 Brought to you by D.I.S. keeping companies connected with cloud-based solutions. Come on, City! Stuart, good to speak with you again. You demanded a reaction and a response from your players after Tuesday night. Have you seen that thus far in training? Yeah, we've only had one session. And for a lot of the lads that played the other night, it was only a light session. So, no, we'll hopefully see that on Saturday. But yeah, as I said all along, and I've done it at every club I've been at, you know, we... Once you have a result on a Saturday, there's nothing the players can do about that. We can analyse it and look into it and change things as a staff. But as players, it's gone. So, there's no good coming in the next day or the day after. Long faces, doom and gloom. So, we need it to be up beat every time regardless of the result. Win, lose or draw. Next time around training ground, we're looking forward to the next game. So, yeah, they were bright today. We had a meeting with the staff today as well. Yeah, we obviously, as I say, analyse things, analyse the game. But the mood in the camp has got to be positive. Elliot, we've just spoken to you. Said there was some pretty open and honest conversations in the change room full time. But it's been put behind them. It comes across like you are pretty open and honest bunch. I think it's the only way to be. You know, it's pointless to try to hide behind things. We lost five goals you the night. We didn't defend particularly well. We didn't create an awful lot. And the chances that we did create, we didn't take. So, it wasn't just one aspect. I think to sum it up the other night, we're playing against the side of good side, but who predominantly a counter attacking side who'd like to sit in and break on your pace and to lose two goals in six minutes just plays into their hands. So, but overall, yeah, listen, we know what it was. We want to make sure it is only a blip in the certain things that we did. But we move on now and positive and look forward to going and playing for this green Saturday. I know you were pretty disappointed with the way that you dealt with the set pieces in particular. Has that been something that's been high on the list in training today and will be moving forward? Yeah, it will be. You can work all you want both forehand against. When it comes down to it, it's that desire when it's the balls in your box. So, we can load the box and throw loads of free kicks and corners in and defend them in training. It's doing it on a Saturday. Now, when you're trying to work corners and free kicks for, then that's different because you can work all different things. But defensively, in the main, it's you being stronger than your man and you're winning the first header. If not, you certainly get the second one that's knocked down and watching the game back the other night. As I said before, the disappointing thing with all the set pieces we had and put good ones in and won the first ball and knocked them down. They showed great desire to get blocks in, to clear them. And that's credit to them. But that's what we need to show when the ball comes into our box. How are you, bodies-wise, going into Saturday? Anything to report on that from? No, all good. Regarding injuries, we've got one player who's got a slight cold, nothing more, but it should be okay. But we'll monitor that and have a look tomorrow. That's nothing COVID-related. I realise I have to ask that question. I know you're doing it. I think there's that many things. But there's no temperature. Sniffles this time of year. The last couple of games, we've missed Dylan Motley Henry. We had to pull him out of the game because he had a sore throat. Zellie at Doncaster a couple of weeks ago, a little bit of a sore throat. But I think you're going to get them at this time of year anyway. So we have to be careful that it isn't. So you've got to wait now for 48 hours to see if the symptoms are still there. But if there's no temperature, no cough, as I said, a little runny nose and a sore throat. But we've got to be, as you said, we've got to be 100% careful. So that's hence why the player that we're on about isn't being in today. Okay. Interesting terms of changes. I don't expect you to name anyone. Is it inevitable given the Saturday Tuesday nature of the season now that the changes will be inevitable on Saturday? Yeah, I'm just looking. I think it's the fifth game in two weeks. So, yeah, I think most clubs are doing that. Not changing sake, but we probably would have been looking to change things after getting a defeat like we did the other night anyway. But yeah, we'll say there was some lads that didn't get any game time and we want to be nice and fresh going into what will be a very difficult game. How are you weighing up Saturday then for a screen rovers as your opposition? It was a good win for them to start the season. It was obviously a good win at Bolton. Bit similar to us, I think last season. They started off really well and sort of drifted out of the playoffs just before the break up there. Brought new players in, as most clubs have. And I've watched them and they got beat at home touring in the cup but played well and then obviously got a good result at Bolton. So, we've seen enough of them to know what to expect. But again, it's how we're going to approach the game that I'm focussing on. The added challenge or prospect, I don't know how you view it, of having home fans in the ground on Saturday. Where do you sit on that front? Is it good because we're stepping back towards normality? Yeah, exactly. I mean, it'd be easy to say, oh, I can't believe they're getting fans in and where not. No, it's, you know, soon we can get them in, you know, great. But no, I think it's a positive move that we're hopefully on that way back. But obviously it's a long way to go as we see what's happening in not only Britain again, but in the whole of Europe with, you know, the case is going a bit high again. So again, we all have to be vigilant and do the right things. But it is a good stepping stone, yeah. How do you view that more generally? We've heard Rick Perry today speak about how there is a hemorrhage of money coming out of the English Football League and that it's imperative that fans get back into the ground just to alleviate their financial challenges. But then on the same day that Neil Warnock tests positive for COVID-19 at Borough, it's such a fine balancing act. You know, where do you see it? It is exactly that. You know, even with the government and, you know, you see, you know, the doctors and the scientists having different opinions as well. It's like football managers. You know, you can take four managers in the air and we'll pick a different team. So, you know, and even with scientists and doctors, sometimes you hear one thing and somebody else is saying different, likewise with countries. So it is a balancing act to know how it's got to that decision. But, you know, if we can get it back or get people start going in, social distancing, you know, especially at a place, you know, we've got a big enough stadium to at least get, you know, a certain amount of supporters back in the football club. But we have got to obviously keep a watchful eye on everything that's going on outside the club as well. Back to