 Brought to you by DIS keeping companies connected with cloud-based solutions. Come on City! Mark, good to chat with you again. I'll start with team news if I may actually and get an update on how the injury situation is. First of all, how are Charles Vernon and Ollie Cranchwell? Yeah, both, both been training last couple of days so yeah, obviously we said they were close to returning for Colchester but obviously just missed out so yeah, we're hopeful that they'll both be ready for Saturday. Is it a similar situation with Billy Clark as well? Yeah, similar Billy, Billy's been out with us trained today so yeah, Billy's in contention as well for Friday, sorry. When we spoke to Conner ahead of the Colchester game, he told us that Linovac had been back out on the grass and in and amongst the group, how was he developing? Yeah, just same news really, it's great to see him back out on the grass doing his rehab. It's not with the group yet, it's still with the physios but obviously his progressions probably further ahead than what we thought so that's positive news. I asked Conner a similar question last time but are you in a position to be able to give a timescale on Lee's situation? I'm not, we're hopeful that it will obviously return before the end of the season, that's our goal and if he keeps progressing the way he is then we'll get him back even earlier. As for Bryce Hazanna, Conner said that his situation may be a little clearer this week, is there any news on his injury? I think Ryan mentioned it to you Jamie, he's gone away from an operation, it's gone well but Bryce will now be returning to Leeds to do his rehab. So obviously we're disappointed, we never got the chance to work with Bryce but the best thing for Bryce in his future is that he gets himself 100% right. So we're sending him for an off like I say, it's all gone well and he's just been carrying out his rehab with Leeds. That is disappointing isn't it for you and Conner given that you've had him around the building, had him around the group but never really had the opportunity to work with him? Yeah, we saw a lot of Bryce before, we got in the role so we were excited to work with Bryce, we know the attributes he's got and what he could have brought to the team. Something different to probably the person we've got who can play right back so yeah we're disappointed, Bryce is disappointed I spoke to Bryce but he obviously wants to thank Bryce for his efforts before he picks up his injury. I know it was something that came up when we spoke with you all on Thursday but is there an appetite, is there a possibility that he could return to you potentially on loan next season maybe? Like I said before we want to bring the best players possible to the club, if that's loans, if that's signings in the summer window then we will and if Bryce is a player that is available then it's always potential that he could return. He knows how the clubs work, he knows me and Conner now but he's obviously not had the opportunity to work with us. Other than the players mentioned already, how are the rest of the squad? The good, the good, they're training well, obviously we're pleased with the result at Colchester so Morrell's high in the camp so yeah, the squad's good, they're ready to go. How much value have you been able to have a full week or more or less a full week again to work with the players? I think we've said it before, with such a busy period you never get a full week in football, people from the outside might think we've got a full week's training but rest and recovery is just as important as time on the field. We can only do so much with him, with such a busy period so the most important thing is we've been able to rest the players and like I said they're fresh now and hopefully ready to go on Friday. Reflecting on Saturday's result and we spoke afterwards of the importance of that win but was it even more significant in terms of the importance of keeping your season alive really? Yeah I think so, I think obviously we want to finish as strong as we can, we've said that, I think for Morrell as well and for confidence I think even though that you only lose two games and you draw two, it's not the same as winning games and what winning does to your team in regards to confidence. So yeah we're happy to pick up the three points at Colchester which is a tough place, they've got some good results before, we played them, two all draw at Tramio etc so we knew it would be a tough game and we were delighted, we got the three points and like you say it gives us confidence to go into this busy period again. I always think that ten is a pretty round number and with ten games remaining now the equation is pretty simple, six points from the playoff place is okay, not mathematically certain that you're safe but I think we can all pretty much believe that you will be playing lead to football next season so I guess that in itself is a motivating factor for the squad. Yeah I think when we first took over in the role probably when we went into interim coaches that managers that our goal was always to move away from the relegation zone and the good work the players have done and got myself in a positive position but we've just now got to finish as strong as we can and hopefully take that momentum into next season. Is it easy or difficult trying to get the motivation as high as you can? You mentioned about