 Brought to you by DIS, keeping companies connected with cloud-based solutions. Come on, City! Conor, good to chat with you again. I'll start by getting your thoughts on Saturday's performance and result. Now, two days on, what are your thoughts and feelings? Yeah, I'm really disappointed with the overall result and performance for probably a larger partner game. I felt we started well, but again, from conceding, we switched off and conceded again. When it was important that we stayed in the game and made it difficult and built on that. So, yeah, overall we're really disappointed. Mark, after the game, referenced a lack of fight, maybe, from some of the players. What do you think that's down to? It's hard to put your finger on exactly what it's down to. But I agree, and we both had conversations regarding that. The running stats, except you were really high, just like normal. So it wasn't something that was having to go effort or anything like that. It was more just being more aggressive in our play and making it harder for them to play. Do you feel at all let down by the players with that lack of fight in mind? I wouldn't say let down. What I would say is it gives us an idea of the squad better, plays who you can trust and plays who you know that are going to give absolutely everything to the cause. Again, the players have got an opportunity to put things right and to react in the right way, and we're hoping for that to happen. Is that something that you've communicated to the players since? I know Callum has just spoken to us and said that you've done a fair bit of analysis work today. Yeah, you know, you're trying to improve on the areas that you've maybe not done so well on in the previous game. And then when it comes down to maybe a lack of fighting desire, these things can be corrected. But it's just sometimes what happens with players at all levels is sometimes on certain days they don't quite perform or show that level of aggression for whatever reason. So now that's been highlighted, we hope to see a real fight performance. You talk about that opportunity for both you and Mark to learn from Saturday's performance. I know that you're in a period now where you can be a bit more experimental and try different things. Despite the defeat and despite maybe the lack of fight from some as referenced, do you still have the opportunity to learn a fair bit about the team in that system and formation? Yeah, I think every game you're learning and you're figuring out people in different ways. And again, I think what we need to see and everybody needs to see is people out there who want to be leaders, who are good team players, who put the side before themselves, who are willing to do the ugly things to get in victories. So I think players that want to put the team first and then in possession they show the qualities is what we're after looking into a positive end to the season. I asked Mark a similar question on Saturday, but from your own opinion, how much is this shaping your summer? Yeah, as a football player we've got to do the work off the field and players have got to perform because players are out of contract at the end of the season. So from now to the end of the season, the traits in players are visible to all staff and we want to make sure that from the start we said it about recruitment, we want the correct characters who we know we can trust to go out there and do the job. How productive was that open conversation that you had amongst the players after the result on Saturday? Brilliant because it shows people care, people have a lot of ownership on what they do and how they want to approach things and one thing's for sure, if you want to be successful, you're going to have to play successful teams. Football is not tennis or golf, it's not an individual sport and to win things, to win trophies, you've got to be a good team player, you've got to go out there and put everybody else in front of you your own development and own performance at times and you've got to go out there and get the result and I think that's what we're trying to build here as a club and as a team, we want players who are going to put the team first at all times because we've got good players in this building and I'm sure if they do that, we'll have success. And again speaking to Callum only a few moments ago, he spoke about the need to maybe take things back to basics and what simplify things and find that form that you had previously in the season that served you so well. Yeah and it comes back to collectively being on the same page and players doing their role and their responsibility to the best of their efforts even though potentially it might mean them having to play or defending certain areas that they don't want to be because they're an attacking player but again we have to reinforce the importance that everything is about the team and the three points at the end of the game. What's more important for you and Mark now with these three games remaining I realise that you will want to win every single game but are you still going to try and experiment and go for different things, different systems, formations or is it now you need to get the win? I think it's a balance of both. What I would say is there's an opportunity for players to right their wrongs from the last game but there's also enough time for us to experiment from now to the end of the season which is brilliant if you think about it because we're starting to try different players in different formations and different players coming from the squad into the starting line up so I'm hoping that we can