00:04How important will that be for you towards the end of the season that you block that level of competition,
00:09so is that kind of a cut-throw challenge for the players that if you don't play well they might
00:14get some down for or come out?
00:16It depends on how you look at it. I don't see it, I understand what you say.
00:20I think the competition in terms of pushing each other performance wise is important because it just pushes the level
00:26up
00:26and keeps you on your edge and playing on your edge but it's not from week to week that all
00:31of a sudden we're really a fan of certain players
00:33and then the next week you're on the bench and we don't like you anymore. It's really not that.
00:38Little bits on the certain games, certain types, certain strengths. Ahmed's been massive for us.
00:46It's not a major downside that he didn't start today, he's a big player for us.
00:51I think that's our approach to it and the boys have been fantastic.
00:56I know we've ended up keeping a consistent team but that doesn't mean that we can't change things around
01:00and it means it's a big fallout, someone's had a bad game so they're out of the team, it's not
01:05necessarily that at all.
01:06The boys have been really good with that and the flexibility and the rotations and we can change things about
01:12a little bit
01:12which is great for us to have.
01:16With Ahmad, he was here obviously when you were here with Oli as well, he seems to come on a
01:21lot on and off the pitch.
01:23Yeah, he's another one Ahmed, he's such a dream to work with.
01:28His attitude, he's so positive, he wants to learn, he wants to keep pushing, he asks for more,
01:34what can I do more, how can I improve.
01:36He's desperate to do well and he's been a huge part of the team and he will be.
01:42Sometimes it's the eye-catching bits and the bits that we know he can bring and other times he's worked
01:47off the ball and defending.
01:51That's huge to be able to do that for that type of player really.
01:54He's got a lot of attributes on him and the way he came on today didn't surprise me
01:58because he's been so positive all week.
02:01So I've been really happy.
02:03Can I just ask how Luke Shaw was?
02:05It was just ill, I just wasn't feeling well at all.
02:08It was an illness but it wasn't an injury.
02:10Rather than the foot?
02:12Yeah.
02:13He said he wasn't feeling too well.
02:15Hopefully back for Wednesday?
02:16I hope so, we'll have to see.
02:18I don't know at this stage but hopefully.
02:22No, not for Wednesday, no.
02:24James?
02:24Michael, the team played obviously a very different system under the previous manager
02:29and a lot of wingers, out and out wingers have obviously been moved on.
02:35Many people obviously associate United with out and out wingers
02:38and you're obviously now playing the system that needs them.
02:40The left, the door being gone, you've obviously got a guy who likes to drift inside there now.
02:46Do you see that as an area, sort of left wing, that might need to be addressed in the summer
02:52given who's gone out and given the shift now?
02:55I think you're always looking at the balance of the team and the squad really
02:58and to give you the utmost flexibility.
03:01So, it's definitely something to look at, you know, for sure.
03:05But I think the way Mateus can play that at times as well.
03:08Ahmad can do that at times.
03:10He came on against West Ham and played off the left.
03:13There's different ways of doing it.
03:16So, I think balance within the squad and trying to have that.
03:18I think we've got really good options across the front line
03:20and we can change things in games and we have done quite a lot actually.
03:25Sometimes subtle things, sometimes bigger things.
03:28But certainly Mateus when he plays wide, 1v1, he's tough to stop.
03:31If you look though today, obviously with Luke going off, you have Nazarawi at left back,
03:37he's a right footer.
03:38And I suppose if you've got a left side and forward like Cunha comes inside,
03:42you could do an overlapping sort of full-back.
03:45I know obviously you've inherited what you inherited.
03:47I just wonder whether that is something that the club will have to look at.
03:51Yeah, quite possibly in certain ways.
03:54But, yeah, I think we can still be dangerous and I still think we can fill that spot.
04:00I think we've got players to be able to do it.
04:02So, it's not a huge concern at the moment.
04:04We always want to improve and we're always thinking that perfect scenario
04:08of mixing players together and connections and how it suits on the pitch.
04:13But, Mateus has played that role and caused some problems,
04:17and caused big problems and had big moments from that playing wide or inside.
04:20So, he's doing well as well.
04:25I know you say you don't want to get carried away,
04:28but when you look at your record in charge,
04:29do you accept that you've got a pretty good chance of still being here next season?
04:34It's going to be every week, isn't it?
04:41It's not getting away from the situation, of course it's not.
