 Brought to you by DIS keeping companies connected with cloud-based solutions. Come on City. Mark, first of all just touch on Markham, how important was that win in terms of getting that momentum back after the exit or loss? Yeah it was important that we bounced back after like I said the exit or loss so yeah it was important that we firstly got the result but you know secondly the performance and I think the performance were there for everyone to see you know we dominated the ball at times and we defended the box well and created some good chances so yeah we're pleased to get the three points and put in the performance. Was it pleasing to just get back on the pitch without finding out just before it that it was going to be postponed? Yeah yeah it was always nice to you know play the games now and hopefully they come thick and fast now the weather seems to be better so yeah we just want to you know hopefully use this momentum now to put another run together if we can or at least put in the performances that we've showed in the past so that's what we're looking for now. It's the first time this season at City of won a game after going behind earlier in the match and what does that show about the character and resilience in the side now? Yeah you know it shows that you know that we've got a good mindset positive mindset that when you know when it is tough when obviously it was a goal that you know it was a bit of a flute goal in regards to cross going in and it was a tough one for us to take but we showed that that confidence to keep playing to keep moving the ball you know nobody really lost confidence and went away from what we planned to do so yeah we were delighted in the way that you know the character that the players showed. Just a couple of bits on injuries what's the latest on Bryce for Zana? Bryce is getting closer he hadn't had kind of had any setbacks anything like that it was just we've got to be 100% sure that Bryce is going to return to full training when he's 100% so we're just going to take a little bit more time with him but hopefully it'll be back in back end of next week. Is there a specific date you're in before trying to get him back on the pitch or is it too early to tell at this point? Yeah it's too early to tell so obviously he's not at a full session so we've got to then assess him you know after that so we don't know we can't put a date on it straight away but hopefully he gets through the full sessions and then he's closer to the contention for the squad. Same to our question on Rhys Storn and then you mentioned last week that he's back in training when can we expect seeing him back on the pitch? Soon hopefully you know that the team is being consistent and it's now down to Rhys to find his way back into the team and into the 18 that's his challenge and you know you know when a team's performing it's always difficult but that gives it that competition for places and it's now down to Rhys to show his qualities within training and within games. Is that quite a nice dilemma to have having a play like that coming back and having three solid options that centre back in front of him already? Yeah obviously we've got Rhys, we've got Niall and we've played left centre half then you've got obviously Mattie Falls as well so you've got a lot of competition in the left side left centre half, left back so yeah that competition is only going to improve the group and improve the quality within the sessions and then hopefully that will lead to better performances within games. Richard O'Donnell as well, he was on the bench against Mark is he at 100% fitness yet? Again he's more building up he's you know ready to go but you've got to build these players up within training and make sure that they are 100% when they're back in the team to prevent any further injuries so yeah Richard's closer and obviously he's in the squad back in the squad now which is on again a positive because they pushed Sam for that number one spot so yeah we're in a good position at this moment in time in regards to the squad size Is the plan with Richard to put in straight back in when he's at 100% or are you planning to stick with Sam Hormby for the time being? It's a performance game and if Sam's performing then you know it's his shirt to lose you know Richard is a skipper and is important for the team and it's great that he's back around the squad and in the matchday squad and Richard is again just waiting for his opportunity to get that shirt back and it's only going to be that positive competition that we want within the club If Richard does come back in where does that leave the captaincy? Will he take it back over or will Porty keep on keeping me in captain? No Richard's the captain so Porty knows that and while Richard's in the squad Porty is leaving the team and I think you take that captaincy away from Porty he's still the same player he's still a leader so if Richard comes back in the squad he is the captain Just on Porty how pleased has it been to see him excel in that sort of deputy rule? We know the qualities of Porty I've followed Porty's career quite far when he worked Leeds and then obviously worked with him in the past when he worked with Bradford so far so we know Porty's strengths we know his characteristics and the key is his performance as well as leading the team it just shows that the qualities that he has got both as a leader and as a footballer so yeah we're delighted how Porty is performing at this moment in time Danny Rose obviously on the bench as well against Mark Will he start this weekend? It's a question that we'll have to see on Saturday and then we'll just see how training goes tomorrow and then we'll make a decision from there Is his situation similar at all to that of Richard and Sam and that you've got him and you've also got Andy Cooke who's in good form at the moment? Yeah it's competition we brought these players in the window for competition and to strengthen the team and that's what we've done these