How do you reflect on the week and what’s been the main focus going into a big game against Cardiff on Saturday?
The focus has very much been on this weekend because I think last week’s game was very easy to put into context. We didn’t defend well enough in our own box but we were clinically put to bed so to speak, by a very efficient and very high-quality team.
There were some elements of our performance that were very, very good. That’s the anomaly of it, anyway, we have to move on.
Two fantastic goals for Antoine [Semenyo] on Saturday, do you see a preferred position for him moving forward as he can play out wide and in the middle and more importantly, how do you get goals out of him on a more consistent basis?
I think you’ve got to remember that he’s a young lad, he’s still developing his game. He’s really come on a lot in the last six months or so with his game understanding, he’s always had the pace and power so he’s proving to be a good learner and I think that’s very, very important. He understands what he has in terms of playing through the middle, I think that speaks for itself really.
I think that the support is one of the highlights of the season was winning at Cardiff back in in August, I think this Saturday could be your biggest home crowd of the season. Is there an extra emotion to a derby match like this for the players or is it just another three points at stake?
I wouldn't dismiss it as being just another three points at stake. It is three points at stake, you know that, I know that. We have to recognise how important it is when you play a derby but the bottom line is you still have to be able to perform and to perform you've got to have a control over the emotional side of the game.
Whether that’s a big game in any context, so whether it's a last game of the season to win something, to avoid relegation, whether it's a derby, a cup final, whatever it is, if two teams are evenly matched in terms of their ability it's normally the team that can handle the occasion the best that comes out on top.
Those things still remain the same that's not to say that you dismiss the importance of what games mean to the fanbase because clearly we've already sold 20,000 fans for this game already, so that in itself suggests that this is a big game for both sets of supporters. We never dismissed that, of course not, it should be a really good atmosphere.
It always is against Cardiff. I'm sure everyone is looking forward to it. Cardiff have only played five games since the start of December, how do you assess them as an opposition this weekend?
Well, they'll still have the same threats in terms of they're dangerous from set plays, they have some physical players but they have started to play out a bit more.
Whether that turns out to be the case on the day we'll have to wait and see, but the most important thing for us at the moment is trying to get the level of our own performance more consistently at a high level, because when we do that we can be a really tough side to play against, so that's our challenge.
If we play well and win, great, but if we win, it's great too. Results are the most important thing, of course, but we're going have to be able to manage the occasion as well, and that's what I expect us to do.
In terms of team news, is anyone available this weekend or are there any injuries to report?
It will be very similar to the last week, really.
Tyreek Bakinson has been linked with a move to Ipswich on loan, is there any truth in those reports?
Yes.
So you expect that to be finalised before the weekend?
I don't know where we're at with it, but as far as I'm concerned, I've said it before, if players don't want to be here, they can go, so I'm not bothered. I'm not bothered, he's a player who just wants to play on his own terms. It's not something I particularly want so he can go.
So that's very much been your mantra has it not. Players need to be on board or you don't mind if players don't want to do that...
No, I do, very much.
I mean if that’s the case, then you're happy for them to leave?
Yeah, I don’t want players who don't want to be here.
And if he does depart, would that free up a bit of the wages to bring players in?
No, he’s not really a high earner and that's not something that's particularly high on the agenda with this one.
All the City fans will wish Nathan Baker the very best...
Yeah, actually, he's been around today (Thursday), so he was in the team meeting with this half an hour ago. Good to see him back. I think these teammates have missed him and he's missed being around his teammates too. It's really good to have him back in the building and we'll just see how that progresses.
But as I pointed out the other day, it's unlikely that we'll see him again this season and beyond that, I can't really give you any more details. It's just good to get him back here at the training ground and to see him around the place.
I've interviewed him on and off since he first joined the club. I think in 2016, but his mental toughness and the character to bounce back from what is obviously a big disappointment, not being able to play football for you on a regular basis...
I’ve said before, he's a bit of a gentle giant. I like the way he plays. He's got an unbelievable amount of bravery. He's a good player. He's a really likable man as well so we'll see what the future holds.
Is Joe Williams ready to be in the squad for the weekend?
There's a really good chance he'll be included in the squad for the weekend. You may see him on the bench, you may.
I was listening to your interview in the week with Geoff Twentyman and you mentioned that the loan system is not as straightforward as people think it is, can you elaborate on that?
Because it can be very expensive. We're not in a position to pay loan fees or pay big wages for players who are unproven. There is this concept that it's just easy to go out and get loan players, it's not the case.
I can't guarantee people are going to play here, I don't guarantee anybody is going to play, even when I sign them. I certainly can't do that with other people’s players too and that's how it is.
The January window is notoriously difficult to sign players anyway, does this one in particular pose more challenges than usual?
No, not really. Are you alluding to our financial situation there?
Yeah, that and the fact that clubs in particular are all kind of in a similar position financially at the moment...
Well they are and they aren’t. I think everybody has had a cash flow problem. Whether people have the same level of debt is something that is. Again, that's debatable but I don't tend to spend a lot of time talking too much about other clubs.
All I can do is really try and give you perspectives based on what it means for us in our own circumstances so, that's your role to compare club to club, not mine.
