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" I've just called in home at Wetherby to drop my girlfriend off and I'm going to meet the boys at Huddersfield in about one hour's time. The players have done absolutely terrifically for me, right from the moment I was put in temporary charge their response has been excellent. They have given everything they have got, shown a bit of support, their performances have been terrific and the attitude and determination that they have shown has been excellent too so I'm really pleased with it.
" The football side of it has been not a problem for me, we've kept that going because I was heavily involved with that at the time. The other bits and pieces that go with it have been a little bit different and a little bit new but they are things that I've really enjoyed doing. It gives you a bigger insight into the whole package of what just entails being a manager.
" He (Dennis Booth) has been excellent in his own way, he has been absolutely excellent, he knows the game, he's got a lot to offer in different little areas. His knowledge is good, he's got a wealth of experience and he's been a really good ally to have on my side. He's calmed me down when I've needed to and told me not to get too excited or try too hard or work too much and things like that. It's a wise head next to an up-and-coming one let's say.
" I know Andy (Ritchie) well and I know a lot of his players well because my son was actually in the same team as about four or five of the players that are playing tomorrow in Huddersfield's academy. They are really bright, really young and on their way forward, they'll have a lot of energy and they're a progressive side so it will be a tough game but I think it's a game where they will allow us to play football. We like to play and they like to play so hopefully an open and enterprising game that we just edge out by one or three goals.
" I was in some quite bruising typically local derbies as they were when I was at Bradford, I don't suppose I am the most popular person that the Huddersfield fans ever took to, especially the way I played at Bradford. That will be interesting but it's certainly a terrific place to generate an atmosphere, I think there will be a lot of people there supporting Huddersfield and they will make a good atmosphere. Especially with our travelling fans who again I would imagine will be there in their numbers. "
" I thought the idea was to stop people playing so that will be something we'll be doing yet again, and then when we've stopped them playing we'll start putting our own brand of attacking football into play as well. Hopefully we'll cause them one or two problems and rock them onto the back-foot so I will be trying to stop them playing first and foremost and then we'll go to try to get a good result out of the game.
" He (David Raven) has been fantastic, I think everybody has been unanimous in that, hopefully he continues that sort of form because if he does then he will give us an outstanding chance of getting a result. Because I think the back-four have been tremendous as a unit, they have defended with their lives at times. Nobody could question their commitment to the cause and David has played a major part in that so let's hope that he gets another game of that standard and level and we can keep a clean sheet and hopefully nick one or two at the other end.
" He'll possibly revert back to a right-back situation when Peter (Murphy) is fit again, I think that it just adds value to his profile himself. He gives me a nice solution to a problem if anything happens in that area again, it's upped his versatility levels if you like because we know that he can step in there and do a great job for us. Long-term though I do see him as a right-back but you never know as and when he is needed where he might end up playing.
" We're busy, we're really busy with looking for players, we've made numerous phone calls over the last couple of days. It's a really tough stage of the season for people to loan players out when they are just getting their squads done. We are closing in I would hope but it's still a little bit 50-50, I hope that by the end of next week we will have strengthened in that area of the field. Ideally I'd maybe like two players but I'd be happy if we strengthen the defensive area which is obviously a priority.
" If we can nick another one, and again loads of enquiries have been made, and the right player comes around at the right price this time then we'll chase it. If it doesn't then we'll hang on and we'll get the recruitment structure and use that up to Christmas and hopefully do something then. There is no rush but two would be fantastic, one would be nice. We'd possibly look at loan deals, sometimes when you enquire about players in this particular stage of the season up to deadline day the prices get inflated.
" We won't pay inflated prices, we'll only pay the right price but if the right price comes around it might be permanent. If it's to be a loan deal then we've actually exhausted both avenues and we have a couple of irons in the fire in both senses. There is nothing at the minute that is a done deal but we are chasing all areas if you like. "
" Nothing has changed with the links now I am the manager, I'm really friendly with Steve Agnew, I worked with him for a number of years and he is the reserve team manager at Middlesbrough. Lee Clark has been excellent with the dialogue with Newcastle and has said that if we need anything then give us a shout and if we've got something then they'd like to help us out if it suits them as well.
" There are a lot of avenues and a lot of contacts and I think in football that if you are honest with people then they will help you out if they can. They have their own problems though and they are not willing to let out too many players at this stage of the season. Certainly the contacts are still there though and the avenues are still being got at.
"I think he (Keiren Westwood) just like the headlines, he just likes getting his name in lights, as far as I know if he's got a strained back then I'd like one because he was driving around like a lunatic this morning. Let's say that that might be a little bit of paper talk from somewhere. The centre-half that came in (Chris Shanks), we needed one to come in to be ready for that first-team straight away and we didn't feel that he was up to that standard at the moment so we've not decided to take up that option.
" The left-back (Darren Campion) is going to come in for another week, we thought he did well enough to deserve a full week with us. He's not going to come in next week though, obviously with the midweek game against Coventry, he'll come in the following week. He'll have Monday and Tuesday training, play Wednesday and train Thursday and Friday then we'll make our minds up after that. He did OK though in the reserve game.
" Martin (Brittain) obviously played in the reserve game the other night and he'll be travelling with us again today for the game tomorrow. I said to Martin that at the end of next week I would make a decision on what we are going to do with him. We'll leave that for another seven or eight days and then we'll do that with Martin, let him know later on.
" It's great fun being the manager isn't it, if you can't enjoy this sort of thing then you shouldn't be in the game should you. It's something that you strive to do, there are lots of good things, there will be things that upset me and there will be things that delight me but you've got to take them both on the chin and just come out smiling at the end of it. There are a lot of ups and downs in management and I'm sure I'm going to taste both of them over the coming weeks. "