 Brought to you by DIS, keeping companies connected with cloud-based solutions. Come on, City! Conno, this is a chat with you again. I'll start by getting your thoughts on the Grimsby game. What did you make of your size performance? I think the main objective was obviously to win the game, no matter how we did it. I think ideally we'd have scored more goals and maybe controlled the game in more parts, but I think we were just really happy to actually just get the free points. I was going to ask you about that point more in depth about scoring more goals. Do you buy into that argument then, was there an opportunity you felt to score more goals in that game? It's hard to say really because you probably watched the Man City Leads game and see how quickly things can change, where Man City have got complete control and Leads on the counter attack, to make the winner so it was just really important for us in what we're trying to do and going game by game and wanting to win as many games as possible that we just got the job done and we did that. Is that the most important thing at this stage of the season? We've just spoken to Nala Kanavan who pretty much echoed that sentiment that a winner's going to win no matter what and it keeps your season alive. Yeah, 100% shows that we didn't play well, but we still won the game and that's a sign of teams who were doing well and were happy to win and not play well rather than to play well and not win so again we just reiterate it's so important to get the free points. Did you see what Paul Hurst had to say about you and your side after the game? Somebody mentioned it briefly but I've not taken time to have a look now. He suggested that you maybe misled your preparations in terms of how you looked to shape up particularly defensively highlighting that you were in a back three during the warm-up and then adopting a four to then change into a three. What do you make to those comments? We've done it for a few of the last games because we felt that the players who were heading the ball most commonly were those three. It was obviously Paul here and Naz and doing that screening protecting role so it wasn't to try and fool it was more to give players repetition of what they're going to be coming up in the game. What did you make of the incident as well at halftime? I don't want to labour it too much but I realise it was a big talking point to come from the game and I wonder whether or not it changed at all in terms of the tempo or the game more generally? For us it only just changes how we play against ten men rather than eleven and where we can get the advantages so when we found out they had been giving a red card that changed how we approached the second half and that's all I've got to say on that one. Did you celebrate the two-safety? I didn't celebrate but it was nice to get it over and done with. I can imagine that was a nice moment for you both really given what the remit was when you first came. Of course we're delighted to have got the club into a stable position in the league and again we're just ambitious sorry to keep winning games. Again forgive me for being sentimental I mentioned this to Mark afterwards given that it was the Grimsby game that highlighted it to you both that you wanted it permanently. It was the Crawley game where it all started. What were your memories of that 48-hour period ahead of that night in December? It was a whirlwind for me and Mark I remember. I was talking on the phone and we were in lockdown and quickly trying to find somewhere to go and plan but again it seems like a lifetime ago now and it was a whirlwind and it still is but we're really happy to see how things are going at the minute and we're loving every minute of the job and we're happy to keep going with the good and the bad. I remember very clearly when the team news came through that evening that there was one very fundamental change to the set-up that night and that was the formation to the 4-2-3-1 that I realised that there have been tweaks along the way but really that has been the definitive way that you guys have gone about your business to say that you had a 48-hour period to highlight that as a change and to have stuck with it all the way through I mean when did you realise that that was the way forward? We looked at what formations we've played as managers really and coaches along the years and which suited the players that we had in the building and at the club so we just felt that at that moment in time the system that we do play offers you stability but it still offers you attacking threats depending on how you play it and what roles you get certain players to do and so far it's been good to us but again we want to get even better at it How different a Crawley side will they be tomorrow evening from the side that you faced initially in December? I remember that game well, I always speak really highly of Crawley I think they're one of the best in possession teams in the league the way that they play is really impressive and they've got some real good ballplayers so again we're going to have to be at our best defensively to court with their fluidity and their rotations and things like that they've obviously had a drop of form and obviously they sold their waters to a championship club so they may be trying different things at this moment in time and hoping to have a good positive end to the season It's something again that came when we spoke to Niall not too long ago about how you will have to be wary of that I mean how much have you spoken about that