Crawley Town manager Rob Elliot meets the press for the first time
Crawley Town manager Rob Elliot is preparing for his first game in charge as Reds face Wycombe Wanderers away in League One./ Elliot met the press for the first time and spoke about the changers he will make and how his first few days have been
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00:00Rob, thank you for joining us. Your first couple of days as a Crawley coach are done.
00:05How's it been?
00:06Yeah, it's been really good. It's been great to meet the lads and the staff. We come down
00:11Monday night so it sort of felt like it took an age to get into the training ground to
00:16meet everyone. Yeah, that has been the most enjoyable part, being on the pitch with the
00:20lads and getting to know them. Some really good characters. They're obviously a really
00:24close group. They're young but they're hungry and they want to learn and I think they just
00:29want to carry on from where they've been doing this season. But yeah, I think the best
00:34part for me was watching them on the pitch and seeing the talent and the group. I think
00:39the big thing which probably pleased me the most was how receptive they were for the little
00:45bit of different detail that we're going to add. Obviously I'd worked with Scott for a
00:51long time and they had a way of playing which was something I enjoyed watching. There's
00:55a few adaptations and evolutions from that that obviously we need to put our stamp on.
00:59But the lads have taken it really well and it's been a good few days.
01:03What did the first couple of days look like? Because I suppose there's an element of having
01:07to prepare for a fixture at the weekend but also yourself and the rest of the coaching
01:10staff having to get to know the lads. Was there a fine balance of everything in the
01:14first couple of days?
01:15Yeah, we sort of concentrate on ourselves a lot more and we always want to do that.
01:18We always want to concentrate on our strengths and us as a team and back our players in every
01:22scenario. Obviously today we sort of went through Wickham and their strengths and weaknesses
01:31to a certain degree but where we think we can hurt them. But obviously we know they're
01:34a very good team. But again we want to make sure that we're slowly transitioning the lads
01:41into any sort of small differences that they might see. We're not expecting it to happen
01:46straight away, this takes time. But so far we've been really receptive and the sessions
01:50have been good. One of my big things is that I want to concentrate on our strengths and
01:56our team and I want to develop our players and I don't want to get too bogged down on
02:00the opposition other than giving the lads as much information about what they're going
02:03to see on a Saturday. But I think the strength of this group over the last couple of years
02:06is that they've backed themselves in every area of every game to dominate, to step on
02:13and we want that to continue really.
02:15Is it going to work in your benefit that we've got quite a few games coming up? It's a very
02:18busy October isn't it? We've got pretty much a Saturday-Tuesday schedule for the whole
02:22month so is that going to work in our favour do you think to get those subtle changes and
02:26messages across to the lads?
02:27Yeah I think so. It would be nice to spend time on the training pitch but then the games
02:31is where you really learn and you get the detail. And obviously with the amount of games
02:34as well I think it would be good that we'll probably see a lot more of the players so
02:36Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday the squad becomes even more important and I've relayed that
02:40to the lads. Always someone that likes to use the squad to keep it fresh. And the big
02:45thing for me is that in terms of the scheduling especially is that we just need to be adaptable
02:51and we need to be able to reset and go again and we need to keep that freshness in our
02:56minds and our bodies and the fact that I said for me the game Saturday is our first game
03:02of the season really in the nicest possible sense for us and moving forward is that no
03:10matter the outcome, no matter how well we play or anything or what the score is I should
03:15say is I want it to be a case that that's our worst performance of the season because
03:19after every week we should be getting better and better and cleaner and leaner in terms
03:22of our understanding and that's whether we win, whether we lose, whether we draw. Because
03:27I think the processes we want to go through, the results will come of that. But we want
03:32to make sure we start this Saturday right and I can't ask the lads to take on all the
03:36detail. They've been brilliant at it. What I can ask is that they try and do everything
03:39we've asked and obviously the one non-negotiable which they've got in abundance is their work
03:43rate, the intensity and trying to do the right thing. So from my point of view I'm
03:48looking forward to the game and looking forward to not just this game but I'm looking forward
03:51to working with the lads on a regular basis in terms of over the weeks and the months
03:54and all the different games and challenges we're going to have.
03:57As far as our current negotiations, this is probably one of our more local away trips
04:00so we should be back by some good numbers in the weekend. How much are you looking forward
04:04to getting to know the fans and building a relationship with them?
04:07Yeah I think I'm really looking forward to it because the relationship I've built with
04:10myself and the staff around the club has been lovely. It's a real family-orientated
04:14club. Most people here support the club. It's very similar to when I was at Chorlton and
04:18Newcastle. Chorlton was my club and everyone who worked at the club was Chorlton fans.
04:22The same at Newcastle and it makes it a nicer connection. It makes it mean more to everyone
04:27around the training ground and I think that's a real special thing. I always say that it
04:32doesn't matter the size of your fan base, whatever club you support that means just
04:35as much to you as maybe supporting Real Madrid or Man United or the big super giants. If
04:41it's your club, it's your club and it means something to you. So far, all I can say is
04:46thank you to everyone for the welcome from the fans and the staff. I'm looking forward
04:50to that interaction and getting to know everyone, getting to know the community in the area.
