Crawley Town beat Bristol Rovers 1-0 at the Broadfield Stadium thanks to Kamari Doyle's goal in Scott Lindsey's first game in charge after returning this week. Here is Lindsey's full post match reaction
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00:00Scott, thank you for joining us. Back to winning wages. Calling Madrid, that must feel good.
00:05Yeah, I really enjoyed today. As I have yesterday as well. I think the two days I've been in
00:12I've had a really good time. The energy in the dressing room before the game today was
00:17good. We were really clear on the detail of how we wanted to play. And the players, I've
00:24got to be honest with you, were excellent today. They went out and done it. I thought
00:29they were brilliant. I thought they were really good. I thought we were probably unlucky
00:33not to score more goals, if I'm honest with you. I think we could have come in, certainly
00:38at half-time, with maybe two or three to the good, but it wasn't to be. We continued. It
00:47became a difficult... I think probably more so the players were probably anxious to win
00:51a game of football, you know, and you end up sort of like defending a little bit deeper
00:55in the second half. But I'm really proud of them. I thought they were excellent.
00:59Yeah, and let's be honest, it was 1-0, but it could have been a lot more. We had a lot
01:03of chances today, so that must please you to see them taking on that information so
01:06early after you coming back.
01:08Yeah, for sure. Our xG differential was a positive one today. We could have scored more
01:15goals for sure. I felt that we could have probably been in at half-time, maybe two or
01:19three to the good, like I say, but it wasn't to be. But, listen, fine margins. We kind
01:25of looked at how they were going to score against us. It would have been probably a
01:30free kick or a corner away from scoring, but we dealt with that. I thought back three headed
01:37everything that came in the box. Charlie Barker just asked for some paracetamol, the amount
01:42of headers that he made towards the end of the game. So, yeah, listen, I'm really proud
01:46of the players. I thought it was an excellent performance. I thought we were better than
01:50them. I thought we passed the ball amazingly. I can't wait to watch it back. I thought it
01:56was really good actions when we played through. I don't think they had an answer for us.
02:01Yeah, we know you demand a very high tempo and it seems like the players took to that.
02:05I mean, right from the off, there was a chance in the second minute that was called offside
02:08and it was just relentless, wasn't it? So, again, how pleasing is that for you that they've
02:12been able to take that on board within the space of a day?
02:15Yeah, obviously really pleasing. I'm pleased that we've got a clear week now because I
02:23want to get some real coaching into the team between now and next week. But, yeah, it's
02:29pleasing to see them react the way they've reacted and the way they trained yesterday
02:33in the atmosphere and the feeling around the place has been brilliant. Today, again, I've
02:41just really enjoyed myself the last two days. I feel really happy and, you know, obviously
02:47we know we've got a long way to go but it's a step in the right direction.
02:52Yeah, it's still obviously a big hill to climb but what is that one victory going to do to
02:56the group? You know, we've seen even before the game on your banner it's making us dream.
03:00It's going to make the players dream wins like that to sort of get us back on track
03:02to where we want to be.
03:03Yeah, I think it's the biggest one, the first one. You get a win in that first one and all
03:07of a sudden there's a little bit more belief into the camp, which is one thing that I spoke
03:11to Mark about yesterday, about trying to instil a belief into the players. Listen, I'm confused
03:19about why we are where we are in the division after that performance. I think we look like
03:24a top-class team today but it is what it is and we are where we are and we've just got
03:29to get ourselves out of it as quickly as possible. And we may not do it because it is a big ask
03:33and I'm not going to stand there and make big statements and say we are definitely staying
03:37up because I'm not naive enough to think that football has got a nasty habit of kicking
03:42you in the teeth when you're up. So, we've just got to make sure that we do our best
03:46to do it and I think the fans could see today that the players gave everything for the cause
03:51today and I'm pleased that we got what we deserved and I think we deserved to win the
03:55game. I think that everybody who saw that game would agree with that. I'm really pleased
04:01for the players.
04:03It was obviously a good moment for you to reconnect with the fans out there. It almost
04:07feels like you've never left really.
04:08No, well, it's not been that long has it? So, yes, no, it was great. I loved coming
04:14out before the game and showing my appreciation of them like they do me and I thought it was
04:21kind of like an emotional moment that before the game and I tried to hold back my emotions
04:28because I obviously wanted to focus on the game. So, yes, it was really nice and then
04:32at the end there to do the old fist pump and to sing with the crowd at the end there is
04:37just something I really like doing and obviously the more I do that the more wins we get. So,
04:42yes, I enjoyed myself today.
