00:17Okay, good afternoon and thank you for joining us.
00:21We shall take the usual format today and begin with a broadcast section.
00:26Today we'll start with Jake, Premier League Productions.
00:28Off you go, Jake.
00:30Hi, Karen, good afternoon.
00:31Hi.
00:31Do you start off by just giving us an injury or team news update, please?
00:35Who do you want to know about?
00:37Did everybody come through the Tottenham game okay, specifically Jao Pedro and Yvonne Colwell?
00:43Yeah, they both trained today.
00:45Still got another day to see, but both promising, both hopeful that they'll be fit for Sunday.
00:49And the rest of the squad okay after Tottenham?
00:52Yeah, no other updates really.
00:54Nothing's changed in that moment.
00:55Just now we've had a couple of days to process the win in midweek.
01:01How impressed were you by the team's performance?
01:05I think we were impressed in different ways at times.
01:08So we knew it was going to be a challenge physically, mentally.
01:13We pushed as hard as we could.
01:15I thought the first half we were good value for the 1-0 lead.
01:18Played some really nice stuff.
01:21Got the second goal and then I felt like maybe we didn't really have much more to push.
01:25So it ended up becoming a bit more about grit and determination and defending our box.
01:29That's not how we want the game to look.
01:31But two or three days after a cup final, lots of players who played big minutes in that game.
01:36It was a tough game against the top side.
01:38So you could see the effects from that game.
01:40So I was really pleased with the fight and the grit and the quality at times as well.
01:44But great to get a win.
01:46We needed that.
01:47And also, no doubt, for you, great to have that reaction from the fans as well.
01:51Yeah, it was great.
01:52Stanford Bridge was brilliant.
01:53It's probably the best atmosphere I've seen this season.
01:56Or since I've been in the first team, sorry.
01:59I thought they were brilliant at Wembley as well.
02:01And I think it comes from us as well.
02:03We have to start games right.
02:04We have to start games bright and give the fans something to get behind,
02:07which we didn't do in the Forest game.
02:10But, yeah, it helps so much when that's the energy and it drives the players on it.
02:14And it's just a part of the game.
02:16If we can get the crowd like that, it can be a really, really difficult place to play.
02:20As somebody who's obviously been in temporary charge,
02:23is that what it's all about, really, when you see the fan reaction like that?
02:27Yeah, definitely.
02:29Irrelevant of it being Spurs, which is a massive game for Chelsea and Tottenham.
02:34You get that energy, you get that enthusiasm.
02:35But that's what we want to do.
02:37We want to win games, we want to win trophies for the fans
02:40and have more evenings and more days and more moments like that.
02:45How would you sum up, then, your stint in charge, do you feel?
02:48From my personal perspective, yeah, great learning, great experience.
02:53Massive challenge.
02:56Really thankful for the club, for the opportunity and the trust.
02:59Really thankful to the players as well.
03:00I think they've given us as an interim staff everything they could.
03:05So, yeah, really pleased, really happy and happy to support the club in whichever way I'm needed.
03:11Trickier than perhaps you'd imagined or about as hard as you thought it would?
03:15I wouldn't say it was trickier.
03:16It was really challenging.
03:18But Premier League, it's the top level for me, the best league in the world,
03:21playing against some of the best managers in the world.
03:23It's always going to be a massive challenge.
03:25Luckily, we've got some very, very good players that make it easier for you in those moments.
03:29So, yeah, pleased with it all.
03:32One more game coming on Sunday.
03:34No doubt you can expect a feisty atmosphere at the stadium of life.
03:38Yeah, it's going to be a great game.
03:39Both teams need to win as well.
03:41Sunderland have had a brilliant season.
03:42They're a really good side, a really challenging side, cause you real problems.
03:45So, yeah, we need one more push, one more big game, three points,
03:49and hopefully get ourselves up that table.
03:50You said Sunderland need a win.
03:52Could you, as manager in your last game, perhaps have done without them really needing a win to get into
03:57Europe?
03:58Yeah, there's no point thinking about that, really.
04:00We knew from the beginning of the season that we'd have Sunderland last day of the season.
04:04So, we need to face what's in front of us.
04:07We're more than capable of going there and winning that game,
04:09but we know we have to be at our best to get three points,
04:12because they're a very good side.
04:15Thanks, Jake.
04:15John?
04:16Can I just ask your reaction to Cole Palmer not being in the England field?
04:20Yeah, I don't want to comment on that.
04:22It's not anything to do with me.
04:24I've spoken loads of times about what I feel and how the club feel about Cole.
04:29And the England manager's made a decision in that moment.
04:32It's probably best to speak to him.
04:33But we have full belief and trust in Cole.
04:35We know that he's a quality player and we'll be relying on him on Sunday.
04:40How's he taking it?
04:41Again, I wouldn't want to comment on that too much.
04:43We've trained today.
04:45We haven't spoken about it.
04:57I think in life and in football, especially in football, I've learned that you need to take every setback as
05:03a positive.
05:03There's going to be lots of them.
05:05There's going to be losses.
05:06There's going to be moments like this.
05:07And if you have the right mindset, you can turn it into a positive.
05:12How do the club view playing the Conference League next season?
05:16Obviously, it's not the preference for a club like Chelsea.