point? Yeah, regarding the way that they play Just the way that their season has panned out there is a school of thought that they may have a bit more freedom Potentially, it depends how they go about the business whether they're looking at ending the season well or trying maybe new things for next season that's entirely up to them we've just got to do our job and to make sure we prepare as normal In terms of your own side, team news wise I'll get your thoughts on that firstly Do you have any fresh concerns ahead of that game? No, no we don't have any from the last game so which is obviously really positive In terms of welcoming players back I'll go through the names and I'll start with Lee Novak obviously someone that seems to be getting closer and closer where's he at now Conor? He's still with the physios and doing sort of work on the grass when the squad who are fit are training so again what we're trying to say about it is hopefully we can get him back before the end of the season and that would be a real bonus because obviously Lee's a good player and a great character And Levi Sutton? Levi will be back He'll be back in the big contention Yeah, obviously Levi's a player who's doing really well for us and we're delighted to welcome him back Does he slot straight back in then or do you give them a bit of transitional time to just get some minutes under his belt? It's important that we think what's best for Levi and make sure when he's probably not putting to the deep end and we transition him back in like you said Who misses out then once he comes back in is it easy to think that Finn just drops out and Anthony goes back to right back or is that just too easy for me to say? It's not really the decision that's been made as of yet as you know we're performance-related generally unless players need a rest or we need to rotate so when we've got that problem we'll get to the bottom of it Callum Cook finally? Yeah, hopefully next week or so but again we'll have to sort of build him up to get back into contention with the games I've mentioned Anthony as well I've often described him as Mr Versatile throughout this season he's played in a number of positions and he's really stepped up whenever asked upon His goal at the weekend and his performance has brought the whole contract to talk negotiations and whatnot back to the floor When is the right time to have those discussions? Have they happened already? I think a little bit like what Anthony said himself regarding there's maybe more important things to think about at this moment in time and when we do have that conversation we'll have clarity on what's next for the club anand Is it a case then of just waiting until the season is over before you even start thinking about having those discussions with not only Anthony O'Connor but the rest of the players that are out of a contract in summer? I think it's more individualised on who needs what at certain times and things like that in terms of the contracts but again I don't think there's any time on it it's just when we feel it's right and when we have them conversations to make them happen Do you and Mark have a good idea of who you want to keep and who you're going to let go this summer? Obviously it's really important to see how we end the season and again we're still getting to know all the players and starting to delve deeper into their personalities and their abilities so we've not made any decisions because if we had we'd have had the contract sorted I guess Away from the contract talks and more on the playing side of things I wanted to ask you about obviously on the bench for the last few games I know we've spoken about squad rotation throughout this season Is it likely to expect them to return to the starting eleven? Potentially We've got a lot of options behind the front man with the three and again players like Keane have shown that even though they're a centre midfielder that they can play in that position as well as Billy Clark and Evo so there's a lot of options in there and again it might be in different games we play out without wingers or some games we play sort of inverted wingers to play in the pocket so again really talented players and if they don't start they do make an impact with their energy and pace when they come on Finally on that front I wanted to just ask you about Jordan Stevens someone who is I think it's fair to say in the bracket about an out winger limited game time is probably fair to say why is that the case? Again I think it's just with the options that we have got there's a lot of difficult conversations with the players because we've found playing more midfielders in them areas that help us in certain games and with Jordan he's going to have to keep adapting his game and keep being patient and training hard to make sure when he does get that opportunity again because it is a long season where people will get injured and things like that and we might have to rotate where he's got to come in and take his chance again but again he's a great player he's got lots of abilities it's just there's so many options in that area Final point from me it was something that came up again with Bidnail only a few moments ago the long throw of Clayton Donaldson which is something that we've seen introduced up late and he referenced the fact that you've almost been chasing Cheltenham in terms of the teams that you've been coming up against up late is it something that you've analysed and is it something that you're looking to try and build upon? I think it's you know you analyse your game