Matt, there's more football. You were very open and transparent with us after Tuesday in respect to the potential players that could be coming into the club. How is that quest going? Is there any update particularly on the forward front? Just waiting for a few feedback on the old phone, to be honest. You know, we've got to say all the time their hands in the fire. Sometimes they just burn out and other times they come strong. So, yeah, we're waiting for a couple of clubs to come back to us. I think since the season started, we've had a few clubs come back and it's mainly been a negative. But, you know, as I said, you wait for the one that you want, hopefully. So, yeah, since Tuesday night, or since all season really, but obviously since Tuesday night there's been calls putting again just to see if we can force a little bit of pressure on certain clubs if we can get the decision a little bit earlier than rather than waiting and waiting. So, again, always hopeful. But, you know, you're only a phone call away from hopefully signing a play. How is the landscape of that going in respect to are you now having to divert your attention more towards Premier League low needs? I know you said you have to give yourself a bit of time or is there still hope of finding that experienced striker at the League 1, League 2 level? Yeah, not only Premier League, you know, championship level, whatever. You know, somebody that's going to be better and make us better really. They don't have to be Premier League, but that's at your point. Or somebody that's going to be released or being released. You know, I think the thing now is that the people that are at a club, they haven't been playing for over six and odd months, you know, so hard to keep yourself fit to take them a month to get up to speed. But mainly ones that were waiting for other clubs above us, to be honest. And players, you know, to give us the green light and say, this is where you want to come and develop or, you know, further your career. You've been linked with two names, which is why I mentioned Premier League club, was John Cymarney Gordon at Crystal Palace, the young 17-year-old, I think he is, and Will Keane, who's now a free agent after his time at Ipswich Town. Is there any truth in those links? No, I have spoken to a couple of people, but not any exact truth in them links, no. And I realise that my question on this is focusing on the forward, the front line of your squad, but I assume you're looking elsewhere as well to strengthen on the field. Yeah, we are, yeah. But no, yeah, of course we are, we are. There'll be a couple, as I said previously, we'll bring in a couple more, definitely. Two, three, who knows, maybe even four. Yeah, as I said before, we've had six, seven weeks to look at what we've got here and see if we can use them in a positive way, or even some of the younger boys, if they could force away in and give them a chance, or if we maybe have to put them out on loan to get some football. But we're looking at every day, a daily process, really, of trying to bring people in. Hence, if we do get some bodies in, then I don't want a big bloated squad. I've said that all along, so it would be a case of them maybe getting some people out to get some football. But at this moment in time, while we've got a trim squad, should I say, then we'll wait to get bodies in before we let anybody out. Appreciate your time, Stuart. Good luck for Saturday. Cheers. Thank you. You said you don't want a bloated squad. Is it able to try and get two players for every position and have that as a sort of set normal? Yeah, it probably is. That's right. I think over my careers, I've said since I've been in management coaching with Kenny and that we've done that where we've tried to be. It keeps everyone hungry at it and they've always got a chance of being in the squad where I think last season what we have ended up with 28 and six, eight people actually knew every day at training. They had no chance of being in the squad for whatever reason. They sort of lax off a little bit and you don't get that intensity you want in training. So that's the reason. Now, going with that, obviously you've got to be relatively lucky with injuries and don't have a big flood of them. But I certainly think it makes your group more competitive. When you talk about younger players maybe going out alone, maybe being given a chance, how difficult is that balance of knowing when a player is right to be brought into the first team? Yeah, it's big down to them. When we look at them day in, day out, as I said from the first day of training, all the young boys that we've had in have trained really well. Now there's good trainers and then you need to carry that on to match day. Can they go do it in a competitive game against experienced professionals? That's always the next test naturally. But they might benefit rather than being on the fringes as a squad going and playing. But you've got to go get a club that they're going to go get game time. Again, that's a balancing act for other clubs because everyone's trimming the squads even when you go lower down the ladder. There's a lot less money in football now than there was six months ago naturally. But yeah, it's something we're evaluating all the time and then we're looking at if we do bring players in then it might be right to go. Also, if we've got a performance at Doncaster from them, you think one or two can maybe be ready to step up but we need to see more games really to give them that. But it's evaluating all the time. I suppose as well that the younger ones have been hit even harder by the lack of football because there isn't the youth games going on at the moment. Yeah, that's correct. That was one good thing last time we were here. We had a sort of a 23s group and we always had a game on a Tuesday with likes of Amaric Patrick and Danny Devine and Dampybus and all them. We were seeing them regularly, adding to the boys that were coming back from injury. The feature list has been busy this week so maybe next week we might look to get a game on Tuesday. If not, we'll play an in-house, good training sessions so we can see them in a proper game-like situation. So we'll, as I said, keep monitoring things as we go. Cheers. Thanks very much. Cheers. You're saying there, Stuart, obviously about the hectic schedule. I mean, obviously being out of the league helps a big disappointment but the fact that you've now got, you know, your next couple of weeks you're actually not going to be the weaker sort of plan. Does it give you a bit of time to perhaps take stock and to get some good work on the training ground? It does. You've got to take that positive. You know, obviously we would love to be playing Liverpool next week. We're not. So the positive out of that is, as you say, we've not got a game. We can maybe get a couple of lads in over a week to have a look at them now if that's the route we go down. But also we can do some, you know, good 11v11 work stop and coach through certain situations on the training ground. So yeah, naturally, as you said, we wanted to progress. We haven't. So the positive of that is we've got a free week and we can do more work on the training ground. Brought to you by DIS, keeping companies connected with cloud-based solutions. Come on, City!