 Great, good to see you again. I'll just start with bodies-wise, how did you fare last night, how have you come through? Yeah, reasonably good. I think we're just checking a couple of players this morning with a couple of knocks that they got but nothing too major so they're ready to go again obviously but for the weekend quick turnaround again but no they generally came through okay. How was Matty's part obviously? He wasn't involved, he was coming back, he was doing a little bit of running around the pitch this afternoon sorry this morning remember your training so we're hoping expecting him to be part of the training squad later on next week fingers crossed if he continues his protocol in the way it is so yeah we hopefully have him back within seven to ten days as a training player then we have to obviously get him back up to speed to match fitness so yeah fingers crossed that keeps going smoothly. Usual weekly question, Jamie Walker, Alex Patterson the longer term absentee, how are they? Pato's he's actually he was running around the pitch with with Platy so a bit he's a little bit I think his recovery is a little bit longer and Jamie Walker's joined in training today and on Monday as well so we'll see how he sort of presents tomorrow after today's training because he's done considerably more than he has done in previous days but you know he's looking good to be fair so we just want to make sure he's physically ready I think mentally he's been ready for a couple of weeks he's desperate to get out there and be part of the squad but we just obviously he's been out for quite a while now and we don't want anything serious going wrong again so fingers crossed he's fine tomorrow but it's good to see him back out on the training pitch he's you know he's a good player to have around. Yeah I'm sure that gives a boost to everybody seeing that Jamie Walker's back in at least training depending on how he reacts then Graham might he be in contention for Saturday or would that be too soon? I'm not sure yet I have to speak to Jamie about it as well and the medical staff because he has been out for probably nine three months or so three and a half months and he's only trained with us this week he has done a lot of physical training with the medical staff prior to that but you know getting that competitive level the experience of having a tackle and all that sort of thing that's only been exposed to him this week so we'll sort of make a decision on that on maybe on Friday when we've let him have his day off tomorrow see how he presents after that and make the best decision for the team and for Jamie. In Jamie's case is it almost accentuated somewhat because I mean having spoke to your predecessors about Jamie and yourself as well we know he's the kind of player that will put his body on the line come what may but do you have to manage your own expectations in some degree as well to maybe protect himself from himself at times? Yeah I know what you mean but he's almost he's a player that plays on the edge and plays you know in that sort of manner where it's all out he doesn't play in a you know I would say a controlled way he sort of plays a little bit like street football almost you know he'll throw himself into tackles he'll take people on he'll shoot he'll cross he'll run back to defend he's an all-action player so I think if you're going to ask him to sort of you know control himself and manage himself I don't I don't think you'll get the Jamie walker that we need you know and I think he'll feel hindered by that as well so that's why the training is so important to us that we expose him to as much of it as possible before you know letting him loose in the battle of a game but yeah I think when Jamie's fully fit and firing you know we even in my short time we know the quality brings to our team so yeah it would be the the sooner we get him back the better for our selection but you know we just have to make sure he is right. In terms of Dano Yagoka I know about you about him recently but are you any closer to knowing if when he might be returning to you? Yeah well he we've been contacting him for a few weeks and he played a bounce game at Brentford last night I think he got 60 minutes or so and so he's due to come back up here tomorrow and train with us on Friday so Yagoka was speaking to him last week and he's desperate to he was supposed to come back up on Monday but Brentford had a B team game that he could play in so we you know they said look we can play him in that game to get more match exposure which he wouldn't get with us because we can't get any bounce games at the moment so it was better just to delay it two three days but to allow him to play in that and the report we had this morning was he got through the game 62 minutes of it really really good and I'm due to speak to him this afternoon see how he felt and and then yeah the plan is for him to travel back up tomorrow and hopefully be with us Friday morning. How much are you looking forward to working with someone like Daniel Yagoka? You barely had any time with him before you come through the door? Yeah that's right you know I remember he made a good impression on us in the first three days before our first game came on in that game unfortunately he went back off injured after 10 minutes and that's it we haven't seen him since so but even in those three days you know we we saw what a really good athlete he is how comfortable he is in possession but what a good lad he is as well you know he seemed really popular really upbeat and positive and the chats I've had with him since he's he went back to Brentford he's always been desperately keen to get back and play so yeah he'll be a welcome addition back into the squad I think it was the right decision from us to keep him signed on with us for the long because you know and he's turned out really prudent really because you know the injuries we've had that he comes back into it and he's ready to go so it'll be almost like for me anyway like sign another player or a new player because we've we've only had him for for 10 minutes basically of our time here so looking forward to seeing him because