:06but ultimately it's about the team, you know, getting the best out of the team
05:10and actually that's all working together, so time will tell, you know,
05:15it's not about judging how good or successful they're at this moment in time
05:19because nothing's really happened yet, you know,
05:21we hopefully have got a lot more to do between now and the end of the season
05:24and see what happens after that.
05:26Dan and then Carl.
05:28Mike, can I just ask your team news-wise,
05:30will Mason be in contention to be back and also win the tyres?
05:33Will he leave there after the FA Cup and break them?
05:36They probably will, Mason will be, probably not for Tuesday,
05:40probably after, but definitely going into the Everton game,
05:43yeah, he'll be back.
05:45Matta will be, we'll see how he develops over the, you know,
05:49the Everton game feels like a long-term way at the moment,
05:52so we'll see how he develops, but he's positive,
05:54he's moving in the right direction,
05:56but Mason's a little bit closer than me.
05:58And Mike, but absolutely tangent,
05:59and I apologise for asking this,
06:01but there is a young lad who is waiting to get a haircut,
06:05and it's been a while, just wondering how aware you are of him,
06:08and will I go into a team tour for anyone else?
06:11I can say I'm aware of it, yeah.
06:14My kids have made me aware of it, if anything,
06:16but it certainly won't go into the team tour from a professional level,
06:20but I can understand what's going on with it,
06:24and it does make me smile,
06:25but it won't have an impact ultimately in the end.
06:28You mentioned about Brunifan getting his goal on the left-hand side,
06:36earlier in the first half,
06:38there was a moment where you indicated that Manny wanted to swap,
06:40and then to the right,
06:41I just want to know a little bit more about how you let your front four
06:45interpret their roles,
06:46there seems to be a great amount of creative freedom.
06:49Yeah, within reason, as long as we carry out the roles properly,
06:53it's not total free-for-all where you can go and decide,
06:58it's a little bit of where you end up.
07:00Bruno is that type where he understands the different roles
07:03and plays them particularly well,
07:05and Brian is doing very similar.
07:07To be honest, Mateus as well,
07:09playing sometimes through the middle, sometimes off the left,
07:12so it does give us the variety,
07:14I think they're all suited to different roles.
07:17I'm at probably more of natural being wide,
07:21so that's a little bit more predictable if you like,
07:25but the flexibility certainly helps us,
07:27as long as we look after the positions when we don't have the ball.
07:30OK, thanks everyone.
07:31All right, cheers guys, thanks.
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