00:03Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire went off on Sunday, whenever it was.
00:10Are they available for tomorrow?
00:13Well, we're hoping so.
00:15We're working towards it.
00:16They weren't feeling too good, so we've still got a bit of time to the game
00:22and we'll just have to see how they feel.
00:24So we'll obviously give them every chance.
00:26I mean, is it kind of illness? Neither of them were injured or anything like that?
00:31No, I wasn't injured, no.
00:32They just both of them weren't feeling too good.
00:37So, yeah, it's one of them things, really.
00:39But we'll just have to see how they are today and tomorrow morning.
00:42Just in terms of the form of the team, which has obviously been outstanding,
00:46when you were here with Ole, obviously the team did very well
00:50and then there was a drop-off towards the end of the season.
00:52And when you were at Middlesbrough, you also did really well at the start
00:56and then the results didn't match that at the end of the season.
01:00You didn't achieve what you wanted to.
01:02Is there any way of guarding against that?
01:07Football's a tough game to get results anyway.
01:09So I think, yeah, of course they're learning.
01:13I learn, you know, always learning and, you know, things that as you go through
01:19and you could maybe have done a little bit different, done a little bit better,
01:22not specifically in them times, just in general, really.
01:24So, yeah, there's a lot of context and it depends on the players,
01:28the group of players, what the games will look like.
01:31You know, there's so many different things coming into it.
01:33I think it's not so much guarding against it.
01:35I think it's just living in the moment and staying in the moment
01:37and keep grounded, you know, and down to earth
01:41in terms of understanding what it takes to win games.
01:43And I've said that since I kind of came here
01:45and not getting carried away.
01:46And we won't, certainly won't get carried away.
01:49I think you've got to feed off the confidence
01:50and, you know, understand that runs of wins are hard to come by,
01:56but we're hungry for more, for sure.
01:59And we need to try and make it as long as it can last
02:02and stay consistent.
02:05Sorry to say you're back to a subject that's been hot this weekend,
02:09grappling inside the penalty area, Michael.
02:11Has it gone too far and do you think anything can be done about it?
02:15What can be done?
02:17I think it's gone too far, yeah.
02:19I think it wasn't long ago where, you know,
02:21we were kind of told that you couldn't really lay a hand
02:24on anybody in the box and it was going to be stamped
02:28kind of out and clamped down on.
02:31And it's crept in, it's gone stronger.
02:33I think, obviously, the success of set pieces,
02:36corners in particular, probably in terms of being able to
02:39put so many bodies close together,
02:44has made more teams do it because the success rate is so high, you know.
02:49So, it's understandable why there's so many teams trying it and doing it.
02:54But, yeah, in terms of as a game,
03:00it doesn't feel that we've kind of got that balance right.
03:03So, I don't know what is to do about it.
03:06It's not for me to decide that, really.
03:07But, you know, in the meantime,
03:10you've got to deal with what's in front of you
03:11and if it's allowed, then you've got to play to it.
03:14And just on the game itself at Newcastle,
03:18you're obviously in confident mood now.
03:20You, the players, everything.
03:22The fans talk about Champions League qualification.
03:24It's very much in your own hands now, isn't it?
03:27You've got ten games to go and you've got to play
03:28the likes of Villa, Chelsea, Liverpool.
03:31That's a big plus for you, isn't it?
03:34Yeah, again, not looking too far ahead in terms of the games
03:37and where we're trying to get to.
03:39I think it's really important that we stay present
03:44and keep our minds on the job.
03:46It's an incredibly tough place to go to get a resort in Newcastle.
03:49You know, I've been there many times and know it well.
03:51So, we're fully aware of that.
03:54So, I'm not really looking for...
03:56We haven't had conversations about it.
03:57We're not looking too far ahead.
03:58We understand where we are.
04:00I think it was a good step for us at the weekend there
04:02and there'll obviously be a good boost that comes from that,
04:06whether that's energy-wise, whether that's confidence-wise
04:08and just total belief from it.
04:09But it doesn't mean that we can start ifs and buts further down the lane.
04:14I think we're in a good position and we've kind of earned it.
04:17Boys have earned it and we've got to try and make the most of it
04:19from now on in.
04:21Ian?
04:22Michael, you're now of the best form of any team in the league
04:25since you took over.
04:27Have you surprised yourself with what this team's achieved
04:29given it's the same group of players that we were here before?
04:34I wouldn't use the word surprise.
04:35I think we always strive to win games, you know.
04:39And as I've just said, understanding it, it's difficult.
04:43But, again, not looking too far ahead, you know.
04:46I think if you stay, every game's winnable.
04:48I think both teams will come into it and think the same thing.
04:51If you can stay that and go step by step, try and be consistent with it.
04:56And then we feel we give ourselves a chance of doing that.
05:00I think coming in at the start, it was quite quickly one game at a time again.
05:06And I think that's the only way, you know.
05:10It's when you're in it and you're living it and you've got to perform
05:13and the boys have got to be in a good frame of mind
05:14to be able to put performances together.
05:16I think the only way to do it and give yourself the best chance
05:19is to stay in the moment.
05:20And it's for everybody else to get involved in the discussions, maybe,
05:27of what ifs and buts and bigger picture type of thing.
05:30It's not for us right now.
05:31And we're happy, you know.
05:34We're happy with the way things have gone.
05:36Still think we can do certain things better,
05:39which is a really good place to come from.
05:42But winning games is a good feeling, a good habit to have.
05:46And you've got to keep staying hungry with that.
05:49There was so much discussion before you came in
05:51about sort of deep-rooted issues at the club and so on.
05:54When you've come in and you've worked with this group of players,
05:59did you see the signs in there that this run of form was possible?
06:04Again, I didn't get too far ahead in terms of what was possible at that stage.
06:08You know, we had to get to work quickly and put things into practice
06:13and try and be fair to the players to give them the right information
06:16and the right balance to go into the next game was the first thing.
06:22But yeah, listen, I know some of the players.
06:24I know some of the players, or have done more than others.
06:27Now I've got to know everybody and I think it's a really good group.
06:29I think talent-wise, ability-wise, I think the boys have showed that,
06:35what they can do.
06:37And then there's that balance of good habits, good behaviours
06:41and actually looking after each other.
06:43And there's certain times we've got to really dig in
06:44and show that good spirit and team spirit.
06:46So I can't speak highly enough of the players at the moment.
07:08Yeah, I'll be honest, there's not loads more I can add to what we've already talked about Bruno.
07:12He's been here for such a long period of time now and had success in different ways
07:20and certainly individually showing exactly what he's all about
07:24and taking terms of responsibility, showing up, being there, facing everything for the ups and the downs.
07:29And I think that sums up Bruno as a character and his consistency over such a period of time.
07:36So in terms of where he ranks in club history, that's not for me to get involved in.
07:42It's irrelevant.
07:43But I think he's been a major, major plus and a fantastic signing for when he came in
07:50and the impact that he's had since he's been here.
07:53I'm sure that'll continue.
07:55And a word on your counterpart in tomorrow's game, Eddie Howe, British manager who's had great success.
07:59How much respect have you got for the job he's done in recent years?
08:03Yeah, a huge amount of respect for Eddie and his staff.
08:07I know some of them particularly well.
08:10So it's, I don't know if you've been from there originally and it's something that I've kept a close eye
08:17on.
08:18So he's done a great job, the levels of success and periods that he's brought to that football club
08:24and the feeling that he's created around the whole area is incredible.
08:29So, yeah, I just think he's a top manager, top coach and he'll continue having success, I'm sure.
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