 Brought to you by DIS, keeping companies connected with cloud-based solutions. Come on, City! Connor, good to chat with you again. Can I start by getting some team news, if I may? How was Billy Clark progressing? Yeah, Billy's been training with us, so it's nice to get him back out there. He's a good character, so positive news on him. But again, there's another day to go in the preparation, so we'll see where we are at the end of it. Is that a case of just seeing how he reacts to a full week of training and then of course being cautious about bringing him back into the first team fold? Yeah, exactly. I think what we don't want to do is for him to come back and for him to be re-injured. So I think, again, just with the kind of people that we are and as a club, we're all trying to look after these players, yeah. Harry Pritchard, I know he's had some recurring problems with his back. Yeah, we're just trying to finalise exactly what's going to happen with Pritchard, but until we're here, I can't really say. What is the situation with Pritchard in that respect? Is it a case where he's going to have to have some surgery potentially to sort this out, or is this just something that he's going to continuously have to put up with? No, it's been, I said it, thinking maybe a month ago or something where he had an injury, which he brought to the club if you like, and a lot of players have them, and it's just trying to get down to the bottom of it, but he has been training, and then he sort of dropped out of training, and we're just trying to find the right solution for him at the minute, so we're just trying to gather as much info as we can. How close is Bryce? Yeah, he's promising. I know we've probably been saying two, three weeks for a while. Again, people changing their recoveries and things happen, but again, when Bryce does return, it will be safely. Even a position at all to give a time scale on me now, if I can add that you were waiting to try and finalise details on that? I think with what he's had done, he's looking to settle down and it has now, and he's just sort of been advised by the physios, so I wouldn't like to put a time on it. I think everybody's different, everybody's body's recovering different ways, and I think past a few more weeks and maybe we can give a date. At one final one, just Zellie, I know that he's a long-term absentee. Do you expect him to return at all this season or is season done? Again, it's how he gets better from the injury. It's not straightforward all the time, but again, it's kind of been a bad one for him this season where he's had a reoccurrence if you like, a slight reoccurrence. We'll see where he has. We're hopeful that he's going to be back sooner rather than later. In terms of building up fitness back, Richard O'Donnell, of course, been on the bench for the last few games. Is it a case now with Richard and Sam that it's playing for the shirt as opposed to Richard building his fitness back up? Yeah, I think Richard's injury and he came back and had a speedy recovery, which is brilliant, but Sam's also performing well and getting clean sheets and doing his part, so where the type of people where if Sam's doing a good job, then we can't really change it. But again, Richard's got loads of experience and he wants to play as well. So it's fair to say that at this moment in time, Sam Hornby is Bradford City's number one? At this moment in time, yeah, because he's got his chance and he's keeping his shirt, but when it's brilliant because you've got two really good and talented keepers where they keep pushing each other, so they'll both be on the toes, that's for sure. Does that help you at all plan long term as well because I realise he's out of a deal in the summer? Does that give you something to think about in that respect with, of course, Richard's contract lasting until the end of next season? Again, I think we like both of the goalkeepers and you know, I think with contract talks, they'll probably start, you know, towards the end of the season from now and we'll start to chat more in depth, but again, we've got two talented guys and we're working hard to be number one. Looking back on Tuesday night's performance, I'm sure you'll have watched it back here. Once the dust has settled some, what are your reflections on the game colour? Yeah, I thought it was a performance where maybe we started off a little bit slower than we have previously, but you know, at halftime we sort of mentioned a few things and made some good changes, which changed the dynamics a little bit. Obviously, it's tough with all the games that come thick and fast and I felt the changes really changed the game, but overall they came with a game plan and that was to, you know, nick a point or potentially get one on the break. So we had to be patient. We had to provoke them and try and use the spaces that were available, but they made it tough for us so it was brilliant to get the one in the end. It's been referenced a few times since the result, the way that Aurid approached the game. Respectful of your recent form, I think it would be fair to say, wouldn't it, that they've gone there to try and sit back and frustrate you in the end but they're a reflection of how the league perceives you in your form right now? Yeah, obviously, people do their homework and they've seen us and they've potentially thought that coming away from home to Bradford in form is... and they maybe looked at our team and thought we could potentially get them on the counterattack. I'm only sort of guessing here what they were thinking, but I think it's credit to the players that teams are coming here and then trying to nick a point and they're not trying to get three points, they're coming here expecting a big game. What's it done, that kind of result, that kind of performance, grinding it out towards the end of the game? What's that done for the mood and I suppose the belief in the camp? Yeah, it's fantastic, you know, when you come off the pitch and you speak to the