players are just coming in to sit on the bench that's the competition that we want and if they are on the bench then they're hopefully doing everything in the powers to make sure that when they get the chance to keep it but again they've always come back from an illness that kind of put him back because he obviously hit the ground running since coming in so again to take his opportunity for that starting on Saturday coming off the bench he's just got to go and show his qualities again As you mentioned there How pleased is it for you to see that all that hard work that you put into the recruitment through January's paying off? Yeah we're delighted obviously it was mentioned in the press before that it was kind of a collective effort from everyone and to bring these players into the building to strengthen the team and I think that's what we've done and you know you know for these players to come straight in and perform it's great we did kind of look at the players who have played our match ready so they are closer to pushing this 11 who obviously had the shirts then so yeah we're delighted how well they've come into the squad and performed so hopefully they can keep on performing but there's obviously the players that are on the bench looking ahead to Cheltenham then they're obviously a team in great form what have you made from them this season? For me they're one of the best teams in the league you know they're quite organising what they do to keep the same kind of shape and they all know the roles and responsibilities but they've obviously got a lot of qualities as well you know so it's going to be a tough game we've got to be at our best you know to get anything at Cheltenham so yeah we know the strengths of them we'll be prepared as we are for every game but we've just got to like I say we've got to be at our best to get a result what this to kind of would earlier obviously one of Cheltenham's big strengths and a threat they've used all season is that Ben Turz are throwing that they seem to be very potent from how are you planning to combat that? we'll obviously be organised and be aware of it and make sure that the players know the roles and responsibilities from that I know that they Ben Turz attacks a throw from either side attacks it high up the pitch deeper down the pitch it's a strength and it attacks it their use to get them down the pitch quickly or able to put the ball into the box so yeah we'll be prepared for that we know it's a strength and it's something that they'll look to do but yeah we'll just be prepared as well as we will be from any set player really cheers Matt good luck hi Matt obviously the weather is getting better it not only means that matches won't be possible but has it been a chance for you to get some training done on grass as well this week? yeah we've been on today so it's great to be back on the grass and obviously it makes a difference I know it's been said before the strain on the body that the 4G puts on the joints can cause injuries or flare up old injuries so it was important that we are back on the grass and we were able to like you said to get a good session in with the group today so yeah we're delighted that the weather is picking up and we just obviously gives us that chance to train and of course Cheltenham not a long journey it saves you all your away trips quite long ones at the moment do you have to prepare differently for those and you wouldn't say a short trip? yeah obviously the overnight stays is something that we've got to take into consideration and how we're planning to prepare we've got a routine I've obviously played a lot like you said away especially long distances so yeah the players know how we work and the preparation that slightly changes when we do have a longer game so yeah it does change in terms of the amount of information that we can give the players and obviously the training because you've got to leave a little bit early on the Friday to travel so yeah it does change things presumably Covid has changed that routine as well that you can't use a pole or a gym yeah exactly that so the players would obviously relax a little bit more than they were able to in terms of using the facilities but we've just got to apply by the rules and make sure that we're doing everything correctly in regards to the Covid side so yeah that is something that's missing but the players have adapted well to everything and taking that away from them they're just getting on with it and preparing as well as they can do thanks very much for the look on that thank you you can say about obviously one of the best teams in the league you can probably argue at the moment given their form as well it's probably as tough of a game as it gets currently, they just chill them away yeah they are obviously on form they've got some good results lately and like I said before they're a well organised team who like to keep the same formation which obviously helps with organisation for them they've got different strengths you know, from the throw from set pieces and obviously they're good to keep the ball well and like I said we know that they're a strong team and they're up there for the right reasons and at the minute probably for me the best team in the league so we've got to be at our best to get anything from the game and obviously you've got some great results and obviously more than the other night teams are up there but this is almost like a bit of a benchmark for how far these teams come when you're playing a team as good as this when they're on form as well yeah these are the games that we want we want to see the benchmark for us and the way that we're playing and how confident we are as a group we're going to any game and want to get a result so yeah we're looking forward to this challenge and we know it's going to be like you say one of the tougher challenges but if we can overcome this then just give us more confidence for the next run of games and to now Conor was saying the other day that