00:17It was improved from our last hit out, we competed pretty well defensively, we looked
00:24more solid, more compact than our previous game. England, obviously a very good team,
00:29had some good possession but didn't overly hurt us at times. We had some moments in possession
00:35where we got into some pretty good areas, first half on the counter, and for us we just
00:41disappointed and conceded the goal, it was a good little move from England and Harry
00:46just pulling off, but conceded just for half-time hurt because we were pretty in the game. We
00:52just have to be better in the moments when we get forward possession to have moments of
00:56quality where we can score goals.
00:59Once again, that's one of those moments right at the end of a half where there's a concession,
01:06it's one of the worst moments really, you had to see them switch off briefly right then.
01:12Yeah, it hurt the team, came in at half-time having sort of done OK and done pretty well
01:17and you got through a good half to concede that late and coming straight after we restarted
01:24was disappointing and coming in at half-time was difficult. The boys felt it was an improvement,
01:32they felt they were in the game, they knew it was hard work, but it should be hard work
01:39in international football. When you're playing against a team ranked 4 in the world, it's going
01:43to be hard and I thought we dealt with it pretty well and now the next step for us is
01:48can we
01:49now create chances when we're playing against teams of this level.
01:52Just in terms of Finn Sermon bouncing back, I thought he dealt with that pretty strong from
01:56the Haiti match and then also Matt Darlick came into the starting game and was a real strong
02:00showing, what did you see close to it?
02:01Yeah, I mean we have got a strong squad, you know, and we've told them there's opportunities
02:06for people to push for World Cup places, people got opportunities today and I thought mostly
02:12he did very well, you know Finn did bounce well, he's disappointed with the goal, you know,
02:16where Kane just pulls off of him, but overall he dealt defensively very well, him and Boxy,
02:22you know, and they defended the box really well, I thought it was a good team effort.
02:26And Garbs, we know Garbs, he adds a lot of energy, he's competitive, but that position
02:32is also competitive and we've got players ready to take those positions if needed.
02:38Just lastly from me for now, Max Crowley played any four minutes in goal at your World Cup
02:43rookie?
02:43I thought he did well, we today, you know, the last game when we played Haiti we had pre-planned
02:48substitutions, you know, at half-time and 60 minutes and you know, everybody knew how long
02:52they were playing, probably similar to England today in regards to preparing for the World
02:57Cup and it didn't suit us, you know, people knowing how long they're going to play, you
03:02know, made it feel maybe a bit more of a friendly, a bit more of a pre-season type game.
03:06So today we said, let's play, it's a proper game, treat it like a World Cup game, go as
03:10long as you can.
03:12We did have a couple of people like Libby and Joe Bell on limited minutes, making sure they're
03:17good for the Iran game.
03:19But yeah, with the plan for Max was to play, see how he goes, go as long as we decide
03:25to.
03:26I thought he was pretty strong today, potentially would like to get Alex on a little bit earlier,
03:30but sometimes when you're in a game at 1-0 you don't want to make too many changes
03:34because, you know, when do we get opportunities to draw or try and beat England?
03:40You know, and that's 60, 70 minutes at 1-0, we know one chance we can draw a game.
03:44You know, we had a couple of opportunities but weren't quite able to have that clear-cut chance.
03:49So we're in the game.
03:51But, you know, England saw the game up.
03:53You said, Darren, do you think, given that answer, do you think you'll wonder what might have been
03:57for a historic result against a big team?
04:00England with a better side, but do you think you'll wonder what might have been?
04:03I think, you know, we talked about this at half-time, you know.
04:07Before the game, you know, they're great lads and I don't think anybody was, like, worried about England.
04:13We know they're a good team, we know they're players.
04:15But I think during the first half, they felt that they were in that game
04:18and they were at that level defensively and in possession with moments.
04:22So at half-time we did.
04:22We talked about we're 1-0 against a team ranked four in the world,
04:27your potential World Cup favourites, one of the favourite favourites, and we're in this game.
04:31And when will you ever get another chance to have this?
04:36It's hard.
04:37You know, the players worked so hard today in really hot conditions,
04:41especially in some of our positions.
04:43You know, Garbett and Eli having to initiate our press at times was tough.
04:48But yeah, we will look back and wonder, could we have created that one moment?
04:54You know, a couple of times we got into crossing positions and weren't quite good enough.
04:58We had those few in the first half that flashed across the box.
