With pressers no longer being live-streamed. This season we intend to bring you the highlights of each press conference as they happen — this will be a rough summary with the answers to some questions merged together into one block.
The full audio from the presser is available above and in the podcast feed (which also includes Ruben Roosken’s contribution to the press conference), with the weekly digest to follow on Thursday.
Lee Grant
How’s Sean Roughan?
He’s doing OK. Sean trained today which is really positive. Going off so early was really disappointing for him but he’s done a full session today.
Is the squad OK otherwise?
Yeah, one or two bumps of bruises who will be assessed, and one or two others we’re trying to take our time on and be smarter to make sure they’re available longer term.
Any chance we could see Wallace, McGuane, Castledine this weekend?
Leo was in the building 24 hours on Saturday and it wouldn’t have been fair to throw him right into the mix. It’s been great to get a full week into him.
Marcus McGuane, much the same. Much as I’d like to throw him straight him we need to take our time and make sure he’s available for long periods.
Probably the same for Murray really, we knew when he arrived we had to manage him. We got some minutes into him in Austria and we’ve been steady away with him. After a really good week for him I’m sure he’s going to be champing at the bit.
Is it about managing players for the longer term then?
That’s exactly it. We’ve not signed players for the first two or three games, they’re here for the whole season. Everyone is individual about where they’re at and we’re getting to the point where one or two are really close.
Thoughts on Roosken’s new contract
I’m really pleased for Ruben. We wanted to make sure we had him tied down and it gives him and the club really good clarity.
It’s the same for everybody else. It means we’re competing and it’s great to have Ruben committed and ready to compete for his shirt.
Thoughts on Roosken’s move onto the wing
I’ve been pretty clear with Ruben that’s where I see him. That doesn’t mean he can’t ever play left-back — same with Mickel, as we just saw at the weekend. It’s nice that we’ve seen both sides of it so quickly. The likelihood is they’ll both be important across both positions, but my main viewpoint for both of them is we see them in that left wing slot.
It’s always nice as a manager to have players who can be flexible across two or three positions.
What needs to improve from the Leyton Orient game?
My thoughts haven’t really changed since after the game, and the context is really important to consider as well. Maybe after the game you don’t give that as much consideration as when the dust has settled, but when you have eight new signings in the team and all the nervous tension built up for that opening game…you have to factor those things in.
We’re not going to be the finished article on week one. We’ve taken the time to address those things we weren’t happy with over the week.
But there were lots of bits in there we really liked as well. We’ve won a tough game of football. We’re certainly not getting carried away with that, and we know we have to move on quickly and have eyes on the next one.
How important was it to get that first win in the first game?
If it hadn’t have come I wouldn’t be sitting here fretting, I’d be how I am right at this moment which is still wanting to push the group, demanding things of them, and looking at where we can improve.
There was so much evidence of us showing our principles in that game, but regardless of the result, we need to be focused on our performance levels and whether we’re living up to our brand and what we want from the side. We know if we do those things the results will be a byproduct of that.
What’s it like working for Kevin Nagle?
I’ve just had lunch with him at the training ground, actually. He’s great to work for, and he’s desperate to help us. That to me is everything, because it shows he has the same level of commitment I have. For me the relationship is really good. I can speak to him, he’s willing to offer his help and his ideas, and I quite enjoy being open and giving him a window into what’s happening.
Part of my job is to explain to the owner why we’re doing certain things or why players are playing in one position rather than another, so he can understand it and be really aligned with it as well. He’s bought into my style of play for the club so I need to be mindful of that and keep my end of the bargain and that we’re both open and honest to information flows cleanly both ways.
We were really clear on my role coming in and the work we’re doing here every day helps me be across quite a bit, and also means…I want things how I want them, but I’m really willing and open to listen.
It wasn’t just about me coming in with a sledgehammer and smashing things around. It’s important for me to be measured and step back and learn about what’s happening with everything in the club, because this is my first role as manager and I don’t know it all. There’s some really good people here who are helping me learn, so why not lean on them.
But I also know what I want so I have the freedom to put things into a shape that I like. It’s been a nice blend of having the space to do it, but also means it’s a lot of work.
The backroom staff are why we’re in a decent place.
In terms of players who aren’t involved, is the door open for them to leave the club?
If the window were to shut now we’d be perfectly happy with what we have. If something becomes available and the chairman and Jake and I are alive to it, we can’t rule it out. But I’m happy with where the group’s at.
It’s possible one or two won’t be with us by the end of the season because people naturally want assurances about where they sit, and that’s OK. We’ll be open to that and alive to that and we’ll see where we’ll end up.
Does it make it more of a test against Reading after they lost on the opening day?
When you watch how they played against Lincoln and you see the bravery in their play, you know it’s going to be difficult game regardless.
They look athletic, brave and hungry, so I don’t expect this game to be anything other than tough.
Put on top of that it’s their first game in their own stadium under new ownership with a new good feeling around the play, that only makes it more difficult.
But we’ll look at ways to make things difficult and what we can do here and there.
From what I gather they practically packed the place out against Tottenham in pre-season. The beauty of this league is you have such contrasts from one week to the next and all different tests against different sides. How do the group handle different sizes of grounds and different atmospheres?
We’re getting to know each other and we handled the weekend under some pressure.
What did you make to Ben Wiles’ performance on Saturday?
Like everyone he’s worked really hard and we tried as much as we could to be us and do us and play our roles and do our jobs according to what we planned in pre-season, because that would give us the best chance of having success.
Ben was a really good example of that. He did what was asked of him and was a thorn for the opposition. He was positive and always trying to play forward and that’s what we want from this side.
Four of your five subs were involved in the third goal on Saturday. How important is that strength in depth?
Our view on this season is that it’s all going to be about the group. That may be a new thing for some players who are used to playing every single week, but I’m pleased that they really seem to understand that the team that helps us win one game won’t necessarily be the best team to win the next one.
It really helps that they’re sitting next to players who are also very good footballers who are working just as hard as them, and it’s difficult to feel too put out when that’s the case. Everyone needs to have a bit of humility but I’m pleased to say everyone seems to get it.