and what do we do from throw-ins in the past where it has been high, what's our success rate have we got crosses into the box, have we got players maybe our strikers pinning their centre halves in the box or got shots away and we probably didn't feel that we created much from attacking throw-ins around that area so when you've got people who can throw it in the box like that it's like a corner so for us why not use it and hopefully it can pen them in and keep them there and it obviously lets your centre halves and your aerial threats going to tap the ball and maybe even get a second phase and I think one of the games we scored from a second phase of a long throw-in so again if it's a weapon why not use it? Is Clayton the only one that's got that in his locker or is someone else in the squad able to throw it as well? There's two or three I think Clayton's probably froze it the furthest but there's two or three who've got it as well Go well tomorrow Conor Thank you, cheers Hi Conor Hi there You said that it's been a bit of a whirlwind since that last Crawley game back in December has that almost been beneficial for you and Mark and that you haven't had time to really think about the job you've taken on it's all been about the next match every time It's probably hard to say again it's life right now and you're just living it I guess it's not too different in terms of the roles that you're doing you're out on the grass every day coaching players obviously on a bigger level now with older players but I guess nothing too much has changed unlike maybe the time that you're working and all hours and travelling to away games and things like that and obviously it's a totally different thing now that you're up against being three points off the playoffs rather than just trying to stay in lead two does that pressure feel different to you or is it just exactly the same? For me personally it's just the same again we approach every game the same way in terms of the preparation and things like that so I don't think it's healthy to maybe think too much about it but again we're not focused on too much in the future it's the game in front of you that you've got to go on and do your best to win it So it's still just one game at a time you're not really looking at the table that much You know you always look at the table as staff and players because it's interesting to see how other teams fit and what you maybe potentially could do and maybe areas that you need to get better in so but for us you can only take one game at a time if you look too far ahead and you don't focus enough on the game that's most important and that's the next one Okay thanks very much, good luck tomorrow night Cheers, thank you Hi Connor Hi there You were saying obviously going back to that Crawley game Can you sort of remember what did it feel like at the time was it a case of we were just sort of thinking of that one game and nothing beyond that because presumably at the time you didn't know how long or how short your spell in charge would be Yeah it was again it was a quick turnaround where we had to identify how we wanted to play and which players were going to play the game against Crawley and who was available Again it was just kind of relentless in the hours that we were working to try and analyse Crawley as much as possible and see how we felt we could support the players to perform You talk about the hours I mean in terms of the timescale that you then had to travel to Sussex for a Tuesday night game I mean there was literally no breathing space almost was there between being asked if you'd take charge to the game itself Yeah it was, it was a crazy season because there's so many games but looking back I just remember that it was just relentless and there was work to do and you had to do it and having so much passion to do the job was brilliant as well I mean if it's possible from yourself now from where you were four months ago what do you think you've learnt as a pair at that time because obviously you've been through quite a lot in a very short space of time No I think it's just a fantastic experience of coming up against managers in League 2 who've had fantastic careers and had a lot of time in the game and it's been fantastic working with a lot of new players from different backgrounds and things like that so I think along the way you pick up little things that you add to your overall abilities and again you start to understand what you feel is right and you're strong in your beliefs but again it's been a good journey so far and we're looking forward to the future as well I know we've touched on it before but I mean how important has it been that the players brought into it right from the start because there was no time to sort of bed in was there Not really no again it was just like us where we just all wanted to crack on the club was in a point where they were where they should be in terms of the league table and the form so everybody just wanted to put that right And obviously you mentioned earlier about Lino about hopefully getting back this season I think again we've spoken about it before he was such a key part of that right at the beginning he scored some big goals around that time in those early games Yeah you're right he did some really good performances from the team and you know Lee had some fantastic goals and it's just unfortunate we've missed him for quite a lot of time now we're hopefully getting back for the end of the season Brought to you by DIS Keeping companies connected with cloud based solutions Come on City