05:01Yeah, I think it's given us enough to go against a very, very good team with very good players.
05:07We can be compact and we can be difficult to break down.
05:10And we've got enough good players to keep our possession and get into good areas.
05:15And then we need players to have that moment.
05:17And what needs to be done over the next seven or eight days to try and get more solid defensively
05:25or just cut out these costly moments?
05:28Yeah.
05:29I mean, I think boys now have worked hard for a couple of weeks, you know, played the two games,
05:36climatised pretty well.
05:37So we will now travel to San Diego tonight.
05:40And then there will be a couple of lower days, a couple of rest days to get over this window
05:46as such before we hit the bubble, the FIFA bubble.
05:48And every day we're working.
05:50We're in meetings, there's conversations going on, there's training.
05:53And the boys are determined to be the best they can be and show people how good they can be
05:59when the World Cup comes round.
06:00Do you have your starting 11 in your head for the first match?
06:04No.
06:06Close.
06:08Final question from Diego.
06:09Darren, have you seen, you know, Starbridge seems to have a couple of quiet games, you have a number 10
06:13role.
06:14What have you seen from him in these two matches?
06:16When you say quiet, I think it's a bit harsh.
06:18I think he's been excellent.
06:19You know, he keeps the ball really well.
06:21He links play really well.
06:23What we haven't seen from him is that final killer quality that we know he's got.
06:28But I think his possession and his ability to keep the ball in high areas and bring people into play,
06:34I think it's very, very good.
06:35You know, as some of the other guys are, but he's so clean with his touch.
06:40You know, we know he can live at this level, you know, because he's got quality in him and these
06:44minutes are going to be great for him.
06:45And I think if we can get him in certain positions higher up in the pitch, you know, we know
06:51that he can create those moments where we can go and score goals.
06:54And just to get back to Max, you know, obviously they won't play 45 there by the two goalkeepers.
06:58But, you know, going into this match, treating it like a match, knowing the first goalkeeper on the pitch was
07:03someone you might not take off until late.
07:05You know, what got Max to the start of this match?
07:08We'd always planned AP start the first game, Max come on and then Max start the second game.
07:14You know, we looked at different ways.
07:15Obviously, we've got two very good goalkeepers, but three very good goalkeepers, but these two are pretty special.
07:20And we looked at, do we give them one game each?
07:22We felt, you know, Haiti and England was potentially not fair for either of them, you know, and wouldn't be
07:27able to compare them.
07:28Haiti obviously didn't turn out the way we really wanted it to.
07:31So, yeah, that was the plan, start AP now and start Max this one.
07:35And to be fair, like I say, when we're in a game at 1-0 and you've got England, you
07:39don't really,
07:39well, we didn't really want to make too many changes to too many positions and players because it becomes disjointed,
07:45like we saw against Haiti.
07:47And Max was in the flow of the game, as was Boxall and Finn Sermon, you know, so we let
07:53them go.
07:54Like I say, I potentially would have got AP on earlier, so, yeah.
07:58Do you think you got it wrong the other night? And I guess, do you think this performance today has
08:02probably lifted hopes back up back home?
08:04When you say got it wrong?
08:05In terms of pre-planning and, you know, setting up players sort of...
08:08Yeah, I mean, we've talked about it. You know, I think, I think most countries, including England today, when they're
08:14playing their first game,
08:15they want to get everybody good minutes, climatise, you'll get their legs moving, you'll get into the World Cup.
08:19And potentially, you know, England were good today, but they need to be better to go and win the World
08:24Cup than they were today,
08:25even though they won the game. And this is a game where they all got 45 minutes and they got
08:29into the World Cup.
08:30You know, they've obviously got players coming back in that are not quite ready yet.
08:33So, you know, I thought, I think most teams at World Cups are doing this.
08:37Potentially, it would have been good to get a local game, to get that first sort of game out of
08:41the way, you know, in hindsight.
08:42But, you know, I still, like I've said all along, like, Haiti, England, I'll take Iran.
08:49I win in it against Iran all day.
08:51Cool, everybody. Thanks for that. We will call up there.
08:53We have to go and get a plane very shortly to Sunday where you're in our basement.
08:56So, see you guys later.
08:57Thanks for going.
08:58Good luck.
08:58Good luck.
08:59Good luck.
09:00Good luck.
09:01Good luck.
09:01Good luck.
09:01Good luck.
09:01Good luck.
09:02Good luck.
09:03Good luck.
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