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" It's another chance to win a football match and it's important that we do that. The Carling Cup is a competition that leads to a Wembley final, so we're taking it seriously, I've said that from day one. We've got a few people cup-tied but I still feel we can put out a pretty strong side, I don't think for one minute that it's going to be an easy game but we are more than capable of winning.
" It's what every lower league club wants - a visit from a Premier League side. The Hereford game in the last round was a potential upset but we approached it brilliantly and we need the same approach for this game. We have to stamp our authority on the game and don't give their fans too much to sing about. It's important for confidence that we put our name in the hat for the next round.
" There is a pain of losing at the moment - especially when, overall, you see your team not doing too much wrong. It has been hard from the minute I took the job to be honest, but I did have a choice. I will get my head down and we've got to get through it. We've got good staff and good people around the football club who are supportive and try to understand.
" We hope that the supporters understand what we are trying to achieve, but it's not easy for anyone. When you think back to where we were in May, you realise that it's not quite as bad as it could be. The new players who have come in have brought an extra dimension, but in terms of finance, there is not a lot of difference to how it was in May. There are lots of anomalies that are associated with this football club.
" Some of it we've talked about, but we've kept quiet about some of the pain that we've gone through. It has been extremely painful over the summer. It's a first that a team has lost their first six Premier League matches - but there are other firsts as well. No other Premier League club came back on July 9 for pre-season with 14 players. No other club did their business in the final two days before the transfer deadline.
" I don't think you can ever say that you're enjoying it because that would be the wrong word. I come in, do my work and I think I'm not bad at it. The principles I've put down are strong ones and will work in the end and I think that the influence I'm making on the players is taking some shape. "