 Brought to you by DIS, keeping companies connected with cloud-based solutions. Come on, City! Connor, good to chat with you again. I'll get your thoughts, firstly, on what was a disappointing night for your side. Yes, very disappointing, obviously, knowing where we potentially could have been after the game if we had a positive result. But again, it's a part of football. There'll be losses along the way, there'll be wins, there'll be draws. But again, we've just got to respond in the right manner. I'm sure you'd have picked the game apart. Where do you think it was won or lost? You know, they didn't have many shots on target for them, and they were really clinical from, obviously, a set playing, a second phase of a set playing. You know, the second one's probably a little bit, you know, good delivery, good timing, great header. And the first one, obviously, we've got players on the line and his header finds the top corner. Sometimes, you know, that's how it goes, but what was good from our part is we created a lot of chances and, you know, on other days we'd have put a few away. The manner of their performance, and I mentioned this to Mark afterwards, it seemed like they came to frustrate you in many parts, particularly off the ball with some fouls, maybe, and the way they just presented themselves. How wary do you have to be of when opposition come to play you in that manner? Yeah, when teams come away and the first of all they wanted to get a positive result and come away from home, you probably see a draw and a win is really positive, and so, you know, we have to be prepared for things like that. You know, when teams go ahead, they do waste time, and rightfully so, because they want to win the game and they want to stop you from capitalising on any of their mistakes, so it's something we've got to learn from. Did you get your team right? Did you get your setup right? You know, we felt confident that the group of players that were on the pitch would deliver the goods, and ultimately we never fully know until the team is out there performing, and you know, we probably looked at making changes to impact the game as well, to also freshen things up from the start, but ultimately we've not performed well enough. Were you too cautious, maybe, in your approach with the system and the formation? I don't think so. I think we had enough attacking players out there, including Fallback, who were pushing on who, you know, I think we created 19 shots on which is our highest, so I think we're chasing the game so early when maybe looking back, we actually controlled the game for maybe 15 minutes until the goal went in, and then from there, you know, because you want to win games, you go a little bit chasing and leave yourself a little bit more vulnerable. What do you make to the argument that is being suggested by some fans now, particularly that the remit has been achieved, you've got the lead to safety and security, and you've almost got a free reign now to have a go at the playoffs, that you could just take the shackles off, release it and so on and go with a 4-4-2 formation, or go with more attacking players? Yeah, it's some discussions that happen as staff, and you look at who you've got at the club and what type of players and what formations 4-4-2 is suitable against and not suitable against. So that's something that we discuss, but also we feel like the players that we've got at the club suit the way that we play, ultimately I think maybe going into an unknown territory with a 4-4-2 at this moment in time, not giving chance to work on things like that, because it's probably not going to just flick the switch and it's going to be 4-4-2 and scoring more goals, we went 4-4-2 for maybe 35-40 minutes at the last game and we've done it at Carlisle and it's not quite worked, so we're just trying to be adaptable, but also trying to get the best out of the players, I think that's the most important thing. Yes, disappointing. Yes, you knew what was at stake. Yes, you could have been closer to the playoffs, but it is still only four points with six games remain. Do you still believe that they are reachable? I think we do. Collectively, we want to win every game. We've had runs in the past where we've put together some really good results, so I think we're positive and we're hoping to have a good response and to have a good end to the season and if we're there at the end of it, then that's a huge bonus and a massive sort of congratulations to the players and everybody at the club for getting the position there for the club. I think this point has been raised previously, but what is the psychological approach for you as a side, the players, the coach and stuff? You've achieved what you set out, but it almost feels like there is an overwhelming disappointment that you aren't reaching the playoffs, but that wasn't really the target, if you know what I'm saying. I think it's just humans. Humans always want something more and that's as simple as it is. When you get past that relegation phase, it goes into mid-table. Can we stay mid-table? We're around the playoffs now. Can we get in there and maybe get in the playoffs and you're thinking, can we get automatic and then can we be the winner and that's how it works and we want the best for the club. We want to try and win every single game from now until the end of the season. Is it possible? Yes. Is it likely to happen? Probably not, but we'll do our best to try and make it happen. How are the players dealing with it all? Yeah, frustrated. Really frustrated after the game. For me, they had few chances, but they capitalised and they hurt us, so we've got to look at our game, try and iron out the cracks if you like and make sure the next game we're fully focused and ready to put in a good performance. Can you learn at all anything from the way that they went about their business? I mean that mainly from the set piece, the second goal. You said yourself it was a good header. I'm sure that's an area that you want to improve on. I talked to that before about set plays and how important they are at this level and being able to defend and attack them is really important. Sometimes, I'm not making excuses, but sometimes when the delivery is that accurate and the timing of the run in the header and he gets over the player, then it's difficult, but what we'll do is keep working hard to sort the organisation and make sure the players know the rules. But again, we do need to improve it, yeah. On the other end of the field as well, scoring goals from those positions as