00:00It seems pretty clear from looking at this window that there's clubs in the Premier League now that can outspend
00:04United and you're always competing in a different league to them financially. How difficult does it make to achieve the
00:09ultimate aims? Because we've heard people around the club say you want to win the league, you want to compete
00:12for the Champions League. It feels to do that like it's going to need a triumph of coaching really to
00:17improve the existing players. I mean is that a fair assessment and how do you reach those targets if you
00:22just can't compete with three or four clubs in this league?
00:26I certainly feel we can compete. The challenge is getting the right dynamics, getting the right balance, getting the right
00:36group together, getting the best players in the group to enhance the rest of the group and whether you need
00:44experience, some younger players, the actual amount of money in the end, I understand it can be a big thing.
00:51It doesn't always have to be the answer but it can be.
00:55It's up to us to do the work and get the best out of the group. We've got a fantastic
01:00group of players and they've proved over a period of time now that we can put results together and play
01:05well and win in all sorts of different places and environments. We've got to keep doing it in the end.
01:10As I said, we've strengthened the group from what we had last season and we've finished the season really strong.
01:17We're really positive of where we can get to. Realistic from where we've been but we know where we want
01:25to get to and we're really positive that we can.
01:28Were you surprised by the lack of sales? The most senior sale was Toby.
01:35Was I surprised? No, to be honest, no. Is that a reflection of the club's history? It feels like they
01:43have struggled to sell players in recent years in particular.
01:47Maybe, maybe not. Going back to us, keeping the group stronger. We had a really good foundation of eight months
01:55or so where we know as a group what we can do,
01:59who brings what to the group at certain times and we wanted to be stronger. That was the focus. Whatever
02:08we need to do to stay stronger, whether that was what players to go, whether it was to keep certain
02:12players.
02:15Ultimately, we want to keep getting better and we feel we have done. With the group that we've got now,
02:20we're in good shape. It's up to us to push forward now.
02:25Rob? Obviously, some of the fans will look at the numbers that other teams have invested but Sunday's your 20th
02:31Premier League game since you got appointed.
02:32I don't think any other team has won more Premier League points in that tie. That would suggest that it's
02:37one thing that happens at boardroom level with the money that's invested
02:40and another thing that happens on the pitch is that you actually can compete without necessarily pumping £400m into a
02:48squad in one transfer window.
02:50Yeah, like I said, we can certainly compete. For me, being at this club, you've got to strive to win.
02:58That's where we want.
02:59We say we expect to win, that's not blasé, but that's where we want to be and we want to
03:04try and get to that on a consistent level.
03:08As I say, I don't keep looking back, but recent history, very recent history, as much as anything for the
03:15boys to feel it and the group to feel it,
03:16they know what it's taken to put that run together that you've just mentioned.
03:22Granted, there was one competition and we need to do that an awful lot more this season, but we have
03:29strengthened the group,
03:30so we feel good about what's possible. We know the challenges that we face, of course we do.
03:36As I just said before, it's not an instant thing, but I think we're moving in the right direction, that's
03:41for sure.
03:44On that run, clearly you've done a great job since you came here to get the top four, getting to
03:49the Champions League and everything,
03:51but people will look at spending this window, look at what your rivals have spent, look at the black and
03:55white of those figures
03:56and maybe feel that you can only pull so many rabbits out of the hat, but at some stage you
04:00need the tools that you need to do the job to compete at that highest level.
04:05I think we've got to be moving forward, as a group we're moving forward, as a team we definitely are,
04:13the habits, the mentality of the group, showing some really encouraging signs and getting the best out of what we
04:20can get the best out of,
04:21and feel that we can be right in there.
04:25There are obviously some teams that are a bit further down the line than us,
04:28we've been here for eight months or so and some of the players have been here just not long before
04:34me,
04:34so there's a freshness around the group, there's an excitement around the group which is really encouraging
04:40and I'll be honest, there's a hunger and a feeling of wanting to achieve something,
04:45so that's from us which we've got to keep and we've got to grow and I'm glad the players feel
04:52that way,
04:53they've got that confidence. So for setbacks, bounce back, know what we can do,
04:59what we can do when we're at our best and we've got to stay at that level for as long
05:02as we can.
05:03To people or fans who still think that you maybe lack that X amount to compete at the highest level
05:08consistently,
05:09what would you say to them?
