Going into this game against Newcastle, what do you take from the Manchester City game that can benefit you moving forward?
Well, I think first that Newcastle is most dangerous in transition and we gave away basically three goals in transition this match. So we've got to be better in those moments. They're very good from their wide spaces in one v one situations and then they're very dangerous once they get into the attacking third.
So, we need to just continue to work on our defensive responsibilities and our understanding of how to be more stable. Which is a shame because in a lot of ways I thought we accomplished some of those things tonight, but we obviously have more work to do.
How do you instil belief as well because at times in that first half you got the ball down and played through the lines and then came the process where the ball was being given away at times. Does it come down to belief within the group?
Yeah, I mean, it's quality too. You play a team like Man City and now the quality that they have on the pitch and then the energy they have when they lose it to make it difficult for you. The Man City game will be different to the Newcastle game. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not slighting Newcastle we know how good they are, but it's a different tactical game and it'll require a different kind of match plan and require different emphasis. For sure managing their dangerous players or controlling them from creating big chances and scoring goals will be the key.
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How different is the preparation because, as you said, Newcastle are so intensive like yourselves?
Yes, that will be a big demand physical physically for us. Now we get Tyler Adams back which we think will be a major boost for us, hopefully Summerville and Harrison as well, and then we can look to push that game still physically, the way we want.
Is it a case of having to lift the mood amongst the group as well because it's three defeats on the spin in all competitions but that doesn't tell the whole story?
No. The belief is high here. That's not an issue. It's just, it's the stress of what this league is and where we are right now as a club. I would love to say that we want to win every match and we're in position to do that. We know that with the reality of who we are right now that that's not realistic, but for us to stay really, really focused on improvement, on becoming the team we want to become and continuing to develop and grow. We believe in our players. We believe in our mentality and we're going to get better, we know that, so that's the focus.
How stressed are you feeling, Jesse?
Yeah, I mean, it's always stressful, unfortunately. But I want to represent exactly what I want to be which is about our controlling what we can control, our ability to live in the moment, our ability to push each other on a daily basis to stay strong in the toughest moments, that I have to represent by my behaviour.
Do you feel that's quite similar to the situation you arrived in Jesse?
No, I think the difference between when I arrived and now is that the group understands me and understands more of the football that we want to play. So there's confidence in that and then there's belief in what we're doing. So it's just about continuing to stay true to our process and continuing to push every day.
What’s the biggest evidence of evolution since you've been here?
The behaviours of the players and the development of the players. There's a lot of guys that I think have developed a lot since I've been here. I think Robin Koch right now is playing the best football of his of his career. I think Pascal is, I think Tyler Adams is, I think Mark Roca is, I think Rodri is, I think Sam Greenwood is, I think Cree Summerville is. The guys that now have really been a big part of how we've kind of continued to evolve, I think are really showing that they're in really good phases of their career, and we're going to continue to make them better.
Coming up against Newcastle, you look at the two clubs last January, and now you look at the two clubs now, is it just about money?
Money is always helpful. I've seen Eddie's comments as well and then you don't want to slight the job he's done because he's done an amazing job. But we all know that in this world of football, it's something that's different than American sports, where we have salary caps, and everyone has a chance when the season starts, I'm sorry, but the way that European football works, that's just not the case.
So how do you build? Well, one is a process and continuing to invest every penny the right way, which we are trying to do. Another one is a massive influx of money. I mean, take Chelsea 25 years ago, take Newcastle now, take Man City 15 years ago. I mean, it's a difference maker, and by the way, it's for it's for every phase of what you're doing as a club, manager, players, everything, but we like us. We like who we are, we like our identity, we like the mentality that we've created and we like us. So we're going to keep building in our own way.
Patrick Bamford, what’s the latest with him?
Probably not in training until next week, hopefully Sunday-Monday.
How much of a difference can a fit Patrick have on your season?
Yeah, we know that Patrick can score goals in bunches, he's proven that. I tell you, he hasn't been at 100 per cent since I've been here. He just hasn't. Even that being said he’s created a tonne of chances and it's unfortunate that some of them haven't fallen the way that he's wanted. We're hopeful that this diagnosis and this surgery can really be kind of a big part of the physical equation and solution for what's necessary for Patrick. His attitude has been good he's doing everything he can and again, hopefully we get him going next week.
Can you rely on him moving forward considering the issues he’s had over the last year or so?