you can go toe to toe in this sort of game and go there with confidence and presumably when you feel the team feel good about themselves they're getting good results it's a great time in playing these matches yeah exactly that the result against Morkham and the performance was key really how we played that gives us a lot of confidence going into this game just how we moved the ball how we defended the box we looked to fret but also we defended well so yeah we're full of confidence going into this game but we're expecting a tough match I know you've said afterwards don't ask about the playoffs but knowing perhaps city fans as they are at the moment they're so delighted with other teams playing should you get a result this weekend is it going to be a case of managing expectations a little bit because obviously people aren't going to start you're getting a bit excited aren't they yeah we've got to manage expectations that's what we do we're quite grounded in our approach and we just focus on the next game I know it's cliche we can only do that and like I say if we find ourselves mathematically away from the relegations zone then that's when we can probably start thinking about what's our next step and what's our next goal within the league so that's where we're at at the moment but our focus is on the game on Saturday and I was going to ask about the injury the players coming back from injury what's Lee Novak's latest position Lee's been back in the building today so yeah he's obviously I'd been with a specialist and then he's been back in the building so we're just going to again build Lee up and hopefully have him back around the squad when the time is right what sort of times ago are you looking at are we talking a month or so or before then obviously it's the first time back in the building fully today so that's allowed the medical staff to gather that information and we'll know a little bit more on that today really so it was quite a serious problem then with him just a different one really that obviously put him out slightly just a one that couldn't be dealt with straight away from our physios that specialist has to have a look which happens I wouldn't say it was a two serious one but it's something that we had to see a specialist to make sure he's in the right right hands to prepare and get back on the training pitch and presumably you're optimistic about him being able to feature at some point obviously with the number of games left yeah obviously a lot of games called off and a lot of games had to be rescheduled so that's all positive for Lee and for us that hopefully we'll get Lee back for some of these games best of luck Saturday night thank you Mark, whenever we speak to any of your players about the impact yourself and Conor and Pad they always mention the analysis side of things I just wondered if you could talk a little bit about the backup you get from your analysis guys yeah we've got two analysis kind of members of staff Robbie and Scott worked with myself Conor in the 18s and then he moved up with us and Robbie we've worked with before so they do a lot of collating the information for myself and Conor and we'll see through it and make sure we prepare the team as well as we can from the analysis that they give us as well as us watching the games as well so yeah they do a lot on the opposition obviously in the transfer window on potential players as well so we've got a good working relationship with our analysis and they work hard and we make sure that they've got everything prepared for myself and Conor so we can work through that has been able to make the most of that analysis has that become one of the most important skills for modern coaches and maybe you didn't have that technology yeah I think so I think there's a lot of travel in the leagues and I think if it's a local game then you can go and watch them but obviously I think for a modern coach it is important to watch the footage and see the strengths and weaknesses in the opposition you're not just looking for their strengths you are looking for their weaknesses as well and where you can hurt them so yeah it's important for us the players again they've got to buy into it so it depends the group that you're working with and some players will want more and some just want enough so yeah again it's about knowing the players and seeing what works for that group of players and for this group of players they've bought into what we're showing them and it's given us success so far do you have to be careful of that when you're doing the collective stuff to not to strike a balance between giving them enough information and giving some of them too much it doesn't just work as in a full group we'll do unit meetings in regards to a defensive unit a midfield unit so yeah you can be kind of clever in how you give you information and what relevant information needs to be given to what players so yeah it's just finding that balance because how hard is it to actually scout teams at the moment when A you've got the Covid restrictions and B you're playing pretty much every Saturday Tuesday yeah it's more we've got a scouting system that Lee's brought in to go to games and watch the games live footage that we can access so as soon as we finish one game if it's a Saturday then we're being on the Sunday looking at the opposition obviously you can't look too far ahead you've got to be looking at it's just the next game so that's how we work and I mean Connor Wood was saying he thought that your analysis was better even than the experience at Leicester City in the academy obviously you don't have the resources that a Premier League club has so is hard work what sort of making up that gap yeah I guess so just utilising what you've got and what you can work with we have got some tools that the club supply and stuff that we have access to through our analysis team so yeah we've just got to the key is the information you're giving it's not just obviously slides and pictures etc and