he's a great guy. Appreciate you haven't had that much time with him to fully understand his game from your perspective Graeme but we've seen him in a variety of positions prior to your time at the football club he's been used as a right wing back he's been used as a right backer centre back he was even used as a central midfielder towards the back end of your predecessor's time how do you best see Danio go okay? I'm not sure yet that's it I think because he came on left wing back for us in that game against Bajaro so because we had an injury to to Liam Royals but I've spoke a few times about players being adaptable to positions and using their qualities rather than trying to pigeonhole them into it to one certain spot on the team do they have the attributes that we need for that particular game where do we need those attributes is it at the back is it out on the flanks is it in the middle of midfield so I think he's just a player that's got good all-round ability and desperately wants to do well so I think those positions you mentioned are his you know his prime positions to be fair you know I think he could play in the back three which we've obviously been playing I think he can do both wing backs which is comfortable doing that I haven't seen him in midfield but I've been told that he's he's played out as well earlier in the season so yeah it's a great addition for us when he comes back because you know he's got attributes that we value highly one player that you do have back this Saturday is your captain Richie Smallwood we mentioned it after the Tuesday's game that it's been a long time coming that second game of his suspension did you miss him you feel Graham in the Doncaster game yeah I believe so I believe so I think you know Richie plays a part you know that's why he's played every game for us that he you know when you're running the game through in your head you know as a coach and you see things up and you and you're you're almost within the player to make this decision and that decision you know and that and nine times out of ten Richie you're making the decision that you think is the right decision to do you know looking at from afar you know you know switch to play passing behind you know just slow the game down press this player this out you know he tends to make a lot of decisions right and and I certainly think he has a great influence on on the players around him that's the whole team the squad I think he makes players better playing alongside him and I do I felt on last night sorry the first half maybe one of him been as poor and with Richie and the team I think he might have changed a couple of things got understood where the game was going and and done what it took to to change that sort of momentum of the game not look it's not all on one player you know players of responsibility due to change the whole performance but we really appreciate the value that Richie brings to our our team and we never overlook it we never take it for granted but and it's been frustrating for him you know last week obviously before the game got called off or saying well at least you'll be available next week but then that game got called off so you know and we were sort of joking about it being the longest two game suspension ever but I'm sure he's raring to go and look he's I do think he's a really important part of what we're doing some of those aspects that you've outlined there Grave and those sometimes overlooked or maybe not seen by maybe us in the media or fans the work that kind of doesn't go down as a goal or an assist or a clean sheet yeah yeah I do I do and it's not through people not looking for it but there's a lot of things that go into to a game of football and you know for other types of players to flourish you need the sort of the the opposite of that to to build a team performance and stuff like that and there's a lot of and the biggest I think one of the biggest things in football is decision making you know so it's not the actual technique of a shot or a cross or something but it's actually the decision to do the right thing at the right time and and that's it that's a hard skill or attribute to actually there's no data for it you know there's not you can't be measured like that it's just on the eye knowing the game knowing what your team wants to do and he takes it forward and and implements that he implements it in himself but he also makes sure the lads around him in the team implement it as well so that's it there's a there's a you know there's a lot of players around that do sort of the unsung work and others grab the headlines but you know if you look at Rich he's playing record it's pretty consistent he's been in most teams you know week and week out and it's it's no secret it's because most managers have trusted him. Did you know that you were guessing that when you came to his football club? I think I'm right I said that you've worked with Rich before was it when you were at School of Football? Has he developed even more since then? I think yeah definitely because I think he's a player that plays with his brain and like the more experience you get more games you get in the belt you know you you should get more intelligent you should know how to win a game for or how to influence people around you that's why he's the captain but yeah I had him on loan was it maybe 16-17 season I think you obviously a little bit younger then and we had him for about five months he fought hard to get he couldn't get into the top of the top he won at the time we had two midfield players I think that stretched their game to their maximum because they saw Richie come in you know and it's sort of he found it frustrating to not get in as many games as he wanted but you know each club that I've managed when it's come around to a summer window and Richie's been at a contract I've always made contact with him to see if he fancied Rear Quainton himself with us and so I've always had a bit of contact with Richie I've always valued him as a player for last you know seven or eight years you know not been working with him directing at time so coming in to Bradford you know I knew of his qualities