04:44Brilliant. I just wanted to ask about Charlie Barker because obviously you got him in the
04:48summer, you worked with him a bit, you didn't get loads of minutes in your first spell and
04:52then he's suddenly now captain. How has he changed from when you worked with him in
04:58the summer to where he is now?
05:00Well, I think obviously the games have made him improve. He's played obviously a lot of
05:03football so he's improved regarding that but his character is amazing. That's why he's
05:08captain just because of his character and how he is around the place and in the dressing
05:14room. I mean, he just headed every ball today, didn't he? Certainly at the end there with
05:18the last, I don't know, two minutes or whatever, just everything that came forward, he won
05:21every header. They put the big number 17 up front, didn't they? Big centre-half went
05:25up front and Charlie won every header against him. I thought he was outstanding today but
05:30great character, brilliant person to have around the place. I just love Charlie, I think
05:34he's amazing but, yes, I think he's improved definitely from when I was here. I think the
05:38games have kind of allowed that to happen.
05:41Yes, and Liam Fraser and Kamari Doyle, Kamari obviously scored, Liam Fraser was superb today.
05:46Two players you didn't have when you were first here. What do you think of them?
05:50Brilliant, the pair of them were outstanding. I thought they were amazing, I really did.
05:56I really sat down the night before and looked at the team and really wanted to pick a team
06:08that I felt could play the way that I wanted it to look. And them two players obviously
06:16fitted in perfectly. I thought the team were brilliant today, I really did. I think it
06:22looked really close to a Scott Lindsay team already and the fact that I've been in the
06:26building 48 hours, I think that's a credit to the players to take on the information
06:31and go out and do it.
06:32Yes, and you referred to earlier, you've got a whole week now until the next game.
06:36Just how important is that?
06:38Yes, big for me because it gives us more time on the training pitch to show them some more
06:42bits. I had to make sure that yesterday wasn't confusing for the players. I wanted to be
06:48really clear about three or four things, that was all. But now we've got a clear week, we
06:53can work on more aspects of how I want the team to look. So yes, vital for me. And I'm
07:01looking forward to Monday morning coming into work again, which I've not done for a while.
07:05So yes, really, really pleased.
07:07Brilliant, thanks Scott.
07:09Your team showed really good character in the final few minutes with a one-goal advantage.
07:19Just how important would that mindset be coming into the running of the season?
07:23Yes, big really because there's going to be times when we're going to face tough opposition,
07:31we're going to face teams who throw in a lot of balls in our box, we've got to stand up
07:35to it. We're also going to face teams who pass the ball as well and can open you up.
07:41So we've got to make sure that we're really focused in those moments. But like I say,
07:46I'm really proud of the boys today. I thought they stood up to a lot of balls coming in
07:51our box, like you say, certainly at the end of the game. And it's difficult, let me tell
07:56you, I've been there. It's difficult when you're winning 1-0 and you've not been winning
08:03and you're down the bottom of the table and they're throwing ball after ball in the box.
08:07It's difficult to keep doing it and keep doing it. I thought the lads just kept going and
08:13I firmly believe we could have played the game until midnight. I don't think Bristol
08:16Rovers were going to score, just because of the character that my play showed. So I'm
08:20really proud of them.
08:21How about Murphy? He didn't get on the score sheet but he was everywhere today.
08:25He's great, wasn't he?
08:26He's going to be vice-major in the running?
08:29Sure, he's somebody that obviously I brought in. He's quick, he's powerful, he can finish.
08:38He's good with the ball when it comes into him. He holds it up well, sets it. He's somebody
08:42that, and I looked at their back line and felt that I wanted somebody quick to play
08:50against their back line, no disrespect, but I felt that's how we could get in. And that's
08:57why I chose Rooshan for this game. I thought he was amazing. Like you say, a goal missing,
09:02wasn't he? I think he's probably disappointed that he didn't score, because I think he had
09:07a lot of opportunities. He got down the sides of them a lot of times, but I thought he worked
09:10his socks off as well. So yeah, I'm really pleased with him.
09:12And just quickly, slightly off topic, but how quick was the turnaround to come back
09:17to Crawley? On the night, was it?
