00:01Jermaine, good pre-season test against Portsmouth today, narrow 2-1 loss, really competitive game, thoughts on your side tonight?
00:08I thought it was an amazing performance. If I'm being totally honest, I thought in the first half we had
00:12two good chances early on.
00:14Should have been 2-0 up to be honest. I said to the players, the first half performance was exactly
00:19what I wanted.
00:21After 60 minutes obviously I made the changes and the boys came on with the right attitude, the same intensity.
00:26So really pleased overall, a really good performance.
00:29Yeah, obviously that was pre-planned, wasn't it, the 60 minutes?
00:32Yeah, yeah. And I just built it up from the 45 to the 45 on Saturday, wasn't it?
00:35Yeah, but even like a lot of times with players, they can sort of take it the wrong way and
00:39read too much into it.
00:40But the fact that the group of players came on in the second half and put in a performance and
00:45kept the level as it was,
00:46that's really pleasing for me. And I said to the players before, I said, you know, you're good players otherwise
00:51you won't be here.
00:51But the fact that for me, if you can have a group of players that's honest and willing to work
00:56and run,
00:57do the other side of the game and give everything.
01:01And even with the running after, the boys obviously played 30 minutes, they did a little bit of running,
01:04like a top-up after, and I came out and I watched it.
01:06And even in the running, the intensity in the running, you know, I can't answer anything that much more than
01:11that.
01:11Obviously a completely different test to show, Ling, which is obviously what you want in pre-season, different tests.
01:16And the boys really, you know, stepped up tonight, didn't they?
01:18Yeah, to be honest, I think we surprised them. To be honest, I think with the quality.
01:22We competed when we had to, but I think with the quality with the ball,
01:25actually with them moved back the ball, was really good.
01:29And I mentioned before, like, we've had a good test.
01:32We played Watford behind closed doors, I felt like they were surprised as well.
01:35And from some of the feedback I've got already from people that obviously come to the game,
01:38they were like, wow, you know, the team looked really good, looked fit, looked strong.
01:42And that quality that we've got with the ball, you know, it's brilliant.
01:45And some, you know, some really good chances tonight, especially in that first half as well.
01:48Yeah, and listen, that's going to come, you know, that sort of confidence in front of goal.
01:53It's the early days, that's going to come.
01:54But, you know, to create those sort of chances against top teams like this, that's really pleasing.
01:59The players are happy.
02:00I have a sense that, you know, even after the game, they were really pleased with the performance.
02:04And we'll get better for sure.
02:05And then, you know, fell behind, but, you know, kept coming back and got a really nice try from Harrison.
02:10If you've got a goal done, it's football, it's part and parcel.
02:12There's going to be games where you concede, even two goals maybe.
02:15You've got to just stay calm and, you know, don't change the way we play
02:18and believe that we're good enough to get back into the game.
02:20And we've done that, we've scored a really good goal actually.
02:23Happy with, obviously, the players that were here last year.
02:27You know, the new signings, I felt like they've been brilliant.
02:29You know, the boys that are on trial, you know, the younger players that come on.
02:32You know, everyone really, everyone to a man.
02:34You know, I thought that they played well today.
02:36That was a really nice finish from Harrison from just outside the box there.
02:39Yeah, that's what he does. He scores goals.
02:41You know, he's the honest kid, to be honest.
02:42You know, he just, he loves his football.
02:44And that's why we wanted him here.
02:45You know, he loves his football.
02:47He's got a good experience for his age.
02:49You know, he's a top player, good with the ball, clever.
02:51Gets into these little pockets and that, and he scores goals.
02:54So, he's going to be important for us this year.
02:56And you've got a good mix, you know, boys who were here last year.
02:58You know, obviously, you had a look at last year and you've sort of got seven in already.
03:01Sort of, you know, some good early business this summer.
03:02Of course, he was Sean the big man at front.
03:04I thought he was brilliant.
03:05You know, at times when he had to be the focal point, he was strong.
03:07He caused a problem.
03:08He ran him behind.
03:09And he's not even really fully fit yet.
03:11So, to show that level of fitness really and power that he showed in that first half
03:16or for 60 minutes was really good for us.
03:19And again, he's another one that's going to be important.
03:21And I believe that when he's 100% fit and he's fully on it, you know, he's going to be
03:26one that excites everyone.
03:28First couple of weeks of pre-season, just really happy with the work the boys have been putting in.
03:31You know, training and the first couple of games.
03:34Oh, 100%.
03:34Yeah, that's all you can ask for from a manager and staff is players that are honest,
03:39willing to work and players that are coachable.
03:42They're definitely that.
03:44And, you know, pre-season is never easy.
03:46You know, I definitely don't miss that.
03:47But you've got to put the work in.
03:48It's all worth it.
03:49I mean, the rewards are so big.
03:51And there's no better feeling when you're playing football matches and you feel strong and fit.
03:55And I've said to the players before, you know, can we be one of the fittest teams in the league
03:58and be really hard to play against?
04:02And obviously you've got the fixtures a few days ago and we obviously know Sutton now,
04:05you know, so it's a few weeks away still, but you can sort of know now,
04:08you can map it out and sort of know what you're building towards.
04:10Yeah, but I know.
04:10I get a sense that the players are really looking forward to it.
04:13You know, I think they just want the season to start now.
04:16You saw the performance tonight.
04:18You know, you've seen a group of players that's hungry.
04:20And I think that's the most important thing.
04:23You know, when you get a group of players that's hungry, they want to win.
04:26They want to achieve something special this season.
04:28Of course, you take baby steps and each day as it comes and you take it game by game.
04:32But at the same time, you know, I can see, you know, that level of focus with these players this
04:36year.
04:37It's really good.
04:37It's really good.
04:38It's really good.
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