really get to know this group of players even further which will benefit us longer term. And with that mantra in mind Conor do you then feel that you should be judged as critically as you have been previously given that now you are looking to try different things? I think it's hard for me to say I think everybody is entitled to their opinion and rightfully so you know me and Mark are the managers of Bradford City and with that becomes a lot of pressure to perform and we know that but what we want to do is to build something to be successful and to work on things because we're trying to develop different areas in the club to make sure that this club is a success and giving the chance to do that is what we need. Looking forward to tomorrow's game I'll start by getting team news from you firstly How is Oli Cranshaw because I know there was a deal of concern after Saturday? Oli's asthmatic so he's had a little bit of complication with his breathing etc we've been reassured that it's nothing on term or anything like that but with the season changes in weather it can cause different things happening with asthma so we've just got to monitor him a little bit further Does that rule him out of tomorrow night's game? Yeah it rules him out just from a health point of view and looking after him Elsewhere Billy Clark I know that you were awaiting some results back from a scan Yeah it's a muscle strain but it's not a bad one it's just a grade one so we can look to involve him in the next week or so Better news yeah So not season over for Billy Clark? Not yet no And Lee Novak as well how did he fare with the minutes that he got under his belt and how was he looking fitness wise? Could he make a full 90? Obviously he's been out for quite a long time for Lee and I think he said to me it was his first operation ever for somebody of his career and where at this stage he is in his career it's quite surprising so it just shows what a great athlete he is and what he's done in the game but again to getting the minutes on the pitch was a real lift to everybody else so we're looking to build his minutes up but we're also mindful that the season's not you know we've only got three games left How big an opportunity is that for someone like Lee Novak who I know for a fact will have been so frustrated to have not played as big a part as he would have wanted to this season he's got three games remaining now to really show you guys what he can do Yes he did play a number of games for us when we took over and you know he was brilliant and so now we've got to manage Lee and his expectations because he probably wants to play every minute of every game but realistically that's probably not quite possible Looking ahead then too to Salford City as opponents what do you make to them as a side now of course under the stewardship of Gary Barrier Yes really good side they were a good side under Richie Wellins and now Gary Boyer's gone in there and he's done a fantastic job so far and he's from the time that he was at this club he was a great guy and a real pleasure to work with How was your working relationship with Gary when he was at the football club Yes he was brilliant with me and Mark he involved us in quite a lot of things at times which was nice and which was maybe a little bit different but I guess coming from his development past he understood the process I wanted to ask you Conor about the planned social media boycott that's going to take place this coming weekend all football clubs in the English Football League and further afield as well will be taking part as a stance what do you make to it and what the intended target is Yes I think everybody's in the green in the football pyramid obviously on social media and things like that you hear a lot of things going on which is not nice so I think the stance will be positive for everyone and hopefully it's not going to change everything but maybe it highlights it a little bit more Has he got to a point now with social media that something has to give something has to happen I think ideally something needs to happen for people in football and I guess things like accountability for your profile is maybe one that would solve it quite quickly how easy that is to do I'm not really sure but I imagine it would solve a lot of problems Finally from me Conor, I wanted to get your thoughts if I may I was watching the League Cup final yesterday and with the 8000 fans inside Wembley didn't half make a difference I've got to say I don't know if you watched the game at all but I just wondered with fans now seemingly planning to come back into grounds how big a difference would the fans have made so far in your time as joint manager of Badford City I think everybody, I didn't watch the full game yesterday but I saw the start of it etc and you could just see the added intensity in the game and the natural noises you know not with the fake one in the background so it was really nice and actually quite surprising because it's been so different recently so from my side I think having the Badford City fans back would be a massive boost I think players etc for everybody at the club and the amount of people that come through the door at Badford City is remarkable so for them to be here cheering the team on getting behind the team would be first class and we're really hoping for it to be as soon as possible I know you're busy bees I know you work hard away from the football field but do you often think about what could be when the fans are back and what that emotion will be like It's just exciting really I think you could determine it just saying it's