09:20Yeah, so Thursday night, really. We'd been on the phone to the lawyer and to my agent,
09:27kind of trying to get the deal done. And not just the deal, but there's certain clauses
09:31in the contract that need looking over and sorting. So that was kind of going on in the
09:36afternoon until I think by nine o'clock, quarter past nine, something like that, it was all
09:40agreed and done. And then it was a case of getting in my car and coming down, doing the
09:45press, and then getting organised for training the next day. So it was done really quickly,
09:51but I had to go through that process in order for it to happen. So yeah, but that's how
09:57it is. Perfect. Thank you, Scott.
10:00Welcome back, Scott. Just wanted to ask you, you made a point when you spoke to Sam, that
10:06you wanted the fans not to be anxious and to enjoy it. Obviously, that was to calm the
10:14players down, don't transfer any anxiety onto the players. So you must have been delighted
10:19with the whole atmosphere here today. It was such a positive atmosphere.
10:24Wasn't it? It felt like we were the other end of the table, didn't it?
10:27Absolutely.
10:28Do you know what I mean? It did feel like we were enjoying the end of the season at
10:31the other end. So yeah, that's important to me, that the fans enjoy. Listen, we can't
10:37change where we are, but what I mean is we can't change what's happened in the past.
10:43It is what it is and we are where we are. We've just got to make sure that we try our
10:47best in these next eight games to get what we need to get. It's going to be a tough
10:52ask, I know, I understand it, but it is doable. And all the time it's doable, there's
10:57the belief, right? What we can't afford to do is then become anxious in games. Me,
11:04the staff, the players, certainly the fans, just enjoy it. Because what will be, will
11:09be. We can't change what's happened. So what will be, will be and just enjoy it.
11:13And if we end up staying up, then we'll have a party. And if we end up going down,
11:17then we've just got to wipe our mouth and get on with it and look forward to next
11:21season. That's just it. Listen, I want to stay up. I want to win and I want to win
11:28every game. But I don't want it to be where the players feel so much pressure on them
11:34to do that. We can't change what's happened. We've just got to make sure that we can
11:38shape the future and the future, whether that's in this division or the one below.
11:42Whatever it is, it is. And we've got, you know, we've just got to enjoy the ride
11:46and that's it.
11:49You've mentioned before about how time-consuming management is. Firstly,
11:53how was the three weeks off recently?
11:56And was there ever any thought in your mind about maybe taking a longer break
12:08or was it always straight back into football?
12:10No, the time off was boring. And no, I wanted to get back in yesterday.
12:19Yeah, I'm not somebody who can sit around. I think I drove my missus mad, to be honest
12:24with you. And after that time, I just was wandering around the house like a lost soul
12:29at times and I hated it. And no, as soon as somebody offered me a job, I'd have gone.
12:34Could have been anywhere. I just wanted to work, you know, and I was desperate to get
12:40to work. So yeah, I was just like, I think the first week was all right because I went
12:47on my pro licence at St George's Park. So I spent three days up there doing my pro licence,
12:51which was good. And then kind of after that, I was just kind of wandering around the house.
12:57I actually put a bed together as well at one stage. So yeah, a bit DIY. But yeah, I hated it.
13:03I hated it. So yeah, good question though.
13:06And you've spoken before about, obviously, belief and instilling that into the players.
13:11And maybe two or three weeks ago, it seemed they maybe lacked that.
13:14Because you can't do that in a training session. What did you say to them to give them that belief today?
13:20We spoke about, you know, where I've seen them play before. And I'm like, I don't understand
13:27why you are where you are. And I've told them that I think that you're probably better than
13:31you believe you are. I've also showed them clips of training from yesterday. That was
13:37part of the meeting today to kind of show them, look, this is what we're capable of.
13:43And there'll be real massive evidence from today that I can use on Monday morning.
13:48You know, so I'll spend most of my day tomorrow watching that game back, clipping it up.
13:54Purely to give them evidence that, look, this is what we did. This is what we are.
13:58This is how good you can be. So yeah, it's just an ongoing process.
14:02But yeah, I think that's big in football. You know, you see a group of players out there
14:09that probably looked different last week and the week before. Whatever, you know,
14:14that's nothing to do with me. I don't know kind of what went on and how it went on.
14:17I just know that I don't like my team to look anything different from what you saw today.
14:22And if that's me instilling a belief and giving them detail about how I want them to work
14:27and press and play and pass and bring the ball out and all that, then that's what I'll do.
14:31That's my job. But yeah, I just love their endeavour today. I think they're a really
14:35good group. Like, top, top group. Like I say, I'm disappointed. I'm hurting, really, for them.
14:43Because they don't really deserve to be where they are in the table.
14:45So I've got to try and, you know, just kind of get that belief back into them,
14:50which I think we saw today.