I knew that how we want to play and how we want to work day to day the Richie's ideal for that role of leading us and so and getting to this is the first exposure I've had even playing week in week out for me and I haven't been disappointed I just I'm just frustrated that I didn't have previous clubs because I know what a great job they had done for us. Yeah just going back to what you said after the game against Doncaster Graham and I think you said you were going to give the players the benefit of a doubt in regards to the first half performance because of how they performed prior to that I know there's been a bit of a layoff in between your last game and Doncaster and in terms of the aftermath of that you know today and the following days in the lead up to the Atkinson game do you have to focus on that first half performance particularly specifically or do you give them that benefit of the doubt I know in the past you've said that you've maybe replayed the time that they played but I'll just remind them of what they can do. Yeah I think yeah you know the aftermath is like a death or something or a car crash you know I don't think it was as bad as that but no I think I was frustrated because I you know I think maybe the frustration was from us not playing for two weeks and you know we're desperate to get this you know keep this run going and and claw back the points that we need to do and and and just seeing a start and I just didn't feel our performance and you know I spoke to a couple of players today there was a little bit of uncertainty on our press in certain aspects and there's you know Tyreek playing his only second game for us Calphoni playing his fourth or fifth game for us you know it's it's a little bit you know that midfield looked different from from usual so it was if and with our lack of game time I think it all culminated in a really slow start I think Doncaster grew in confidence from that slow start by us and it just you know it got more frustrating as we get even though you know looking back we did have some good opportunities to to get a goal in that first half but our general play wasn't wasn't the level what we needed to be but you know that we you know me and Chris sat in the office today saying you know remember when we played bad and or we didn't perform to the levels it wasn't through you know with that that's it can happen sometimes you just don't want it to be eight or nine players you want it to be one and two in it and the performance stays same so but we just didn't get we just didn't get going for whatever reason I'd it's it's more of a we have to show the players the contrast of the bad and the ugly really you know and not go overboard on the bad and the ugly you know let's say look this is this is what we look like when we do this and this is what we look like when we do that which one do we want to be and I know what the players want because they've enjoyed how how we go about our games they've enjoyed how we go about our training they've took it into games we've got a lot of results from that but just now and then you need a reminder of the difference the contrast between and it could be a position about five yards it could be a run at 90% or 100% it could be a decision in passing forwards instead of backwards just a little contrast to go no look this is also the team this is what we do well I like to to stay on the positives and ultimately it's a and I didn't sound very positive after the game last night because of the first half and and the result obviously but looking back you know I mean Chris talked last night for us to play so poorly in the first half and still get a point from a goal behind sometimes you have to go actually from what we put into it that's a good point and but we also have to understand that we want to be better we need to be better if we want to you know follow up on the aspirations that we all have so yeah by Friday when we're getting into our match planning for for Ackerton and it will be from for positive stuff and these are the levels we have to reach yet again which we've already done yeah in terms of momentum and looking at it from a positive perspective better to come out of a 1-1 where you've equalised and you're pushing for a winner as opposed to having been 1-0 up and conceding a late goal and it being 1-1 yeah yeah there's always a feeling around how results happen you know and you know win lose or draw there's there's always a an emotion attached to how that result happened and then it can it can take forward so what we've tried to do in the past is you know so the second half we won the second half 1-0 we played much better more like us so that's where we have to so I will give the players the benefit out of a 45 minute slow start after having two weeks off basically of not playing and it's difficult we are you know the weather as well as affected our training schedule as well so it's been really difficult to keep up that intensity and that momentum so maybe the first 45 minutes was a bit of ring rust and a bit of bit of fog in the mind but half time in the second half we'll have cleared that up and we have to be ready to go right from the off against Ackerton because you know they need the points for that their reasons as well and preparing for an Ackerton game that will not see John Coleman taking that team which feels like how many years has it been since John Coleman hasn't taken an Ackerton Stanley team no that's right it's yeah you know I think they said to themselves when he left you know the club wouldn't be what it is or where it is if it hadn't been for for him and Jimmy Bell so yeah it's one of them where they're ingrained in the history of Ackerton Stanley you know listen it's never down just to one guy but it's you know his consistency of you know even having them in the league one for five years was was phenomenal really with you know the resources they have so yeah it would be a different experience you know when even myself in my career usually when we play Ackie it's been it's been John and so yeah but yeah we just got a concentrate on our 11 players can be against their 11 players but yeah it would