well? Yes, we want our players who arrive in the box from corners to be getting a few a season. I think the last two games, we've put in around 50 crosses into the box, but we've not really created much. So the intent is there. I just think at the moment we need to find clever ways to have a score from the cross or maybe the second phase from it. What does that come down to? The quality of the delivery or having enough personnel in the area? I think it can be both. And the quality has to be right. You've got to get players in different areas of the box attacking at the right time, not getting behind the ball, etc. and things like that. But there's players in their box not allowing you to go and attack the ball and they're going to make it out for you. One big component of that equation, arguably your tallest player, Nal Canavan, injured at half-time, what's the situation, Conor? Yeah, Mark touched on it in the post-match. He's having a scan and we've not quite had the results yet. We'll wait for them. Early stages though, I mean, sometimes you can glean a little bit of information about how bad it is. I mean, is it worrying or is it too early to say? Well, it's just sports and I'll actually and just ask Tim how he is. He says, OK, have you ever done it before? Kind of thing. No, I've never done it. So it's kind of difficult when you've got players who have maybe done it in the past they can kind of generally know what it's like. Tim, you elsewhere, how are you? Yeah, good, obviously, welcoming. Lee Vai was important. I thought he made a good impact when he came on. But yeah, that's probably the only one who's coming back. Is that enough? Have you seen enough from him now to go back into the starting eleven? Yeah, I think so. I think so, I think, you know, we're getting to the end of the season and, you know, we need to win games. So we're going to pick the players who we feel are going to give us the best chance of doing so, as well as having a good bench to make impact if maybe people aren't performing as well as they can do. I realise I'm being greedy asking about the two situations next but we always want updates. Lee Novak and Callum Cook, how are they? Yeah, again, they're just sort of getting through the rehab really and again, they're just on the pitch and going through different tests and things like that to make sure they have a safer turn. I realise it's a repetitive question for you but everyone wants to know whether or not they will play a part somewhat in the back end of this season. How confident are you on both counts? I think both of them, all going well, they'll be fine for the end of this, well, before the end of the season. Two other players as well, Connor. Reece Staunton and Zellie Ishmael, I realise they're names that haven't really come around at all in recent times but how are they? Yeah, they've obviously got hamstring injuries and both had small reoccurrences so for us, they're in doing the rehab but it doesn't look like this season is going to be right for them in terms of returning to the pitch which is really unfortunate because you've got two really talented players there. Away from team news and just going back to the disappointment of Tuesday I realise this probably seems like quite an obvious question but how important is it that you get that disappointment to the back of everyone's minds now and you just focus on how we get? Yeah, that's important. I think initially that hurt and that frustration is clear for everybody to see and me and Matt felt the same way and we were we obviously weren't too happy with the performance as well as well as the players because they look at themselves and they look at each other and for whatever reason we didn't quite perform well enough in quite a few areas but again, you can't just dwell on it and Harry gets the next game, Harry gets town and we've got to go and put performance in and let's see what happens. In those moments, what's your approach after the game? Are you ones to tell them that they've not been good enough or as you say, are they self-accountable? They've set that standard of themselves now they know what to expect from themselves as a side do you leave them to it? I think it depends on the situation I think you've got to read the cues and the triggers from the environment and from being in there and if you feel like players have maybe not shown enough intensity and drive then maybe it needs addressing but if they give you everything on the pitch then you might approach it differently just on different occasions, different measures different methods What do you make of Harrogate Town this Saturday? One of your former sides I think I'm right in saying as well Yeah, they weren't in league two then though but yeah obviously it's the same manager, Sal and Weaver who's a really good guy and done a tremendous job there and I think from seeing Harrogate Town play this year and they offer you loads of threats they're very dynamic they're very open at you it's going to be a tough game they've got some really good players as well Have you watched them fondly given your association with them? Have you enjoyed their rise? Yeah, it's been obviously from being at the club and knowing people who work there it's been fantastic to see the development because they always spoke about that they always spoke about moving forward and trying to get into the conference national and trying to get into the EFL and they've done that and rightfully so they deserve it and again it's only positive things to say about Harrogate Town And knowing that culture and knowing those characteristics does that help you in your own preparation to play against them? I guess it gives me a little bit of an insight into how they're going to approach it but obviously people evolve over time and I'm sure Simon has changed and the people around the club have changed because the club's gone on a bigger stature so again they'll be very hard working they'll be honest and we've got to be prepared for a really big game We'll go out Saturday Connor, cheers! Hi Connor Talking of Harrogate when they came to Valley Parade of course they had quite a big win but things have changed a bit for them now they've started to struggle a bit but Bratford City is going to be one of those games that they've earmarked the game that they want to win so you can really expect them to up their game on Saturday Yeah I think it's going to be an entertaining game it's going to be probably feisty I imagine so so I think they're going to be up for the test and they'll be wanting to beat