Below are selected highlights from Monday afternoon’s press conference ahead of Town facing Mansfield on Tuesday night. You can find the full audio above or in our podcast feed - search for We Are Terriers wherever you get your podcasts.
Lee Grant also confirmed prior to the press conference that contrary to what he thought on Saturday, Ryan Ledson is not suspended either this Tuesday or on Saturday, as the five yellow cards rule only applies to bookings picked up in league games.
Lee Grant
Lynden Gooch, first of all — after the Bolton game you told us that he came off with a bit of a tweak with his calf. Can you tell us any more?
Yeah, we’re waiting for the scan results still. He has been for a scan today up at Leeds, so hopefully by this evening, we’ll have some results back to see where he’s at on that.
Anybody else potentially back for either tomorrow night or the weekend?
No. So yeah, we’re in the thick of it right now when it comes to availability, and we don’t expect anybody back available over this next game block. We’re hoping that post the international break, we maybe get one or two back.
How difficult decision will it be on Team selection tomorrow, in terms of obviously wanting to win the game, but also being mindful of a very important League One game against Plymouth on Saturday and given the injury list at the moment?
Yeah, you’re right. Trying to strike the right balance is important, I think, for the next two games, because the obvious things that we’re managing.
So we’re trying to manage the form, which we have to turn and we want to turn quickly, we’re all aware of that. We don’t feel like continuing to lose games is where we want to be. So it’s an important fixture for us against Mansfield in that regard, and then, of course, a hugely important game for us — again, at home — in the league where the priority is really high, and we want to make sure that we can take maximum points from that.
So we’ve got to manage it, but what I will say is we’ve got a really small pool of players to select from, so it doesn’t leave us with a million choices to make.
Of course, we’ve got some decisions to make over two or three positions, but in all honesty —and we spoke spoke about this as a group at the start of the week — the vast majority of guys are going to have to be prepared to go across the three games, because that’s where we are and that’s what we’ve got. So that has to be the mentality for everybody.
What are you particularly wanting to see from your players tomorrow night?
There’s a real understanding and recognition from the group that the next two games are important for us, we can’t shirk that, and we have to take that on, and I think that takes courage. So the group are going to need bundles of that, and personality, and character, and, of course, the willingness to go above and beyond physically, because it is going to be a big effort for quite a few players over the next seven days, that’s for sure.
So we’ve got to take that on, we’ve got to have the right attitude and intent about us from minute one to minute 96 in every single game, and as I say, really go after these two fixtures, because as a playing group and staff as a football club in general, we want to make sure we turn this form around quickly.
It’s hard enough for you, because football is a brutal world, and if collectively, the players don’t deliver, unfortunately, it’s you that comes under scrutiny. Are they aware of that, and that it’s your head on the chopping block? So are they working hard enough for you?
Yeah, undoubtedly, undoubtedly. And I think I’m really reassured by the fact that we’ve got some really solid human beings in that changing room, really solid human beings that care a lot, care enough to want to come and knock on my door and tell me as much on the Monday and that they’re hurting, and you know that they feel like they’ve got to do more, and they want to do more for the football club and for me.
They don’t owe me anything. The players, we are here for them. So me, my staff, we’re here for them, and everybody at the football club, quite rightly — all of the work that goes on behind the scenes, with some fantastic work across all of the departments.
But we all know the focus and the spotlight is on the grass. It’s on those players.
I’m here to work hard for them, the staff, the coaching staff, support staff around the training ground…we’re here for them.
But it is reassuring for me to hear we’ve got a group that are hurting and want to do well for us and the staff and for me…wonderful, great. We just want to make sure we’re giving them the best opportunity we can.
As I say, I’m utterly convinced we’ve got top characters in there that will be able to find a way to get themselves closer to their their best level sooner rather than later.
Bojan Radulovic
Great to see you back amongst the goals, having had to wait for your opportunity…how determined were you to make the most of it when that chance finally came around?
Yeah, it’s been tough, tough, tough days for me, because when you’re not around the team or involved, it’s hard for a player, but I always try to to be focused on doing the right things anyways if I’m involved or not.
I try to do my job, do the right things, focus and when I get the chance, just take that opportunity. So now the opportunity has come, and it’s been two goals already in a couple of games, so it’s a positive one, and I’m just trying to build on that and just looking forward.
There is real competition for places in the striker position. You are taking your chances — as you say, you’ve got a couple of goals already. Why do you think it’s perhaps clicking for you at the moment and not some of the other strikers?
Maybe now it just it’s working for me [because] it depends as well how the team plays. I think the way that the team is playing this season fits me well.
I feel comfortable and right now I’m playing with confidence, and I think that’s also helping me a lot, because maybe I’m more focused on ‘doesn’t matter what happened in the game, just try to be as focused as I can, because the chance it will come’, like the other day. It’s maybe more about [things] mentally.
We’ve noticed this season, you’ve been a lot more physical in your game. Is that something that you’ve been working on over the past year or so?
Yeah, the last the last few months, I’ve been working on that since [before] I left to the Netherlands, and I’ve kept doing this since I left here as well.
So, yeah, that’s true, if you compare from last season, I think physically, I’m stronger and I’m able to, maybe to [win] the duels than than last season. I think that’s one thing I’ve I’ve improved from the last few months. So yeah, quite positive on that.
You went out on loan second half last season…with the change of manager, did that help you to have a refreshed mindset and be ready to fight for your place again?
I went on loan in January [because] things were not working quite well for for me and for the team, I think, and I just needed a fresh moment to just try new things, to see how it goes, and then back again in this pre-season, this summer, I was recharged again, with a different mindset, different mentality.
Everything was new, there’s a new coach, so it was quite a fresh start in the pre-season. I was looking forward to this new season, it was a really exciting one for everybody, but at the end, I wasn’t involved with the team in the couple the first couple of weeks.
But now it’s different. Now everything has changed, and now, I’m enjoying it — because of the minutes, not because of of of the performances the team has had — but I think it’s not too late to turn this around, and I think we will. Of course, we are able to do it, and we will, for sure, do it.