be yeah an unusual Ackerton to say. From a manager's perspective do you have admiration for the longevity that he achieved at that football club and I guess alongside you mean the culture and the football club that they've built? Yeah 100% look it's a really tough job managing football clubs and you know at every level and so any success and you only get longevity through success you know unfortunately it doesn't happen the other way you know the longevity has to be earned you know and he certainly earned it through various promotions getting them into the football league many years ago but then like I say getting them to league one and sustaining league one status for you know for for a good few years yeah it's you know it's you got to take half to that and I think he I think he knew what Ackerton was and managed accordingly so yeah it would be you know obviously different times there for them and I'm sure John will go on to have success elsewhere. I asked that question from from your own perspective and a manager's perspective when you arrive at a football club is it's part of the ambition to as you say know the football club understand the football club and the the area and the the region in which it represents and everything that comes with it? Yeah definitely I think so I think you have to understand the identity of football club and the town or the city and the people that support it and the people who work in it the squad and their history you know where where they've been where they aspire to be all those things they all come into the emotional side of a football club and I think if you can tap into that and and align yourself with it and align your team with it I think it it benefits everybody I think ultimately a football team represents its its people you know that that's ultimately why they come into the stadium they want to see a football team that represents their values their their beliefs their cause what what they feel about their city or town and I've always thought that try to get a team out there that the supporters look at and say yeah that's a that's a Bradford City team you know or whichever club you play or work for and I probably didn't think that way when I was a player but certainly on the on managerial side I think it's it's important to try to do that you still have your own ideas and beliefs and how how you want your team to play but there's there's other sides of the technical side of it about a football team the football club how you behave how you talk how you hold yourself how you represent the club that that goes along for me as a manager my players my staff anyone yeah you want to you want to make your club proud and but club is its people so um yeah I think it's an important part of football thanks Graham appreciate it okay mate cheers cheers well I'm talking about obviously John Coleman I mean as a player yourself had a fantastic career in that area I mean sort of m65 legends and all that you know he's um he was you know he does seem very without you know no Akrington no John Cole um John Coleman's almost a bit like a sort of a Fergie going from Man United sort of you know you thought he'd be there forever almost yeah yeah that's right it's um you know those sort of you know I think if you look at the the the the achievements that he had there you know I think it's probably four or five promotions coming up from you know the the non-league scene into the football league I think he had a little brief sojourn away um they rocked out but found himself back at Aki um not long after and um and like hand in glove you know that is you know I think when you have that um sort of longevity at club there it goes without saying you're going to have an impact on the environment on the the feeling around the club how it works um because you know you've had that time to to build it and and alongside of the people and so it's going to um it's always going to you you know have that feeling for him I'm sure you know you might not go back there ever again but certainly his name runs alongside Akrington stand me as much as any individuals can with a football club you know football clubs are always bigger than any individual but there's certain individuals that come along and represent those clubs in a different way to the rest and I'll think John Coleman's name will certainly go along those lines at Akrington. I was going to say when you're when you're at Burnley and you're going into the Premier League was it still that respect for sort of like that you know the little neighbour in a sense who was sort of constantly punching above their weight weren't they? Yeah listen there was nothing big time about us at Burnley at the time you know I mean it's a wheel punching above our weight as well so we we didn't walk around with any airs and graces ourselves so but we played Aki and obviously quite a few friendlies I think our I think our reserves might might have played there most weeks as well so yeah it's it's around the corner it's it's in between Burnley and Blackburn so there's a couple of miles so yeah I got to know a bit more of the Akrington story when I played for for Burnley back in the day because of the the closeness of the of the two clubs and there and you had nothing but admiration for for for the job that not just John did but everybody attached to Akrington because they against all the odds and made them a really competitive force in the EFL. Yeah I think you always used to play up the the plan against big big team Bradford whenever they ahead of these games I think that was part of the motivation so presumably that will still be very much the the feeling when you go there. Yeah but I think I remember saying after we beat them 1-0 that they came down to our level which I felt was a strange thing to say to be fair you know so yeah that was that was an interesting comment which I didn't appreciate or understand at the time really but listen we were delighted to win the game it was you know a much needed win at the time set off a little run of form that sort of brightened up the place and and and gave us belief that we could then create a successful team here this