04:56It's just obviously something that I think the lads take pride in and represent the club
05:01and I think that's when it comes from the work rate and the effort and the intensity
05:05that they bring. You can't always control sometimes the football in terms of whether
05:09it bounces the right way or your passing is just on but you can control how hard you work
05:13and the integrity you play with and the intensity you play with and I think that's one thing
05:17that these lads will make sure that we always bring.
05:21Hi Rob, in the training the last couple of days, is there anything that surprised you
05:27or exceeded your expectations from the players?
05:30I think their quality, yeah, definitely. They're seriously talented individuals and overall
05:35what I thought was really pleasing and tough for me is that the levels of the squad are
05:39really high and also they're consistent among the group in terms of trying to make team
05:44selections. One, it's hard to make a team selection but two, it's a positive in the
05:48fact that if we get injuries or if we need to freshen it up or if players need to come
05:51in, the levels won't drop too much. So that was really pleasing and I think also just
05:57the way they are as a group, they were really receptive to us and I think I call it talk
06:03about buy-in. I'm huge on buy-in because we ask the lads to do X, Y or Z and if they buy
06:08into it then they'll get all the love and they'll get all the opportunity and all the
06:11time from us and I think they really like that and they really bought into it and that's
06:18going to have to continue, it's not just the first few days. But yeah, that was a really
06:22positive start and I think just for myself, Lou and Sweens, obviously we said thanks to
06:25the lads because it's not easy walking in as a young manager in a new experience, a
06:30new environment but they made it as easy as it could possibly be and especially the support
06:35staff around us, Ricky, Jake, Tom, everyone at the club, that's really important as well.
06:42Haffey, they sort of set the standards of what the area is like and what the lads like
06:46and everything and it just helps you ease into it. It's only been two days but it doesn't
06:50really feel like it's been just two days, it feels a bit more comfortable. Hopefully
06:53the players feel the same but yeah, I think over time it becomes easier and easier.
06:57Yeah and in regards to you being a goalkeeper, or a trade as it were, how does that work
07:02in training with you? Are you given a little bit of focus to the goalkeeper or are you
07:05getting your own goalkeeping coaching?
07:07Yeah so I was the goalie coach the last couple of days as well, so I enjoyed that but it's
07:12good because I get to work with Jojo and get to know him and Jasper and yeah, Jasper's
07:19obviously a young goalie, he's coming in to get that experience and stuff but he's
07:22a brilliant trainer and he's got a lot of potential and hopefully when the goalkeeping
07:26scenario gets smoothed out we'll be able to get him out on loan and get him to develop
07:31but at the moment he's needed around the squad. And then Jojo himself, obviously he's an international,
07:36he's had great experience and he's been fantastic this year for us and he's someone I'm looking
07:39forward to working with. He loves his detail, obviously he's a lovely lad and he's got
07:45a serious ability. Steve Hale, who I know a little bit, has done a brilliant job, he's
07:53obviously gone and we'll look to bring someone in, ASAP really, but he needs to be the right
07:57person for the group and someone that's going to add to us and take us forward.
08:01Yeah but you don't mind doing it for the time being?
08:03To be honest with you yeah, I think I've got two more days in me and then my leg will fall off.
08:08And you've got Wycombe obviously on Saturday and then you've got ASU Wimbledon in the
08:12Is that kind of perfect because you get a chance to use most of the players over those two games?
08:16Because are you going to be looking to use a different squad for both games?
08:19I think it's a great opportunity to give everyone a chance to get on the pitch and show what
08:23they can do. I think whatever team we go with Saturday, squad we go with Saturday isn't
08:31my team or my exact eleven, that's my best eleven. I genuinely believe it's the squad
08:36that's going to get us there. If you look at every team over the course of a season,
08:40the first team of the season to the last team of the season, I guarantee there's four or
08:44five changes nearly all the time, even multiple around the squads. So all I want to see is
08:48the lads who get the opportunity Saturday to take it and the lads who don't to show
08:53why they should be in the team and why they're going to add to the squad and why they're
08:56going to add to the team on Tuesday. And hopefully we'll be able to manage it. Obviously
08:59there's certain rules but we'll be able to manage it. So on Tuesday lads who need minutes
09:03or lads that maybe didn't get as many minutes on Saturday are able to get that and want
09:07to be as fair as possible and then it's up to the lads from them to impress and if they
09:11get the shirt to keep it and if they don't to work their way into the team and when they
09:15get their opportunity to take it.
09:17And obviously Scott had a lot of success here last season. What does success for you look
09:21like at Crawley Town in regards to short term and long term?
09:26Sorry, very hot today. I think success is just continuing the development of the players
09:32and the club. I think probably the club, like Scott and the group players last season,
09:37lads who are still here, did such an amazing job. They defied almost all the odds and it's
09:42sort of a fairy tale. But now we've got to that point where there's still things that
09:47the club needs to develop on, there's still things the squad needs to develop on, the
09:50players especially. We've got a young group that maybe have brought more players in. So
09:55the fundamental thing is if we improve the players and we improve the squad and we keep
10:01consistent in terms of the way we play, then we'll end up getting the results from that.