very exciting to think one day that when we come out there's going to be people there shouting the team on and really being that 12th man and that's what everybody needs and I think every manager in the division would tell you at times it doesn't feel quite like a lead 2 game at the minute just because of the lack of atmosphere and I think there's going to be a real buzz because it's when you're not being allowed to do something for so long as a fan and you come back you've really got that appreciation for it Go out tomorrow Connor, cheers Thank you, cheers Jamie Hi Connor Obviously part of the coded situation has been not just the fans out there but also that you haven't been able to arrange the friendly games, not just to get players fit as you said earlier to try out different formations how difficult has it been to actually to manage the club away from the actual league matches to get stuff like that done when you can't arrange friendly matches? Yes obviously it's a squad game and you know you're in charge of making sure everybody's in the best condition that they possibly can be and so there's obstacles along the way and that does include from a Covid point of view that you know you can't just you know we're playing a friendly against Blackburn on Tuesday or Wednesday there's a lot more procedures and a lot harder to do but you find ways to train in different ways to keep people fit but again these obstacles along the way And has that in some ways made the players take longer coming back because they can't get that thickness from playing friendly? Yes I think ideally you've got a game to bed players in before they actually return to the to the competitive league, of league too but at this moment in time we've not long left in the season and we've got to put players in without being in a game before you Just a touch on us all for the game what are you actually expecting from them tomorrow because they're in that situation you were in a couple of games ago where they're just outside the playoffs and they want to win but they won't want to lose either but it's a difficult situation for them Yeah we've seen bits of them and been watching them I don't think they're a type of team to sit off I think they're going to be coming for us and being on the front foot and being aggressive I think we can expect that type of game and from what we've seen they're very good and they're up there for a reason so I think again we've got to make sure we go out there and perform and put up a real fight Thanks very much, good luck tomorrow Cheers Pete, thank you Hi Connor Hi there You were saying earlier about obviously the team ethic I mean is that individuals perhaps getting away from those around them and perhaps we won't say doing their own thing but perhaps sort of forgetting they're sort of part of a bigger unit I think these things can happen subconsciously within a season for whatever reason but again as managers myself and Matt we weren't everything about the team everything's about it's not about being selfish it's not about being a luxury player and just wanting to affect the game when you've got the ball there's a job to do and everybody's got to do it and that's how football is and that's how we want it to be I was going to say obviously we talk about these sort of meetings after games and every now and again and people sort of say it's a good idea because it stops things building up but is it part of you as a frustrating that you have to have a discussion like that at this stage of a season? I wouldn't say disappointed I think throughout a season there should be discussions like that irrelevant of performance so you know if things are going well and then you know you're thinking about complacency and you're trying to have meetings around complacency and not wanting things to get away from you and keep doing the things that give you success Obviously you know the stats have been great for yourself and Mark so far but you're currently on this little run I mean how desperate are you as a managerial pair to sort of see the back of it and get back to what you were doing a few weeks ago That's key for you know for games is not good enough without a win especially with the defeats but for everybody at the club and for the fans you know the players the staff everybody shares that frustration shares that hurt and disappointment but again you know you can't the worst thing you can do is just sort of be downbeat you've got to be positive you've got to feel like you can make a difference you've got to stick together you've got to work together and pull through What you don't want is what's been a very encouraging half a season to sort of finish on a bad note and then be remembered for perhaps the finish rather than the major part of that Yeah exactly and everybody just wants to put things right and make sure the next game we've got high performance levels and that's all you can do sometimes you lose games but as long as your effort and aggression and desire is all for everyone to see then you can manage mistakes and things like that I'm looking forward to putting it right and I think there's a real edge and a real excitement to go and prove to people that we're a team that's the hardest working etc And again the fact that you're playing a team we've got so much to play for as well probably helps because it gives that edge to the game naturally doesn't it Yeah possibly naturally yeah because they're fighting for it and we've got something to play for because we've lost games and we're trying to put a stop to our current form and I think it'll be a good encounter