season so but you know when a new manager comes in or you know obviously it's an interim and he'll have his own ideas on on what they need to do on Saturday against us and but we have to be ready for that and we have to be ready to get to our levels you know I mean that I think if last night showed us anything is regards what the opposition do if we don't do the things that we're good at then it doesn't matter who we play we're going to be second best so we have to make sure that we are absolutely clear on what makes us a good team and then go on and put it into practice you said earlier about sort of clearing the fog I mean the fact that the we talked with Sam Stubbs about the fixture list being so intense now in a way players players must love that though because it's sort of you know it's what you want to do and it want to be out there playing playing playing yeah definitely it's well then where we knew we had we were having a busy period but then you get to a game it gets called off and it's like you know emotionally high and then a big drop and then you go weak and you build up to the next one and then the same happens there you know and after you know the the previous game we played which we we um ended in dramatic fashion for us and was a big blow to take then to have that frustration build up build up build up and I don't know if I don't suck the energy out of us going into the game last night or just I don't know what it was it was just maybe a culmination of a load of little things coming along and just making it a bigger one um but it's in the but ask any player they want they want to play games of football you know that's what they they feel they're on this earth for you know and um and I'm the same as a football manager so um there's only so much you can do in training at this stage of the season you know with the the amount of games that you play um so uh I think by the time we get into this Saturday Tuesday Saturday Tuesday um the players will be ready to to take on those challenges and very briefly just obviously going back to Dan up are you goky I mean keeping in touch with him as you have done sort of through the season I mean that must have been you know important in keeping his spirits up because you know it's all very well the player being told oh yeah we'll hopefully get you back but you know having that you know constant communication must sort of keep his spirits high knowing that yes it is going to happen yeah I think so I think that was the reason you know I want every player to feel value with with us and and feel that they they've got a part to play with us and you know I didn't want him to go back to Brentford and be you know outside out of mind I wanted to make sure that understood um that um we we look forward to working with him whenever that opportunity arises so uh there was a little bit we just it was just a bit of you know care and attention really I think everyone appreciates that a little bit you know I think we're all we're all human and we all have that side of us where we we want to feel important we want to feel valued we want to be part of a team certainly if you're part of a football club you know it's it's a group thing you don't want to be individualized and left alone so I think it's important that you know we don't want him to come back and feel like a stranger we want him to come back and he's he's straight into it and um you know every conversation he's just been ultra positive you know probably to the point where I'm thinking I was getting him back sooner than then then first thought you know he would tell I'll be back in two weeks but then we'd speak to somebody at Brentford and they said no it's more like six and this idea so he was but I like that I like people that believe you know have positive beliefs and look on the bright side of life and and so I've learned that about Dan that he's a really positive guy and I think um the more people you have around around your environment like that and it makes the whole place just a much better place to be and for him coming back it won't be a case of coming back and maybe just playing a few games to the sake of it you know he could potentially be playing a part in a very big part of the season you know they could be very big games ahead of him couldn't they yeah well you know that was part of the you know when we obviously told it is diagnosis now long you'd be out for and when potentially you'd be available for we actually thought well long shot but you know it could be a really vital stage of the season and to bring in a player of his his caliber and quality and certainly somebody who was really popular with the rest of the players as well and I think it was a no-brainer for us so you know Ryan did a great job there you know keeping that deal going and keeping that open so we had the opportunity to to bring him back so um yeah it'll be uh it'll be good to see him because you know there's a there is a little bit I only had him for three days training and 10 minutes of a game so you know I I don't know him intimately as a footballer and but I like what I saw in that in that brief time and as you say you know that many strings to his bow potentially you know with all these games coming up it it could be absolutely you know a great asset to have yeah vital vital for us you know it's that's what it is I think that they're worth the weight in gold players that can play in two or three positions it keeps your squad tight it keeps them all involved keeps them together um and that's what we we've been trying to to you know create over the last three or four months so um I think when players are open minded to that and will sacrifice themselves for the betterment of the team then it's um you know you've got a proper team player on your hands so I think wherever we ask Dan to compete for us and play then he's going to give us everything he's got because he's a he's a young man that's got a bright future and he's ambitious so um but when you've got those sort of aspirations you need to be on the pitch to realise them so uh he'll be coming back hungry to to compete with the rest of players to get in the team