What were your thoughts on the performance, any complaints with the result?
No, not really. No Complaints. We've had chances and not taken them and they're a really good side. Carlos has got the best out of that group of players now so disappointing for us.
What were the thoughts on the second-half performance and the lack of chances created specifically?
In the first half we've conceded another poor goal but worked very hard to get back into it. We finished the first half very well and they dominated in the second half. Because they adopted a defensive sort of shape where they were going to be deep to play those balls in behind. It was difficult for us to break them down.
Do you feel let down by the performances of your players today and their reaction?
No, not at all. The reaction of what?
The reaction to the second-half performance and the fact that West Brom looked so comfortable.
Do you not think that is because are a very good side?
Yes, but I think Bristol City are a good side too.
I don't feel let down by the players at all.
Is that the most difficult or testing day for you as manager of Bristol City?
No, not really. If you're alluding to the reaction from our fans then that's part of football, I'm afraid. Our young players have really only experienced the positive aspects of football so far. What it does, it creates a situation where it will test very much the resolve of who's onside and who's not. Simple as that.
Our fans are entitled to their opinions but what is important is that they stay behind their team. It's never going to be beneficial to have a negative reaction. If they want to have a go at me, they can have a go at me. It's important our team stays together, it's as simple as that.
Do you think the reaction by the supporters was justified?
In what sense?
The reaction towards you was hostile at the end.
Yea but I've had that before. I've had that at some point in every club I've been at. People have their opinions and they can do what they want. It's fine.
Does it hurt you when you hear chants like that?
I think what's important to recognise is that I know exactly the job that I've got to do here so I keep it in context. Football matches are emotional. If people want to vent their frustrations, I'd rather they do it at me and not the players. It doesn't help the players. It's not beneficial towards the players.
Do you think the concerns about relegation at the moment are justified and should fans be concerned? Is this squad of players good enough to be clear of that?
I think we will be fine but the bottom line is that I've been brought here to do a job. Affecting change is something which makes people feel uncomfortable. It is what it is.
How can you pick them up from here because as you said, there's players in this side who haven't experienced an atmosphere like that?
We'll see how we are tomorrow because the bottom line is this, how people see the game compared to or how they feel emotionally about it, I try and keep things in context. We played against a side who were better than us today. In the first half, in particular, we caused them problems.
How people view the game is up to them. I have to keep a more pragmatic view of it. That's my job. I'm a football manager, I'm not a football fan. I'm a football manager.
Is there a danger that this result can damage confidence?
Yea, it could do. Yea, could do.
The key thing is that you've got young players in the side and you've brought a lot of them in yourself, but the worry is isn't it they hear that from the stands and people like Alex Scott won't be able to express themselves as confidently when things like that are going on?
Look, I don't want to confuse the two issues. The players are in there because they are good enough. They are our best players and so the question is, how do we approach January? Can we freshen things up or not? The players that we have, they have to be good enough so I don't know whether people actually like hearing the reality of our situation. Maybe there are a few frustrations with that in terms of being able to freshen the squad.
Look, for me, it's just a very simple situation and that is, we as a football club need to decide whether we can or cannot strengthen in January and if we can, we'll try and do it in the best way possible without affecting our financial fair play scenario.
I'm sorry not to engage on a level of emotion which conflicts with our fanbase. People have had things to say today and they're entitled to their opinions. If they're going to have a go I'd rather they have a go at the players because the players need the support of the fans.
What is the very latest, do you expect to have money to spend or not?
It’s not about having money to spend it’s how we release money so we might have to trade. It means players go out to free up money to offset the wages, it’s more about that. If there is money to spend that’s a different situation.
What we must not do is get into a situation where there’s an air of panic that 'oh dear things aren’t going well we need to splash out' and then we fall foul of the financial fair play. My job is very much to try and keep a steady hand on it and whether things go badly today or not, the season of goodwill it certainly isn’t today and that’s the bottom line.
A lot of damage was done before you came in as well...
I’m not interested in apportioning blame, what I’m interested in, and I just said to some of the staff at West Brom, the easy thing to do is pat yourself on the back when things are going well. You earn your corn when things aren’t going well so when people start to question what we’re trying to do here they need somebody to have a go at.
So, if they’re going to have a go at me that’s fine but the bottom line is we still need to get ourselves out of the situation that we’re in and that’s not just this season and where we are in the league. I’m talking about the bigger picture of what we’re trying to do at the football club. So, if people want to express their displeasure or whatever, fine. They’re entitled to do it, but it doesn’t really help the team.
Going into January, are you as confident as ever knowing the job that has to be done?
Yeah, there are plenty of good things yeah. So today my first reflection is, ‘they’re a good side.’ It’s not about picking the bones out of that, you can always do that with your own side, but today we came up against a side who are actually, they’re on 32 points now.
They’re actually now getting the best out of their own players, but when we played them at their place, we beat them 2-0 comfortably on the night because they had players that were coasting, and they weren’t getting the best out of their players, so it depends how you want to look at it. It depends on what the criteria it’s based on. If it’s about having a go at one person, if that’s me, fine. It doesn’t bother me; I’ve been booed off bigger stadiums.
I always try to look at the bigger picture Nigel and the bigger picture is still important...
The bigger picture is important, but we need to start winning games. That’s clear. I’m not getting away from that.
One of the criticisms from the stands Nigel was the square pegs in round holes, playing Weimann at wing-back how do you answer that to the fans?
What do you mean square pegs in round holes? Instead of who?
I suppose Tanner on the bench
Yeah, Tanner is a right-back. Mark Sykes has played there and who else? That’s one player Andi Weimann has scored goals from there.
Andy King at centre-back?
Because the other players haven’t been up to it recently. We had all this last week and if it’s about Rob Atkinson the same thing applies, he needs to respond. I see them every day, you don’t.
How King after his injury?
I don’t know. But I thought Rob did okay when he went on apart from a couple of occasions.
And Chris Martin at the moment?
Not in the squad, yeah. But that happens to a lot of players. Choose the squad for the day, but players are still in the squad even if they’re not involved. Maybe the question needs to be can we go out then and strengthen in the areas we’re weak? I think that’s a better question. The players that are playing are the ones that are showing the most in training, so that’s the answer to your question.
What would you like to do in January ideally?
We need to strengthen at the back is the priority.
Just one central defender?
I didn’t say that. We need to strengthen at the back, depending on what we can do.
How difficult is it to trade in this climate as it’s a bit of an unknown quantity after the pandemic with less money?
I think it depends on whether, if you’re talking about if players move who are on big money in terms of wages, then that could free it up to bring a couple in for one. But again, the availability is a big thing. We are exploring what we could do in the loan market but again all those types of questions there are more variables because there are more people involved.
Whether you can do a loan deal, whether it’s affordable, whether it’s a deal that can be done on the wages all those types of things are quite complex. We’ll try to do some business, but we’ll see what happens.
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