PNE boss Paul Heckingbottom
PNE manager Paul Heckingbottom and assistant Stuart McCall speak to the Lancashire Post
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00:00Does it just feel like a really good fit, a Northern club, and do you think you'll really resonate with these fans?
00:06That's the idea, actually. It's what we do on the pitch, but like I said, I think how we communicate with them as well.
00:13The fans need to understand that I fully understand that it's their club as such there, but Preston Northend fans are going to be here long after us.
00:20We're playing a small part in the club's history, but we want it to be a good part.
00:25We want them to enjoy the journey, enjoy the ride.
00:28We're going to try our best to enjoy our time here and try and create good moments because that's what it's about.
00:35And that's what I miss, working with the players on Saturday afternoons, the results.
00:41It might sound a bit warped, but nothing can make you feel this way, even a bad result.
00:45Nothing gives you the highs and lows of when you're doing this job.
00:49So, yes, that's what I miss.
00:52I think that probably, well, I want that to come across in how we play, and then the fans can feel that connection again between the team and them,
01:02because it's a journey you've got to enjoy together.
01:05Yes, the mentality you discussed, how easy is that to instil?
01:08Does it only come with time?
01:09And do you think a lot of that's already in there?
01:11A lot less in there in terms of what's in the players.
01:15How easy to instil?
01:19I think you have to be demanding, but the consistency is the key, and I enjoy that.
01:23Probably, I enjoy that part of life, doing things, give your best.
01:29I don't think people who don't give their best would enjoy working with me, but I'm happy about that, you know what I mean?
01:37You tend to surround yourself with people who are like-minded, and just like anything, there probably will be casualties of your time,
01:47but everyone will get opportunity, I'll be really clear with it.
01:50But I like people who work hard, do things with a smile on their face.
01:54So for me, I think it's pretty easy to get that mentality, but it doesn't suit everyone.
02:00How do you assess the current squad, and do you think it can be flexible in terms of systems and all that?
02:06Not as flexible as I'd like it to be, but there's good balance for the shape we've been playing.
02:11It's obviously a shape I know really, really well.
02:15So, not fazed by that one little bit, in terms of how we try and change the dynamic within that system.
02:22Yeah, there's lots of things we could do, but most of our conversation would be given out, where do we want to take it?
02:27What's the least amount of changes we could make, possibly, in the shortest space of time that would have the biggest impact on that dynamic?
02:36So, they're the things we've been discussing.
02:38Is that international break in September going to be massive for you both, do you think?
02:42Just a really valuable period of time?
02:44It will, because obviously we've got three big games coming up, where we want to look at all the players, we want to have a good look at them.
02:50The window's still open, so it's literally going to be flat out until that international break.
02:56We've not got too many players away, as it stands, hopefully.
02:59So, then it gives us time to be on the grass and get working with them, and really start trying to build and create that clear identity about what we want to look like on the grass.
03:10And the squad then will just be working together.
03:14Stuart, when you've had a taste of success at the level, do you just want more of it?
03:18Yeah, and I think the key thing we talk about is creating that environment.
03:23Like Paul says, you want people to be desperate to get in in the morning, with rain, shine, whatever.
03:29Come in, learn, improve and succeed, hopefully.
03:32So, it's about having that environment.
03:34If there's people that, and we haven't found that very rare nowadays, that don't want to be on board, if we're going on this, what they talk about now, journey, get on board and let's go.
03:45So, if there's anyone there who's got, you know, we'll notice, we'll see it straight away.
03:50If you don't want to work hard, then you're not for us.
03:53So, it's not just about hard work.
03:54Obviously, we'll call it football, etc.
03:56But first and foremost, create the right environment, which I'm sure there'll be a good one, and then we just want to take it on.
04:02But yeah, it's just, I was so excited to get a phone call on Saturday night from Paul and then get it done.
04:11So, yeah, let's go.