Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00Are you sort of glad the teams you're playing at the end of the season are all fighting really for something,
00:05whether it's promotion, relegation, the feel in the ground is just different?
00:10Yeah, I am personally, yeah, and that has to be recognised and it does bring with it a different challenge.
00:18As I said, if I go back to the Cardiff game, you know regardless of how you're feeling that things have to change,
00:25it's bigger than a cup final for them, you know, and put bodies on more, balls come in your box, it's totally different.
00:31And that's why our lesson or my lesson from the other day was about that second goal, getting that two-goal lead,
00:37because then you can manage the game in a different way. So I felt we were comfortable, managed it well,
00:44but while there's a goal limit, you just need that one moment and it was a lapse from us.
00:47So clinical at both ends is key and it does make sure there's still that edge to games and atmospheres
00:53in the stadium, whether that's home or away.
00:55In terms of Leeds, why have the results been a bit bumpy?
00:58Time of season, the time of season, it's exactly what it is.
01:01Yeah, 100%, top or bottom.
01:05Yeah, and now that's projected onto players or you protect the players from it.
01:13Within the stadium, that's tough, you know, the mood.
01:16Yeah, it's the time of season, that's just exactly what happens.
01:18It is, it's the best bit, the best time of year, the last sort of half a dozen games.
01:26And how big you think the sixth last game is when it comes to them last two, it's huge.
01:31Would it be good to see a team go up and sort of make a good fist and then stay up because it's
01:36getting a bit worrying and seeing these teams just stay up?
01:38Yeah, someone will at some point, but it will be majority of the time if one stays up, the other two go down.
01:44Do you know what I mean? If one stays up, they'll be fourth bottom.
01:49Yeah, but there will be teams that do it through momentum, through things go their way.
01:55But then you see how hard that second season is.
01:57Leeds United, Sheffield United, probably the last couple who have been up stayed up.
02:00And it's a tough challenge, that Premier League. And that's one of the reasons I don't like how it is different.
02:11It's a different product now. VAR makes it a different league, so we need to give ourselves the best chance.
02:16We need it in our league. The referee, the game differently, they'll always say they don't.
02:21They 100% do because of VAR and because of the rules. We need that the same, because when you go up,
02:26it's different, it's totally different. And the more things you've got to go against you, the harder it is.
02:31I saw Gary Neville say that the games are a bit robotic and stuff, and he feels like he's watching the same match a lot of the time.
02:36Is that exclusive to the Premier League? Do you agree with it or not?
02:39100%. I said it two or three years ago that the game will go that way.
02:45And it's the referees and the officiating that's taking it that way. It's not their fault, it's how it's doing.
02:49But because they don't understand the game, they don't know where they're taking it.
02:52You watch now why they give fouls to defenders, where there'll be a centre-four grappling with a centre-back
02:58and they're attacking half the pitch. And the other half the pitch, a centre-four will go near a defender.
03:02A defender will just feel a slight bit of contact on none and just die. But they give a foul,
03:07because it's not going to lead to a goal. But all that does is mean it's ineffective and pointless pressing.
03:13So every team plays the same way, every team. In a derby, well, what's the point in trying to make a tackle
03:19and risking a red card? Because to slow it down that much or anything that's not perfect, what's the point
03:23in going and risking it? So obviously the atmosphere is gone, everyone has to play the same way.
03:28And it's just a totally mundane way of playing football and it's only going to get worse.
03:34In terms of contracts, have you spoken to Peter and Graig about that clarity around the budget
03:38and what you're going to have to work with? Yeah, I spoke with Peter. So yeah, just had a quick chat
03:42this morning with Peter. But yeah, I know what that looks like now and what we need to do.
03:49So yeah, conversations will be going all the time, all the time.
03:52Yeah. But yeah, I think in my mind, I think Peter knows, been really clear and we're at the point now
04:02where I get what that looks like, I know what that is.
04:04At what point do you tell the players that are out of contract?
04:07As I went, some have, some I've already spoken to, some I haven't. Yeah, so now I know it's...
04:14Because what's the point of saying anything until I know in my mind, do you know what I mean?
04:19And part of my reason of thinking has always been, well, what is the best decision?
04:23What have we got to work with? You know, because these are the potential solutions,
04:27but you know, we can't afford this one or this one. I don't think it'll make us any better.
04:30So until you have all the facts, it's hard to make the best possible decisions going forward.
04:36But I think, yeah, I'm comfortable now with everything that we spoke about, where we're at.
04:42Yeah, I think I know what that looks like now.
04:45Freddie's obviously injured. Have you been able to tell him what the decision is going to be around his future?
04:50You're asking questions, aren't you? You know, you know I'm never going to answer.
04:53Not what you've told him, does he know?
04:57I've had conversations with Freddie. Yeah, I've had conversations with Freddie.
05:01Whether he knows, well, what they've been or altered with me and Freddie and all that else.
05:04Yeah. Is it easy being ruthless with it? Because you've said,
05:07I love the lad to keep them all, love them to bits, but then being that little bit...
05:11No, listen, there's no sentiment in it. You can't have sentiment in it. But likewise,
05:17there's no sentiment the other way. So that's why I say it's a natural part of football and what it is.
05:24And as much as I'm saying for Preston as a football club, it's an opportunity. For players,
05:29it's an opportunity. So there could be players that we want to keep or don't want to be here
05:32because they've got better opportunities and then flip that the other way. There could be players who
05:37would love to stay here, but we think we could potentially improve the squad by doing something
05:41different. And that's where we're at. Do you know what I mean? But when you're in my shoes,
05:50that's what it is. We have to take the opportunity and some will go our way, some won't. And that's
05:54the way it is. How exciting is the prospect of this change coming this summer? Could be
05:5910th sign and sort of thing. You've got to look at that as a positive, isn't it?
06:02A hundred percent. Yeah. Well, yeah. If it's done right and we get what we want, then
06:05I'd be absolutely over the moon delighted. So that's what... So we've got to try and force
06:10and make sure it happens. Do you think it would mix the loans, freeze and then hopefully spend a bit
06:15of money? Yeah, definitely. Listen, I want to spend some money, yeah, but it's not my money.
06:19So do you know what I mean? But yeah, it'd be a mix of all those things. Yeah, that's the plan.
06:24Make our signings, buy some players who we think will improve us, be really clued in to the best
06:32potential loans who can improve us. Amongst that, we want some of those to be assets as well,
06:36because like I said, we want the success together. And if we can improve, then that's brilliant.
06:41We improve together. If not, there may come a point where a player moves beyond us,
06:46but we get the financial benefits of it and then we reinvest that. So we've got to look at that.
06:51And then, yeah, a hundred percent will be... Yeah, I can't see anywhere next season's squad
06:57doesn't include a couple of loans, so that you can't see it.
07:00In terms of the sort of personality which you're massive on and leadership, can that improve?
07:04Is it pretty much where you want it?
07:06It can always improve, but what we've got is real good characters here who want to be here,
07:11who, yeah, good group, really honest, train hard, want to do well, and we can't lose that.
07:22Do you know what I mean? We just can't lose it. If anything, we've always got to try and improve that.
07:26So that's a big, big thing. We need good personalities here. Some are going to go away,
07:30you know, and thrive in environments like Helen Road when they've got a few games left
07:34and they're going for the title and we're mid-table, you know? So, yeah, people thrive on that.
07:40Let's go back to the title.
07:43Let's go.
07:44Let's go.
07:44Let's go.
07:45Let's go.
07:46Let's go.
07:47Let's go.
07:48Let's go.