04:45It's not really an awful lot I can say about it, to be honest.
04:47I think I love being here, I love doing what I'm doing.
04:50I've said it from the start, I'm not making any decisions for short term or quick fixes.
04:54I think it's the responsibility, however long I'm here,
04:57to make decisions the best for the football club in the long term.
05:00So, of course, winning games helps, you know,
05:03and the boys are doing great with that.
05:05We'll just have to see where it ends up.
05:07There's not really much I can give you on top of that at the moment, really.
05:10And just going back to Newcastle, obviously you're from the area,
05:13you grew up as a Newcastle fan,
05:14but the club have struggled down with it recently,
05:16I think they've gone with fans present since you were assisting Oli.
05:20Newcastle are a bad runner at home at the moment,
05:23what would you make of them coming into the games?
05:26It's a challenging place to play, you know,
05:28when they're in full flow and the supporters are there,
05:31I think it's a tough play, so we've got to be ready for that.
05:33It's a different kind of challenge again.
05:36You know, I know they've had mixed results of late,
05:39but they're a good team, Eddie's a fantastic manager,
05:41and they're a real dangerous team.
05:44So I think that run of, certainly what our run's been like previous,
05:47I think that's not one that I kind of look at too much,
05:50and certainly the fact that whatever form they're in,
05:52going into the game, I know this game's a tough game,
05:54so we'll have to be ready for that.
05:57Hi, Michael. Just on your own kind of coaching journey,
06:00you obviously had a bit of time out before coming here from Middlesbrough.
06:03You clearly enjoy Oli, but do you feel like you've got that coaching bug back
06:07since you've been here, and whatever happens here,
06:09whether you get the job or not,
06:10do you feel like you're futurelising coaching or management
06:13rather than, say, TV work, TV work?
06:15Well, I'm not very good at that now.
06:20Nah, listen, I enjoy working with players, you know,
06:23I enjoy trying to help players.
06:26I mean, the responsibility here is the whole football club,
06:29and I enjoy it, you know,
06:31and it's a privilege to be able to influence certain things,
06:34but I enjoy working with players and helping them,
06:37whether that's the career, whether that's for the team,
06:39whether that's developing them week to week,
06:41that's something that I just really enjoy and passionate about, you know.
06:45So, never really lost it, to be honest,
06:48whether it's managing, head coach, whatever role that kind of is,
06:51it comes down to working with players and people, really,
06:54to get the best out of people and backroom staff and supporters,
06:57and it's something that I like in seeing that development and connection growing.
07:02So, whether that's skills or technical skills,
07:05or whether you see the group coming together today,
07:07and from a setback to be able to overcome that,
07:10it's nice when you're part of that.
07:12Jimmy.
07:13Hi, Michael.
07:14Would you 100% rule out a catchy Arsenal club?
07:18You threw that one in as well, didn't you?
07:20No, listen, you can't rule anything out in football, right?
07:25But we've got to be realistic and know where it's at.
07:27I think we've just got to try and keep winning games
07:28and see where, you know, above us now there's two fantastic teams,
07:33there's some really good teams in and around us.
07:35So, we've had a good run, we're certainly not getting carried away in.
07:41We've got to be patient, we've got to be living in the moment a little bit,
07:44certainly take the confidence,
07:45wherever that's going to take us, we'll just have to see.
07:47But we'll keep pushing, anyway.
07:50One of the reasons I ask,
07:51one of the reasons you've played under Ferguson,
07:55who, you know, could never, ever, ever give up anything.
07:58He may well have up a whole ten points in your time,
08:02I'm not so sure.
08:03So, what I'm saying, you played under a guy who would never give up,
08:07so I guess you're cutting the same stuff,
08:09why not give it a go?
08:10No, you're definitely glasses, you know, half full,
08:12and what you can achieve more than the negative side,
08:15that's for sure.
08:15I think that's just, that was what our half-time was today.
08:19You know, there are moments when,
08:21how's it going to go both ways,
08:22you've got to take the positive one, really.
08:24But yeah, of course, I'm being realistic about it.
08:27We have to win a lot of football matches for that to happen,
08:31so we'll just, we'll do what we've been doing, really,
08:33and go one at a time.
08:34And we've got one now,
08:36and then we've got a little bit of a break before Villa,
08:38so we'll go give us everything for Wednesday night.
08:41Thanks, you're right.
08:42All right, cheers.
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