morale obviously winning breeds confidence, winning breeds good feeling but is it difficult to try and keep that going when the season is coming towards a close and where you are in the table? I think like you said there's ten games there's still a lot of games there's ten games you know we just want to, we're still coming in half and through the season we're still quite fresh in our ideas and what we've tried to implement and we're still looking to improve in everything we do if that's in training and games so I think the players are still motivated to like you said to perform to try and apply what we're after. So that's still fresh in the players minds just as much as obviously finishing as high up in the tables as we can. Your mantra has always been with us one game at a time but can you afford yourself that luxury of assessing those remaining ten games looking at the running and I suppose looking at the opportunity that comes with it? I don't think you can you know you can only look at the next game and focus on the next game and you know we've got forest green and we've got Stevenage you know we've I think a day's rest in between so and then we're travelling so yeah you can't look too far ahead Jamie it's all about you know the focus on the next game and like you say how we can hurt them and stop them they can implement in their strengths on us so we've just got to focus on like I say a game at a time I know it's cliche but with the games coming so if they come fast I think nobody can really sit down and really assess. How do you rate forest green rovers is there a good time is there ever a good time to play a sideline? I don't think so I don't think so I think they've got a lot of quality they're a team who likes to keep possession in the ball we know that there's not going to be times where we are without the ball for long spells so we've got to be patient in what we do out of possession as well as in possession but no we've got to be at our best we've got to be at our best to get any type of result against forest green. Because they're a side that have pretty much been at the top of the lead two table for the majority of the season if you were to get a positive result out of that game how much would that do for your belief for then what would be the remainder nine games? I think we've always had that belief since coming in we're winners we want to win every game that's our mindset we never go into a game thinking we can get a draw etc etc we want to win games so if we can get a win to back up the Colchester performance then that will again put us in a better position going into Stevenage. How's Junkie and Bing this week after his goal? Yeah he's been good obviously he's a grounded kid anyway it's nothing that we had to kind of bring him back down to earth from scoring his goal you know he works hard every day in training and that's been rewarded with his start the other day and then he's gone and scored a great goal and you know I said it after the game but the stuff he did out of possession and how reliable he was in possession is you know we know the qualities Keyen's got and now it's his job to be consistent in his performance that's always the challenge for young footballers. I think I'm right in saying that he got voted goal of the month by the city fans and he's coming for plenty of plaudits as well I mean fit for you and Connor with a player like Keyen who you've worked with ahead of this season of course in your previous roles do you take a great deal of pride in seeing someone like that go on and perform at the top? Senior level? Yeah yeah we do but we obviously know that the qualities that Keyen's got so it's not a shock to us might be to the fans etc not seeing a lot of Keyen but you know we've got confidence in these group of players the kind of five young pros who've really stepped up this season and been more of an impact on the squad than probably anybody would have thought. I think the Covid has helped them players because ideally you'd like to get these players out on loan and we're getting more game time. There's probably one or two who are still kind of not benefiting from Covid in that way but the likes of Reece, Keyen, Finn have obviously got more and more game time and then being able to experience league two football. With restrictions easing and with the numbers coming down is there still a possibility that someone like maybe George or Connor could go out on loan to a non-league side for the remainder of this season? I think it is difficult for them. They've had to kind of change their mindset and just try and work as hard as they can to be as close to this squad as they can and if an opportunity comes up they've got to take it like Finn and Reece and Keyen have. So they are good professionals. We talk about culture, they're a part of it. They know that they've got to work hard every day and just be ready for their opportunity if it comes along. We've seen this season Reece tie down to a long-term deal the same for Finn with Keyen's recent performances. Could we expect to see him on a longer-term contract? I think Keyen is a player who's obviously fighting for a contract, he knows that but if he keeps putting in performances the way he is then he's not going to do himself any harm really. Final one from me Mark and forgive me on this front. I think I follow maybe didn't give it the same impact as it