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GA
As you can imagine, it has been a tough week but as far as the players are concerned it has been a really, really good week, and we are just about ready for Saturday now. We have got tomorrow to get through and we will put the lid on all the bits and pieces we have been doing this week. But we have broken the game down quite a bit and worked hard at it at both ends of the pitch. Tomorrow we put the lid on it and we see where it is going to take us on Saturday.
JP
And what has the atmosphere been like amongst the players as you build up to this game?
GA
I might be getting boring but the boys are brilliant, they are a pleasure to work with, they give everything they have got. They are totally committed to the cause and I have enjoyed working with them this week because there is a real edge to the game because of the seriousness of results of late. So I think they have got an understanding of that as well and they are totally committed and determined to make sure that collectively we come out of Saturday's game with a positive result.
Everybody does know what the job is and what we have got to do now, there are no more excuses, there is no more - it was his fault, that shouldn't have happened, the referee did this, the referee didn't do that, we missed this chance. It is all about making sure people do their job, take responsibility when they cross that white line and collectively with me at the forefront, we come out of Saturday's game with a result.
JP
And just on of the criticism of you, you said that you are a manager who works best with your back to the wall, or personally works best with your back to the wall. How have you found it this week? You must be aware of the fact that some people are questioning whether you are the man, how have you found that to work under for the first time as a manager?
GA
Well it's not easy, I don't like my back against the wall. I would like to be out in the open talking and discussing things with people and explaining things. That is why we have these forums and that is why I am open and try to be. As long as people are balanced in their criticism I am fine with that.
Probably a lot of people that we don't hear, a lot of people that don't ring your station up or write in to the newspaper or text in are actually quite comfortable with the way that we are actually playing, they are uncomfortable with the results. That is probably a true reflection of where we are at. But at the end of the day the results are the be all and end all. Ultimately managers' livelihoods are dictated by results and we have to improve on that.
People that are choosing to criticise at the minute are more than entitled to do that because the results aren't what I would like them, not in terms of what anybody else would like. It is how we are going about our game and how we are going about our performances that matters to me most of all. I think if we can cut out bits and pieces that we have talked about this week and we can improve on areas higher up the field then we can quickly turn this season round.
You look at teams that have done it, and three results isn't a great deal, it might seem a lot at the moment but three isn't a great deal. It is certainly not insurmountable for us to achieve, we can certainly believe we can do that. But whilst we are in the position we are people will always look to criticise and they are entitled to do that.
But other people will think hang on a minute, some of the things that they are doing are right. The way they responded in the second-half at Yeovil was right, the way that they performed at Leeds United and home to Southampton - teams like that - is right. Maybe the thing is about to turn, it has got to turn quickly for me because results don't allow you too much time in this industry, as we have found out again this week.
I enjoy working for this club and I want to do well for this club. I am tough and I don't rise to the criticism, I understand it but I am never going to win by rising to it, but I do understand it. If you ask me if I like it, then no I don't like it.