10:07And obviously the obvious one is that we want to stay at this level so we can keep improving
10:12and develop from there. But I'll be honest with you, if we start thinking about that
10:17over there, we forget about what's happening now and the building blocks that will keep
10:20us to that. So success for us, as long as the players are getting better, as long as
10:23the team's getting better and as long as hopefully the results are coming as a by-product of
10:26that and the club's improving, the club's getting better and in a healthier position
10:30because, like I'm aware of, the last three or four years ago, where the club was and
10:35where it is now. I think it's important that the club stays strong and keeps getting better
10:39so that our levels as a club don't drop and we're able to maintain this sort of status
10:44or at least the club's growing and growing and growing in terms of player development,
10:48style of play and the enjoyment for the fans and the engagement for everything from there.
10:53And can you give us any squad updates? Is there anyone unavailable for tomorrow's game?
10:58No, as far as I'm aware, it's pretty much everyone who has been available will be available.
11:03There might be one or two niggles and whatnot but a couple of players have come back from
11:08injury, played minutes and have had to be rested. So, yeah, pretty much the squad's
11:13as it was and we'll monitor it from there and we'll hopefully be able to have as many
11:19players available as possible.
11:22Hiya, so you've made the step up to League One from the National League, that can be
11:27quite a big step. What differences are you expecting?
11:31I think it's probably like any level in jump. As a player I went from Step 6 all the way
11:37through to the Premier League and it's the stadiums, it's the fan bases, it's the
11:43size of clubs, it's the teams being more disciplined, the coaching being better, the individuals
11:48being better. I think every little thing has an increase. So, from managing the National
11:55League at Gateshead to League One, it's a big step up in terms of the size of clubs,
12:01the resources, the standard of the players and in terms of probably the consistency of
12:09being able to maintain, whether it's a defensive level or an attacking level. But the big thing
12:14is that one of the main reasons I'm here is because what I saw in this group of players
12:20very much echoed what we had at Gateshead and we just felt that coming into work with
12:25players who control games and dominate games is something we couldn't turn down. And to
12:31be able to do this level against some of the size of clubs as well is huge. So, that's
12:35what we're looking forward to doing is continuing our ethic and what we believe in using the
12:39experience that I've had in terms of the levels that I've played at and the managers
12:43and the coaches I've worked with to try and implement that for us to be successful.
12:47And obviously, you've been to the training ground not far from here, but have you actually
12:51had an opportunity to go around Crawley and have a look at what's going on here?
12:55No, not yet. Obviously, we've been down at the stadium, down at the training ground for
12:59a couple of games at the game. So, it was nice to be at the game and meet people. It
13:01was really nice. You can tell there's a lot of people here who have been here a long time
13:04and it's got that real community feel and I think it's something I'm looking forward
13:08to getting out to more. I know we've got the Crawley community here that do a lot of
13:13work and we said that we'll get out and meet the fans and meet the areas we work in with
13:20the different schools and the local area to help. No, it's a big thing for me. I've always
13:25been someone that buys into the area and the club because it's really important to help
13:30you settle and also someone that throughout my playing career spent a long time at each
13:35club I was at. They had three clubs technically and I really enjoy that. I love the long-term
13:40project, not the short-term. It's a part of the job that will be enjoyable because I know
13:47the club's talked about it, the fan base growing and more attendance and everything like that
13:52and we want to continue that. We want people to be proud of coming to watch the club and
13:56we want to get that engagement between the players and the fans. It's a great day and
14:00it's a great occasion for everyone and it's something to be proud of.
14:03Obviously you've met everyone at the club, all the players. Is there anyone you're particularly
14:06impressed with so far?
14:08No, I can't pick out anyone in particular. I think Dion, Jay, in terms of their captains
14:16and their leaders on and off the pitch. They've been brilliant settling in, helping us out
14:20with setting standards. You bounce off maybe the more, even though they're not as old as
14:26maybe you call senior players, but the more senior players that know the club. You speak
14:30to them, you bounce off them. They've been fantastic. Haffey, Ricky have been very, very
14:35good and helpful in terms of the sports science and the coaching previously and what's gone
14:39on. I think that's ultimately it. Every single person has the strengths they can bring. Some
14:44are quiet leaders, some are more vocal with their support staff and players. All I can
14:49say is I think everyone's been really welcoming and hopefully there's a bit of positivity
14:53and not stupid. Games of football, you're never going to win every single game. I don't
14:58believe you're going to lose every single game, but you've got to keep that consistency.
15:01You can't get too high, you can't get too low. You've got to look at every game with
15:05that neutral eye set and think, what did we do well? How did we get better? Give the lads
15:12the understanding so that then when we go out next Saturday, we're better than we were
15:16the Saturday before.
15:18Thank you and good luck.