guys and you can see in their faces that they're absolutely delighted and we talk about that feeling of winning games and how addictive it is and that's why they work so hard throughout the week, so it was a positive day and night and obviously coming into the training ground again to work to win the next game as well. You've often said over this run that you've been on that the mood in the camp naturally has been one that's been positive but now you've had more time to spend with the players and you're seeing any further developments in the mood and maybe getting at things like fearlessness, character, belief. Are you seeing any further developments in that respect? Yeah, I think a lot of those things the players have through their development as a professional footballer, you're getting to this level, you've got to have some kind of really tough mental attributes and I think it's maybe as winning promotes more confidence, you start seeing them a little bit more but again I think when we play and I think when you see the team you see people who are going to work hard they're going to feel like underdogs are going to do everything they're going to outwork everyone and that's the mentality that we want ultimately. We've just spoken to Elliot Watt it was a really enlightening conversation actually he spoke a lot about how he models his game on certain Premier League professionals at the moment they're active but he also referenced Conor a conversation that you and Mark had with him after the Crawley game in mid-December and for him that 10 minute chat that he had with you guys there's been a big turning point for him in his season and it clearly still rings true what you said that day what was the need for that? Why did you feel you had to sit him down and have a conversation and like that with him? I think Elliot's a really big character you know if I'm right he's 20 years old but he has an influence he's probably acts beyond his years if I'm honest with his leadership skills etc and he's the type of character that he does everything right around the building, away from the building etc he lives like a real pro so for us it was to get him in and for him to know that we believed in his character and we felt that he had a positive influence on others so it was to keep that up and don't be less confident because of your age or anything just keep doing it for the team and yourself. How important is it as managers that you identify those leaders within the group you just said Billy Clark being amongst the players as well as a big character when you see those strengths in individuals you're honing on those? Yeah I think it happens naturally as well you know we've tried to identify these players and if they're already in the building or other clubs in the window so the more of them that are going to set the standards and really you know push everybody and then that's just really positive and that's what we want. The reason I mention that is because I think towards the back end or sorry the first half of the season it was something that was maybe said about Bradford City that they didn't particularly have that midfielder general for the wants of a better phrase dictating things in the middle of the park do you think that the Elliot's okay yes 20 years of age but you said already ages but I know but he can be that kind of player for you in this side? I think he's already showing it and I think he was showing it in parts as well throughout the season maybe that he just feels really good about himself as well at the moment you know he's developing as a person as well as a footballer and he feels good at the minute so for him it's really positive. We're now in the thick of this hectic schedule that we knew that was coming and I know that you and Mark have mentioned a number of occasions about capping minutes and being very wary of how you rotate the players I just wondered then with that in mind does that offer a pathway or opportunity for the likes of Ramon Borell and Matty Ford who we haven't really seen since the arrival in January? Yes you know again things happen at football clubs where people have injuries and things like that and there's a lot of games coming up so it's kind of tough at the minute for them guys because they're working really hard in training and around in the gym etc but because the squad is as it is and the team's doing well and the squad's performing well it's hard to just put those people in because then it'd be other people missing out so they've just got to keep fighting for that chance because there is tough competition. How do you keep their spirits up? Keep their belief going? I think ultimately their character is really important that they understand that they're preparing for their chance and I've spoke about that in the past where when people are wary for the team they're preparing for that chance because if they maybe go off the boil and when they do get opportunity if they're not doing more than the people that are playing around the squad then they're going to maybe fade away and not show the best capabilities so they're just working hard. What have you made of their current situation in the league table? Obviously with the game last night as well and the situation that happened with the changing managers and things like that it's something that we've been looking out at we do our work on the opposition and this is a part of it we want to know as much as we can about Warsaw but they're a good team a really good team we watch teams every week who are playing and they surprise you of the strengths in ways that they can hurt you so Warsaw is going to be another tough test. I often hear the phrase 1% in football management and how you try and gain a little 1% here and there it is a big 1% for the want of a better phrase again the fact that they played last night and you guys played on Tuesday We probably can't use it we've seen player teams that have maybe played the Wednesday and the other team played the Tuesday and they