I work for the football club, so I'm not, whether people think I’m a maverick or not, I'm certainly not maverick in terms of how I look at how we work and how we work our way through this situation that we find ourselves in.
So any decision that we make in terms of bringing people into the football club will be dependent on whether it's a short term, medium or long term addition, and clearly the cost is going to be a huge element for us at the moment.
I'm not trying to do anything other than just say it as it is, it's not easy and it's not stopping us from exploring different avenues. But in terms of publicly saying what they are, I won't do that until deals are done because I might be talking about somebody else’s players, and that's not something interested in.
Is it a case of remaining patient maybe up until like the last day of the window to get the best deals possible for the club?
No, I'm not subscribing to that to be honest with you. I think I understand where you're coming from with the question and that is that is that it's a bit of brinkmanship. The January window actually, if you're looking for best value and biggest impact, if you can do it earlier then the better.
We've just not been in a position to do business, and that's the bottom line. As I have pointed out before, I'd rather run with the players that we have rather than have people who don't want to be here or just to get added numbers in for numbers sake.
It would be good to get a player in, two players in maybe, but we'll have to wait and see. It could be that something happens later in this window. But I'm not promising one way or the other.
I’m not trying to be cagey but you know I can't say any other way to be honest with you. I would be like this if that if the financial position was different, I don't broadcast business before it's done, I don't think it's particularly professional.
You mentioned that work is being done behind the scenes, is there a position with the priority to sign players for?
Clearly we’re short in the defensive position.
With Bakinson now leaving for Ipswich, has that changed the focus at all of the position that you want?
It only happened last night so it's been interesting.
Hopefully Matty James will be back relatively soon and Joe Williams is back. It’s not as a high of a priority as other areas.
We've talked about and I think the hot topic amongst our fan base would be in the striker position, but that's not imminent.
You mentioned the atmosphere this weekend, t's a bit of a cliché but is it a game where the fans can be the 12th man and make a difference to the performance?
They have been this season. You think about games like Stoke when we won 1-0, actually Tyreeq scored on that night and played okay. We had nine minutes of time at the end of the game and they helped us over the line.
They have gotten very much behind the team and at home I think that performances of the players have at least shown quite a lot of commitment and some real ability at times at home recently.
Results haven't always gone our way, it's what it is but our fans have stayed very much behind the team and I think that's something that we acknowledge, and we're very, very grateful for too. It will be a good atmosphere at the weekend, but we need to ignite our fanbase.
Is it disappointing with Tyreeq that he’s leaving, you've invested a lot of time in and put a lot of trust in him on the pitch?
I think I’ve just said it, I'm not bothered. If he doesn’t want to be here, let him go.
I'm not wasting energy on negativity. I don't invest time in that and I'm not just saying it. If you ask people who work with me, they'll tell you exactly the same thing, I don't waste energy on negativity it drives me mad.
If people aren't in the side I want them to work hard to get there. I want people who are in the side to work hard to stay there.
I don't want people when the going gets tough, they want to go somewhere else. I'm not interested.
Just to clarify, was it an Adam Nagy-type situation where he's spoken to you and said this, or something you've sensed?
No, no, no I wouldn't want to say that. The situation was very, very different with Adam.
That will leave you with four senior defensive midfielders, is that enough to see the season out?
Are you including Alex Scott in there? When he plays at right wing-back everybody said his best position was central midfield or number 10 and then what’s Tyreeq, 22 or 23? Alex Scott is already a more accomplished player so I don't try and argue I don't try and fit the facts to fit circumstances.
So as far as I'm concerned, the very fact that I'm prepared to say, yeah, just let the deal go ahead because actually people around the place who sapped energy out of other people is not as valuable as other people who want to be here and want to play.
But that's not to say that we if we do find a different solution or something comes up in the next days. I don't know whether it's even completed yet, so he could be back in. I'm not bothered.
Just on Alex, as you mentioned, do you see him playing at playing a deeper role, almost as he does for England at youth level, he plays almost as a No8? Against Fulham he came very deep, is that something he can do?
Well because that’s where he played, that’s why he was deeper, because he played there.
The very fact that for somebody with his inexperience in terms of appearances, he's already played on the right wing, on that day it didn't work for him, he's played at right wing-back very well, especially at home. Away from home it’s been a bit more difficult. He's played in a no.10 position, he drops into a deeper midfield role.
He’s a bright footballer and he’s not just got the technical ability he's got the awareness play in different places and I think this is the key factor to it, he's adaptable because he understands that the team needs something rather than, it's just about him.
It's not about him, he's a bright footballer who's capable in playing different positions. Yeah, we recognise that it in certain positions he's better but actually, in terms of his football education the fact that we've asked him to play in different roles and he's been able to deliver in all of those roles really, is testament to his ability and mental approach to those tasks that he's given.
I think that is a that is a sign of a really good player, intelligent player and as importantly, a really good character.
It's almost sort of a leadership-type attribute in a way, without being overtly vocal or anything like that. There's an example, there isn't there?
Yeah, I mean look there are there are, you know there are different forms of leadership and styles of leadership, the ones that are easily recognisable, there are others that are as you say, more covert, they're more subtle.