us twice in a season Just going back to the first half on Tuesday night Mark said afterwards that you started slowly do you think some of that could be when there is something like the playoffs to attain there's almost a subconscious tenseness in the players they're wary that they don't want to make mistakes so they maybe become a bit too cautious in their play I think as a player maybe some individuals may feel that way it's not something that's brought up to say like you know fear making mistakes things like that our messages are always the same for players to want to perform to want to take risks to want to get on the ball to want to make things happen themselves individually so I wouldn't say that any player is not maybe a hidden I wouldn't say a player is hid if you like they've finished the chances that they had and we've failed to get back into the game and when you do have a start you want it to be how difficult is it for you and Mark on the touch lines then to get that message and try and speed things up yeah it's it's sometimes tough again with the hectic schedules and things like that not making excuses but you know you can have some tiredness in legs and even if players have been rested so what we try and do is trying to work and play at the highest intensity possible so we'll as coaches and as managers we'll want the most out of players as well as themselves and obviously the long throw we mentioned it the other day when we did the presser Clayton didn't start the other day Niall was doing him he went off injured and Clayton came on is there anyone else there that's capable of doing the long throw if either of those aren't available I can't really tell you that one to be fair there's maybe one or two more okay well thanks very much and good luck Saturday cheers appreciate that Icona I was going to try and take you back to your year when you played for Harrogate I was looking at the team obviously I mean this you know Craig McGill Ryan Gull wouldn't there Adam Boulder was there that was quite a bit of football league experience or future football league experience wasn't there it was a decent squad yeah I remember it and we had sort of players who who played in the championship and maybe the Premier League and obviously Craig went on to move from Harrogate into the football league and he's having a good career so there was a lot of players from different backgrounds who played at different levels so yeah I think Harrogate have always attracted good players along the way maybe not myself but they've attracted good players all right I'm thinking that you played at Valley Parade was it the West Riding Final can we count for that yes yeah I remember we lost that game yeah I do yeah it was not nice it was nice to play at Valley Parade but unfortunately we lost on the day was that the first time you played at Valley Parade you played there before can you remember? No I've played a few reserve games at Valley Parade over the years I played against Naz in a few I think as well but presumably that would have been probably the biggest crowd you saw there at Valley Parade at Valley Parade yeah 600 no I think we played Stockport one time maybe 4000, 5000 all right sorry yeah that was the one back then Stockport used to get loads and obviously Simon Weaver has been there it's incredible isn't it 2009 I mean certainly in the modern era it's almost unheard of isn't it it's brilliant for obviously me and Mark knowing Simon and how long he's been there and successes maybe not just an immediate thing it's something that's built over years of hard work and putting your identity and your stamp on it and you know we have to get results we have to show intent we have to improve we know that but also we want to long term build something at this club and hopefully we're given the chance to do so what's going to say can you imagine still being sat there in 12 years time why not but it is good I suppose it also shows the club having faith in the manager isn't it I know obviously there's a family connection at Harrogate but you know the club have got to give opportunity and not sort of you know race for everything you know trust in the vision isn't it that's why it's such a good story it's why it's such a good story seeing them go up the leagues and this year was a massive test for them but I think they've shown everybody that they deserve to be in this league and as you say for yourself I've got these six games left in terms of this playoff push I think this season possibly going to finish a little bit too soon although it sounds a bit of an odd thing to say but bearing in mind you know six games left four points it's hard to predict and I wouldn't want to do that it can go in lots of different directions we just hope it'll go in the most positive direction possible we have confidence that we can do that but we're also realistic to know that everything's not going to be smooth as we'd like but it's a nice target to have for the last three or four weeks of the season isn't it you know just sort of basically put your foot down and see what you can achieve yeah of course of course obviously from the day that we we took over till now we feel we're in a good position and it's a bonus that we're trying to get into the playoffs but again I think it shows the hard work from everybody involved best of luck Saturday Connor cheers for that thank you Hey mate did you enjoy working on Simon Weaver at Harrogate Town? Yeah I thought he was a really good manager when I was there and you know had some good discussions with him whilst being a player and you know yeah enjoyed working with him I know it's a bit of a stretch going back I think six, seven years but anything that you picked up working on Simon that you've talked into your own work as a manager and a coach I used to really like his desire and how committed he was and you know I think Harrogate we were part-time at the time we were in conference north but he sort of lived him and breathed it and you know his intensity in his work was great to see And no one obviously for the intensity of the ball they squeeze the life out of late and oriented times you have an eye is that something that you'll factor into your preparations for the game the way that they press out the pitch and they work off the ball out of position Yeah they're aggressive, they're on the front foot you know up and at you so you know we'll be doing our prep to make sure we can come out on top on the day Brought to you by DIS Keeping companies connected with cloud-based solutions Come on City