still come out on top the ones that played closer to the game so I don't think there's a perfect formula if you like of if you do this you win or do that you've got to turn up, you've got to be better than them and you've got to earn your luck as well so we're not using that as an excuse. Speaking of your own managerial experience at Bradford City how wary do you have to be of that managerial change and the bounce back from that the buying that could be there? Yeah, like you say it's happened here so with those changes you sometimes get an immediate reaction it's whether that reaction stays consistent but again that reaction can be there and coming off a loss where teams are really up against it and they have to come back fighting and you know there's no doubt that they're really expecting a real tough game. Thank you. Hi Conor. We've spoken a lot in the past about the players missing the fans but from the point of view of you and Mark how disappointed was it on Tuesday night that there were no fans there to cheer you on your new role as full-time managers? I guess it had been a surreal and unbelievable moment for us to come out and to have the fans there but we just can't control what's happening at the minute it had been brilliant but we've got a job to do and that was maybe at the back of our minds to the game but it had been so good if they were there that's for sure. Has there also been the flip side of that that you've not had the pressure of the fans during the period up till now? Yeah, I guess so. With the fans in there they're expecting a good performance and players to be working hard and winning games so we know the fact that the fans put pressure on managers we definitely know that. Mark said after the game that the league table is not something you're looking at but you are now in the top half but there is now a little points cap between you and the teams above you so I suppose it's even more important now to keep them willing because otherwise that cap is only going to get bigger. Yeah, you know again we'll say we're going to win the next game that's our vision, that's how we work irrelevant of the table and how it's looking at the minute and looking above and below we've got a job to do and that's to win games and that's the forefront of our minds. And did you expect when you came in back in December that you would now be sat here in February, joint full-time managers but also in the top half of the table? Didn't really have any expectations it was more just coming and do a job to your best ability and we tried to do that and we found ourselves in this position but again we know that things can go wrong quickly and you can be here or to zero but you know we'll work hard to make sure that we were trying to put in as best performances as we can. Okay, thanks very much, good luck on Saturday. Thank you. Hi Connor. Hello. You were saying obviously about the league table and playing it now but being in the top half now is it a slightly different mindset now because I mean I know you'd like to sort of say we like to play like underdogs but clearly you're going into games now where you're the form team and people are going to say you're the favourites and it's probably difficult, how easy is it to keep that sort of similar mindset for every game? I think we've again you know it's how you make of it yourself you know if you feel like the underdog and you know you create that mindset it's powerful so we've got yes we're maybe going to favourites in certain games, in certain situations but as long as we feel that we have to and we always say we've got to work the opponent, that's a first and then the quality in the squad should shine. The longer this run goes on the results being so good you do get a bit of a target on your back, don't you because as people have said the opposition want to be the club that's perhaps not your for that run, don't they? Yeah 100% you know maybe they don't look at us as in looking at the run that run or the last 12 games or however they're looking at posing a problem on us and winning us in the game rather than potentially making a point out of us. Is it a source of pride that this run? Do you sort of see it as an incentive to keep it going just because the points are clocking up and people are proud of the results so far? Yeah I think the football club is delighted with the last 12 games and how it's been and gone so far but again we can't get ahead of ourselves we've just got to keep putting in these results and performances. And as you said obviously the change at Walsall I mean in a way it's you and Mark probably know better than anyone the scenario there isn't it because obviously they've got Brian Dutton to come up from as a system manager it's his opportunity now so similarly to yourselves he's probably thinking let's see what I can do here. Yeah you know because was the assistant manager it doesn't mean he shared the same beliefs as the ex-manager so we're not thinking that they're going to be the exact same team they're going to pose different threats and it's our job to make sure that we know what those threats are. Psychologically does it all feel a lot easier but feel nice going into games when you were in the top half rather than when you were 21st 20th not immediately looking over your shoulder when you first came in. Not necessarily I think every game has that pressure for me certainly as well you're going prepared as you can and you're going to win and that's whether you're first or 20th you're going to win every game and that pressure might be external from other things but your mindset's got to always be the same to win games. And just very quickly in terms of the team use Gareth Evans he went straight down the tunnel when he came off on Tuesday is he okay? Yeah we sort of were monitoring today and we're hoping to get results soon. Nothing serious though? No I think we've got good news on that yeah. Brought to you by DIS keeping companies connected with cloud based solutions Come on City!