From what we've seen, he seems like he's on the right track to physically get himself back to 100 per cent. So we're really hopeful that the answer is yes.
Do you think there’d be a quality issue with other teams in this league, because you have acquitted yourselves very well against top teams, thinking specifically of Newcastle, do you look at their squad and see quality issue, like you saw one against Man City?
I mean, they have a very good team, and they have a lot of players playing at a high level right now. So yeah, I you don't get to the top of the table without having a lot of quality in this league. So yeah, it will be a challenge. It'll be a challenge, for sure.
We have to be very clear in disciplined on our match, plan and then execute at the highest level. It's like this for every game, to be honest, it's like this for every game.
How important then is each and every transfer window to try and bring yourself closer?
Every decision that we make, I feel like from what we decided for tactics, what we how we invest in players, how we everything we do, becomes vital. But we've gotten a lot right over the last 6-8 months, so we're going to continue to believe in our process.
Twelve months ago Cody (Drameh) chose to go out on loan because he wasn't playing enough. You've said the other day that you think that now there might be a need to give him some more minutes. At what point do you have to start playing him and putting him in squads to convince him that he should stay as you’ve alluded you want him to?
It’s a good question. I mean, I like Rasmus and Luke a lot, too. It's interesting. We had Cody in at the end of last year and he wasn't convinced that this was going to be the right place for him to come back. Then he came into pre-season, and then he's kind of worked through the year with the 21s a lot. I think the idea of being here has grown on him a lot.
Maybe it could have gone differently if that feeling was there from the beginning. But we're in a good place now with Cody and I like him a lot. I think he's committing to this at the highest level. We have to figure out what that means and how we continue to have him as part of our group and in the long term vision, I want them to be here. Period.
Diego's contract, obviously, the club are happy with that news, can you talk through the decision, why you’ve offered the deal and what you see his future being as he goes into his 30s?
Yeah, I think Diego, first of all, at the beginning stages of the season was playing very well. Then Coops came back and at the time we decided we made that decision and Coops is an important player for us, from a leadership perspective, from a player perspective, everything. But even I thought when Diego came on tonight, when he came on against Monaco we gave them three goals right away, he was almost get just getting himself going so it was a little unfortunate for him but I thought tonight he played well. The reason is because we think he has quality. Centre backs aren't easy to find and so when you have a good one you want to you want to find a way to keep hold on.
What do you think Drameh is looking for here, what do you think would make him happy?
Playing time. Playing time. Every player wants playing time and when they don't get it obviously they want to they want to be part of it. Cody is, for me, knocking on the door in a big way, in a big way. So I think right now he just has to continue with the same mentality and keep every day pushing to show how good he is and he's done that.
Just going back to the financial situation, clearly there’s levels of finance. How does Leeds as a club build, because the clubs at the top have the most money and there’s another section down that has more money and others that have some to invest. How do you scale up?
Obviously I know we're tasked in this league to compete with Man City, Chelsea, these kinds of teams, Liverpool, but our true competitors are more the mid-table, bottom of the table teams and now to try to do better than we've done against them. In reality there's a bunch of us in the same category and it's not just about money, but certainly it's a factor.
There's history of the club, there's infrastructure, there's player pool, there's playing style, there's manager, there's time, there's a lot of different factors. But almost in any league around the world you’re always going to see there's teams at the top and those teams are typically the teams that spend the most.
That’s difficult, Leeds United have won league titles and other big clubs have won league titles but it's almost like there's a glass ceiling?
Well, I mean, I don't know, again, this is coming up because of Newcastle. I don't want to slight Newcastle at all financially, about this whole thing, because regardless, they've done a great job. Obviously, it can make things easier, but that's not the only job. I don't look at it as glass half empty. I look at it as trying to maximise our potential for what we want to become every day and I know what the history of this club and what has been achieved here that the expectations are high, and maybe unfairly high, but who cares? I have to do the best job I can and help this club and this team be the best that they can possibly be.
Jesse, do you view Newcastle as potential Premier League winners this season, and if not, then in the next two or three?
I think I read that they are expected goals the best team over the last like four months or since the first month and a half or something like that. So it's good team. Well coached, well organised, dynamic. Good team.
But, do you see them as potential Premier League winners?
It's hard to say I think it's really competitive this year. So I think obviously Man City, Arsenal Newcastle, Tottenham, Man U’s playing better, there's a lot of good teams, Liverpool will get going. This league is brutal.
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