probably could have done with the t-shirts that the players wore ahead of the Colchester game and it's my understanding that they will be worn during the warm-up on Friday that the stands against racism. How important is that for you as a manager of a side to make that message, to make that stand? I think it's important for us all at the club to make an impact in the way we can. If that's doing something different to make a stand then we will. Sometimes some clubs aren't doing it, some are not. We had to make sure that we're all fighting for the same things and it's important that others as a club do something different. I think we always want to do that but our goal is to raise that awareness and I think we did that and hopefully we can keep on doing things at the club that are a little bit different but again what it does is it raises more awareness. Go well tomorrow Mark, cheers. Thank you. You mentioned the young players there. How much easier is it for you and Coler having worked with those players before to bring them into the first team set up and not have maybe some any worries about how they'll perform? It just goes down to trust and trust is built from what they do every day and then they've got to go and apply it on the biggest stage and that's on the Saturday or Tuesday. We knew the confidence and the qualities they would bring to the team that bring that youthfulness which is no fear really to when they play but they also bring that energy as well so we're delighted in the way that they've impacted on the squad. Obviously for his green tomorrow and then for Steve and John Mundy, you said there's a day's rest and then you're travelling. How do you actually plan for that second game in situations like this? Our key focus is on first green but it's then straight to work for other staff as a coaching team to make sure we prepare these players in the best way we can on the one day we've got before we travel so yeah we'll just be straight back to work after the first green game. And it's two different games obviously but where the teams are in the table as well so does that have to affect your mindset? Do you have to maybe remind players that Steve and each just because of where they are won't be any easier? I think these are two tough games you know, the forest green are where they are because they're a very good team and they've been up at the top of the table for most of the season as Jamie mentioned but you know Steve and each are on a very good run and they're getting better and better each performance so we know that again we've got to be at our best in every game we play now and we've just got to keep building our performances and find ways to win at this time of the season. We'd like to have a complete performance and dominate the ball etc etc but we just want to find ways to win and hopefully finish as strong as we can at the end of the season. Thanks very much and good luck tomorrow. You're saying obviously about forest green I mean they've been up there all season but you must take great confidence from the teams fantastic record against teams in the top six since you've come in I mean I think you're unbeaten against the top six at the moment? Yeah yeah you know we don't feel really anybody in the league when we're at our best I think we can beat anybody but it's up to us to try and reach their performance levels you know that's key and you know that's the hardest thing in football to maintain and be consistent so yeah we're confident going into the game but we've also got to be aware of you know this is going to be a tough game and like I mentioned we've got to be at our best to get any type of result. And then the routine that looking at the stats or quite a lot of goals from set phases as well? Yeah yeah it's something that obviously we concede from a set player do you have a dare so it's something we've looked and assessed you know it's important that we improve in both boxes defending set players and attacking set players so it's something that we consistently work on and we've got to be aware of that threat that they bring. Yeah because obviously you know recently Carlisle and a couple and it's an area where this team you know it's being very strong defensively isn't it so presumably that's an area you're looking at the thing you know we can do better in that. Yeah yeah I know you brought the Carlisle one up you know I think people said an excuse but the wind did play a factor in that one but there was moments as I mentioned where players did lose the man etc so you know we've got to improve on that and we do identify them little key moments that have led to the goal so yeah like I said we're always looking to improve and then a small percentage of that. So hopefully we'll add up and we can obviously prevent us conceding from set players. Do you think it's possibly a good time to play them bearing in mind obviously they've just lost their scent forward for the rest of the season and you know they're on a run with them to score for a few games? It will be a miss but then they've got different types of strikers that can play up there so I think the strikers that they could potentially bring in will more run our back line look to go the other way so yeah they've got a lot of quality in that squad so we know that whoever they play up top or if they play 1 or 2 that we're prepared for that. And I know we've sort of