05:10There's a lot of people who think a lot of things, to be honest. It is what it is,
05:16I think we know what we have, what we can do, what we can achieve. Money is one thing,
05:24what you do with it is another thing, how you make the most of it is another thing.
05:28It's about what happens on the pitch at the end of the day and we just keep giving what we
05:34can,
05:34giving our best and keep trying to win.
05:37Hi Michael, at Hull, I think it was quite hostile their first game back in the Premier League and things
05:41like that.
05:42At Everton, there is a risk of it turning toxic. How aware are you of what's happening outside of the
05:48pitch
05:48and do you feel that you can actually use it this time in your favour?
05:55Obviously, certainly aware of all sorts of things throughout different clubs,
06:00but it ultimately comes for me and the players, it's preparing what we do on the pitch.
06:08Certainly emotionally, whatever way it goes, you've got to be able to cope with it,
06:12make the most of the situations, but it doesn't come into our thinking for going into the game.
06:18We understand we're going into an atmosphere that's, as I've just said,
06:25historically all I know is going to Everton is a tough, tough game,
06:28so that's purely what's on my mind in preparing for that.
06:31We need to be at our best. If we're at our best, close to our best,
06:35then we'll have a good chance of winning the game.
06:37But they're a really good team and they've started well, so we know it's a challenge.
06:40Richard?
06:42Hi, Michael. You've obviously signed three midfielders this summer.
06:46The club signed three forwards last summer and in all cases I think you're looking to them for the long
06:51term.
06:52Does that indicate that next year the focus will be much more on the defence and bringing in defenders?
06:58It's not always as simple as that. I can understand why you kind of come to that conclusion if you
07:05like.
07:07It's not always as simple as that. I think there is the evolution of trying to improve things all the
07:12time,
07:12how the season goes, form, injuries, who's looking good, what the future looks like.
07:18There's obviously a lot that goes into it and step by step we're trying to improve,
07:23so we'll see how the season goes and what we need to develop.
07:27But we've obviously got a clear idea of what we want to look like coming through this summer
07:31to then a little bit further down the line, you know.
07:36Hi, Michael. Cobby's got much praise for his performance at the weekend.
07:42After the season that he had last year and not playing any minutes at the World Cup this summer,
07:47how are you going to manage in this season?
07:49How prominent a role can he have in the team given there's much more competition for places?
07:54Yeah, I think the competition is a positive thing.
07:57And that's competition not necessarily because it's either one player or the other player.
08:03I think it's a collective to know that it's a strong group.
08:07So, yeah, I think obviously Cobby made big strides last season from finishing the season so strong.
08:15He played ever so well last week again and you can see in his development
08:19and how much he's improving certain aspects of his game.
08:24He wants to learn, he's hungry to learn, wants more all the time, which is great.
08:29Because he has had a really good eight months since I've been in.
08:35And it will be easy for him to think, this is all right, you know.
08:38I've gotten a team, played a lot of games and everything's good.
08:40But he's pushing for more, as he should.
08:42So, the beauty of having the competition if you like, but more the foundation to be strong is that you
08:50can learn off each other,
08:51you can help each other.
08:52Certainly as a midfield group we feel like it's really strong, you know.
08:57Cobby can have another big season for sure, you know.
09:03He's come back great, really has come back great and you see that on the weekend.
09:08But in and around the group, in and around training, you can see him growing.
09:11His personality is obviously maturing all the time as well and he's still so young.
09:15There's loads to still come from him, which is great.
09:18Just to follow up on that, Michael, maybe the previous manager had a bit of concerns about him defensively.
09:24As a former midfielder, do you work with him specifically on off the ball?
09:29And how important is he to what you're trying to do in the start of play that you're trying to
09:34play here?
09:36Yeah, we're constantly working, not just me, all the coaches,
09:40we're constantly working with all the boys individually on certain things,
09:44whether that's on the pitch, off the pitch.
09:47Yeah, constantly, not lecturing Cobby at all, but letting him play,
09:53letting him express himself, letting him do what he's good at.
09:56He's got some amazing attributes that we want to use.
10:01And then there's definitely the improvement side, you know, trying to help him.
10:05The great thing about it is that he wants to learn and you can see he's trying to
10:09give him a little bit of things here and there.
10:11He really takes it on board well and learns, you know,
10:14and that's going to give him a great chance to fulfil his potential,
10:18which obviously he's got an awful lot of.
10:21Thanks, everyone.
10:22Alright, cheers, guys.
10:22Cheers, thank you.
10:23Thank you so much.