I would imagine for all the youngsters in our academy, people like Alex Scott, Ayman [Benarous], Zak Vyner, people like that are inspirational in the sense that they that there is a potential to make the transition from the academy to the first team.
I don’t want to overplay that but actually circumstances can play quite a big role in that too and I recognise that, but look, if they're good enough, I don't care how old they are or how young they are.
When people talk about age I think we do get rather narrow-minded about that. Statistically, I think it's something like if you've not broken into the first team role by the time that you're 19 or 20, you're probably not going to make it.
The question of late developers, there will still be late developers, but because of the way that the game has developed with academies, it's moved in a different direction.
I still think there are going to be lots of players out in the non-league scene, which can make that transition to the leagues against us, but it may change.
When you when you see young players who are technically able, but they show the football intelligence too then I think it's really important to try and shape their careers in a positive way.
Just on Matty James, you said things are the same as last week, is he in contention for the weekend?
He wants to be, but he probably won't be.
Matty has a bit of a problem with the bottom of his foot, which is taking a while to heal in the way that he needs to so that he can have longevity. He’s very keen to get back so we’re having to hold him back a bit for that.
Not just for his own good, but for our good as well because I think it's important that we don't want lose him for a sustained period of time. I think the very fact that Joe Williams maybe comes back into the equation this week in some format is beneficial for us, and I think that takes a little bit of heat off Matty too.
I've been asked a question already about Tyreeq going in but Tyreeq’s going so playing a player who questions whether he wants to be here no, not really, I don’t want to do it. I’d rather play a player out of position.
With Bakes [Nathan Baker] no back on the training ground, would you like him to perhaps have a coaching role or someone around the around the place. You've spoken about the importance of the likes of Andy King being injured being around the group to help?
No, we’re not in that sort of position. What we're in a position to do with Nathan is really to give him some support and not to put added pressure on him in different areas.
He's having to cope with a situation which is quite difficult and that is the type of injuries sustained on two occasions and he's had others as well during his career. They put a real question mark over his fitness and we've got to make sure we protect him as much as anything it's just to get him back in around his teammates and give him some sort of routine again, which I think is important for him.
With Nathan will, there will be continued assessments, and he'll continue to see his consultant and it'll be discussed in medical terms, but I think as much as anything we need to give him time to evaluate how he feels as well and that's the most important thing.
So really it's just to get him back in here and feel a part of the squad because one of the most difficult things when you when you have an injury that's either long term or complicated can be the feeling of exclusion and we certainly don't want do that. He’s a very important part of our squad and a very likable man too. It's just very much on a level that we want to take care of him.
You say about keeping players together in the squad, one player you hadn't played for a while but is now back in the first team fold is Jay Dasilva, what have you made of him implementing himself back in the side?
Honestly, Jay has been fine. He’s trained well, he was unfortunate to be taken off at the weekend, but I just felt we needed more physical presence. He continues to train well, he's been fine. So no problems.
You talked to the beginning about the consistency at that high level being kind of the biggest issue for the squad at the moment, you haven't we haven't been able to back up a victory with another victory so far this season. How much of a concern is that for you?
It's something that you like doing and it gives you a more realistic chance of making progress in what is traditionally, and it's turned out to be a... the Championship in terms of making positive progress is always quite difficult because you'll see a result every week, which will surprise you.
It’s a tough league to be successful in so it goes without saying that back-to-back wins can make a big difference to how things look and feel as much as anything.
This weekend, first and foremost we need to get back to winning ways, it'll be a tough game because it’s a derby and we have respect for our opponents too. The first thing is we get that first win and then and then back-to-back wins can give you a real boost psychologically, as well as the benefits of actually making progress in the league table.
So does it concern me? Yeah, I suppose it's frustrating as much as anything. I wouldn't necessarily use the word concern, I'd say frustrating sometimes that we that we can’t take advantage of good performances. We’ve certainly lost a number of points this year from winning positions which has been very, very frustrating.
We've not drawn enough games. That's something where wins have been hard to come by, but we've lost too many games that we've had a chance of getting something else too.
They are all signs of inconsistency, that we are trying to address.
Lastly on Cardiff this weekend, they're a team on a difficult run of results at the moment, does that make them more of a threat at all and if so, how much?
I think just because of the nature of the game, we've already talked about it being a derby, I think in many ways it's like a cup game. You look at the form, you look at how teams play and there will be some differences to how things have been in the last few weeks.
It will be very, very competitive, I know that absolutely, and I think that's the most important thing we need to be able to deal with the competitiveness of the game but we need to have calm heads to be able to function and perform under pressure, and that's what it's about.
That's what big games are always about, but I've said many times before, good players play well in big games and good players play in games where people don't think they're quite so big because they're good players and good players can reproduce their best form in any circumstances because they can detach themselves from the emotional side of it and under that’s not say they don’t care, it’s to say that they are able to understand what it takes themselves to get into a state of performance and that's the art.
That's why the top players in any sport in the world are the top players in the world. They may have superior technique in some instances. A lot of it as well, or that the added factor is their ability to perform under pressure because they're mentally tough, mentally strong.
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