05:20I don't know how the club view it.
05:22We haven't had those conversations.
05:24All we've spoken about is, since I've come in, trying to win every single Premier League game to obviously hopefully
05:29get into Champions League,
05:30hopefully get into Europe if Champions League isn't available.
05:33So, I wouldn't know.
05:34It would be a disappointment if we don't win on Sunday.
05:40And that's all we're going to focus on.
05:42But if you finish 8th and the club and the Stanley ends up backing it in that competition?
05:47It would be a disappointment if we don't win on Sunday.
05:49And that's all our focus is on, is beating Sunderland.
05:52And we can't control the other results.
05:54So, we'll be fully focused on getting three points against Sunderland.
05:57Thanks, John.
05:58Simon?
05:59Hi.
06:00Is Rhys also okay to play something else you didn't start off the pitch on Tuesday?
06:06Yeah, Rhys has trained today.
06:08So, we're playing it day by day with Rhys.
06:10He's fit.
06:10He's in a good condition.
06:11But we just know that we have to manage Rhys correctly over the last couple of games.
06:16He played, obviously, a lot of minutes in the final.
06:19Which, again, I'll go back to it.
06:20It was a tough game against a really good side.
06:22So, it's going to take a lot out of you.
06:24We didn't want to risk him on Tuesday.
06:26We felt like we had enough to see the game out, which was correct.
06:30And we're hoping to have Rhys back on Sunday.
06:32I appreciate you said you haven't spoken to Cole.
06:34He's not the only one that's had disappointment in the news the last few days.
06:38Do you notice that they're still up for this game, as in it's not affecting people like
06:44Dr. Petro and Simon?
06:47Yeah, well, in terms of Cole and the England announcement, that was made at 10 o'clock.
06:52I think around 10 o'clock today.
06:54We had a team meeting at 10.30 and we trained at 11.
06:56So, we haven't had time to speak or get a feel for the group.
07:00Training was really good today.
07:01I was pleased with all the boys' mindset, mentality.
07:03The way they trained was really good.
07:05So, I'm sure we'll have those conversations in the next couple of days and check in and
07:08I'll see how they are.
07:09But they're professionals.
07:11They're top players.
07:12And we all know, we highlighted it weeks ago, we need to win as many Premier League games
07:16as we can from now to the end of the season.
07:17And we've got one more to go and we need to get three points.
07:19And I think you said you can use it as a possibility.
07:22Is it kind of like it can also be a fuel to sort of go, right, they've proved themselves
07:28anyway, but to go and prove a point, even on Sunday, that they're still top players?
07:34Yeah, it's football.
07:35You're going to have so many moments like this, whether it be on the pitch, off the pitch,
07:39whatever.
07:40The reason they're at this level and able to play for a club of this magnitude is because
07:43they can deal with setbacks if they wouldn't and they didn't have that resilience.
07:47They wouldn't be international footballers.
07:48They wouldn't have won competitions they've won.
07:50They wouldn't be as good as they are as players.
07:52So, they'll be able to deal with any setback.
07:54And the last question, Gerard Hetto, I don't know, a fine game on the pitch, you know,
07:59just sort of how do you think he's come on this season?
08:03Yeah, it's always challenging someone so young coming from a different league.
08:08I think the Premier League is a really unique league and it takes time to get used to.
08:12And I've had that conversation with Gerard when I took the interim charge the first time.
08:16And since then, since Christmas, I think he's been probably our best performer or one of,
08:22alongside a few others, but he's been exceptional.
08:25And the moment in the game, the block at the end against Madison is massive for our season.
08:30So, that kind of summarises his level and we're really pleased with Gerard and he's in a really good place.
08:36Thanks, Simon.
08:37Finish with Rob, please.
08:39It's been a 12-month that you probably weren't expecting to have.
08:43You've probably had experiences, you've never thought you'd have this early in your career.
08:47Where does it leave you now that will you be happy to go back to being the first team coach
08:51or will you be happy going back to the age of the teams if that's what it comes to
08:56or has it accelerated ambitions you might have to be a manager?
09:00Where does it leave you personally?
09:03I wouldn't say it's accelerated ambitions.
09:05Like, it's been a great challenge, a great learning for me.
09:08You learn about yourself in these moments.
09:10So, I've really enjoyed the challenge.
09:12It gives me a bit of an idea and a perspective of what it's like coaching at this level, at
09:16this magnitude.
09:17And I'll be happy with whatever happens next year, whatever my role is.
09:21I'm here to support.
09:22I'm not in a rush.
09:22So, I'm here to support the club wherever they see where I bring the most value.
09:26And I'm all on board with that.
09:28I mean, it's rare for someone about whom so little is known as we knew about you
09:34that's coming to such a high profile and visible position.
09:38Do you feel grateful for the experiences you've had this year?
09:41Or would you have rather lots of players in the zone where it's still in that scene?
09:47And you've just spent the last 10 months with the 21st.
09:51No, I'm very grateful for the trust and opportunity that was shown.
09:54There was a change made and the club made a decision that they felt like I was the right person
09:59to step in on both occasions.
10:01And I'm grateful for that trust and the opportunity that they've given me.
10:05Thanks, Rob.
10:06Thanks, everyone.
10:07Camera's off.
Comments