apply so that's key how much information you give the players and what information making sure you don't overload them with information that they don't need I'd certainly got the impression in the first few weeks that you were having to spend every hour God sends on preparing for games just because obviously you were thrown into it so quickly in the number of matches is it still as unrelenting now for you yeah it's like anything we don't want to this is the standards that we set at the start so if anything we want to improve on them standards just like the players do so yeah we work just as hard as we did from the first kind of phone call to take the caretaker role or now interim so yeah we work long hours but you know it's important that our standards don't drop then there's no excuse for the players to so from your point of view in terms of keeping up this ferocious work with it how important was it that you got results early on because in anything you do it can be dispiriting if you're putting the work in and you're not getting the results you've got to buy into it you've got to know that what you do is you believe in it so we believe in that's the best way and we've been working a long time developing players and coaching so even if the results didn't come straight away we still believe in the methods that we apply so yeah it's been great that we've got the results from it and like anything it just allows more of the players to buy into it and then like you say some players want more some players enough is what we give them so yeah it's working well and you know we believe in it it's something that you do kind of work on when you're doing your coaching but then you've got to take it to the next level in regards to when you're working with first team players and just on the season as a whole how do you look back on the last six weeks or so it's obviously been very bitty but you've still been training all the time you've still been preparing for the games do you think this period will have to refresh people physically mentally would you rather it just kept going with the momentum you were in I think the slight break that's mentally and physically I think they're both just as important that the players get that rest that's needed but now you know the players know that they've done it over the Christmas period in regards to playing back to back Saturdays that you know we're looking forward to it now we've had enough rest, we've had enough games called off we just want to play matches and go and put in performances and hopefully get the results that's going to take us high up the table that's great, thanks for your time Mark good luck at the weekend thank you Mark it's Mark here from BBC North first of all I'm keen to know how have you found being caretaker and then interim manager how has that experience been for you? nothing's really changed in regards to that for us just a title really but obviously we're we're embracing every day and enjoying it and working as hard as we can to try and get results for Breath of City and you're relatively young the age gap between yourself and some of the players there isn't one so has that been an advantage would you say the fact that you're both relatively young in comparison to the players I think so I was obviously pros and cons to it but the relationship that we've got with players is good there's still no what we expect from them but we're able to understand where people are in regards to physically the players that are around you might need a little bit more rest etc so the younger ones can do a little bit more these are pros and cons to it and obviously it's a good working relationship between myself and Conor and the players at this moment in time why do you think you and Conor have been so successful? hard work mate it's tough once we've just worked hard and done everything in our powers to have leave no stone unturned really making sure that this is an opportunity for myself and Conor we don't want to let ourselves down so it's important that we thought this was the right time for myself and Conor in a way that we've been preparing for this moment with the amount of days and years as a coach that we were more ready for this opportunity than ever so we just had to embrace it and obviously trying to do the best and we've obviously had success so far there's a lot about the fact you prioritise analysis why is analysis so important? I think you can break down the game into simplifying the game for footballers because it is a complicated game with different formations different systems etc so analysis just kind of helps you work on your strengths but also allows you to identify opposition strengths and weaknesses so yeah we do believe in analysis I know it's one thing in the press that's come out about how we work but a lot of teams do analysis a lot of the big teams do analysis as well it's just obviously just how we apply it to this group of players Do you want the job permanently? Obviously we're having success and something that we are working towards that's the decision from the board above but we've just got to keep doing what we're doing and hopefully if they think we're the right people then we'll take the job we're not then we'll have to see what happens from there but it is something that we are working towards it's something that we are obviously looking to do in the future so if we can get the opportunity to hear then we'll take that And finally, what message do you have for the Bradford City fans are they desperate to get back up the leagues? The same message that we said from the start really we're here to make sure the Bradford don't quote the league we do everything in our powers to make sure we're in this league next season and that we're just going to keep trying to improve this team and make it as good as we can so yeah, for the fans I think they're seeing the change that's happened from top down and it's positive at this moment in time and continue that positivity