said during the season that home advantage is being sort of minimized a little bit because of lack of crowds generally around the country but you know you are still unbeaten at Valley Pride I mean you know that must be a source of pride I think there's only three goals you conceding? Yeah yeah obviously we want to perform as well as we can home in a way but you know travel is still big especially with the amount of games we're playing so I think that plays a factor but we've just got to make sure that we're at our best and try and keep that kind of unbeaten run going at home. And as you say you're finishing strongly I mean have you got the number in your head of points you'd sort of like to, is there something you're sort of looking at and thinking I want to get past that mark or what have you? We have as a team we've set that in house but we'll keep that in house but we've just got to keep finishing as strong as we can and try to win as many games as we can until now to the end of the season. Because I know the 50 point mark is seen very much as sort of like the safety level I mean that's satisfying to reach that certainly with ten games left isn't it? Yeah yeah I think you know us as staff and the team are obviously happy that we've reached that 50 points because you know it was our kind of short term goal in a way that we wanted to be away from the relegation zone. So yeah we're happy we've done that from where we've kind of came from from third bottom to now kind of mid table. But you know we're not just happy with that we want to kind of keep moving up the table and keep picking up points and like I said just use that momentum going into next season. Thank you. I was just asking about the importance for all clubs of being able to bring through young players as you have this season. Yeah I think it's more and more important that with the kind of Covid situation that you know it's important that you bring through your own players and try and embed them in the team as quick as possible. You know hopefully to strengthen your team but obviously some teams will have different kind of strategies on what they want to do with their younger players. If that's to sell on to help bringing funding to strengthen the first team then that's how teams work. So yeah I think the academy here at Bradford is getting stronger and stronger and stronger and I think you know with the last kind of recruitment in regards to bringing five players through it shows that we've got quality in the building. And you know I think the key is then giving these players opportunity and we've you know Stuart give these players opportunity. We're giving now them the opportunity to have a run in a team so you know it's up to them players then to go and take it. But yeah I think it's massively important now for especially for all teams really from top down that they keep progressing and their youth and try and get them into the first team as quick as possible. Because I mean you know you mentioned the financial side but you know even the richest clubs in the world invest heavily in academies for a reason. I mean there's big footballing benefits as well isn't there for having people who understand the culture and the club. Yeah yeah definitely. Obviously myself and Connor have worked in the academy for a long time so we know that there's good coaches here and we know that we've got to try and prepare these players for first team football as quick as possible. And you know but then it's up to the players then to go and you know show that they're good enough to play at this level if not above. So yeah I think we just got to keep trying to progress these players as quick as possible and if they are ready then be brave enough to give them the opportunity if that's a league two or if it's other clubs in the Premier League etc. And when you see Keane have a moment like he did last weekend what's the emotions in you? Is it a bit like a proud father when you brought him through the system? Not really it's about winning the game so we're more excited that we've got one nail up and then kind of maintaining that win really. So yeah we're not really a proud father one it's more kind of you know make sure that Keane is consistent for the rest of the game it doesn't affect his performance you know that's Keane and then making sure that is backs up his next performance. And just on back to Bryce I mean you've obviously had to work closely with Leeds over his rehab. How important is it for League 2 clubs that you have these strong relationships you know not just with Leeds but with the other championship and Premier League clubs in the region when it comes to lonely players? Yeah it's important you know at all levels probably top down it benefits those at Indian League too because it strengthens our squad but it also gives like you mentioned these academy players that they've brought through opportunity to play in the football league which is totally different to 23s football, 18s football it's a totally different game. So it's important that we have these relationships and we build these relationships to help strengthen our squad and you know we'll continue to try and build more and more relationships with the contacts we've got and the contacts that we are building through the work we're doing. Yes obviously Ryan and Lee and myself and Connor and our contacts within the football world.