|
" There was a big disappointment that we didn't get the three points, it was as if we lost the game when you went in the dressing-room at the end. The players were frustrated and disappointed with it, the whole thing with 2-1 up and ten men against you then you should win the game. Probably that's quite right, you should win the game, but we didn't. We've done everything we could to try to win it, they've had the one shot with the ten men and it's gone in although I have to say that (Nicky) Forster is a good player in good form. It's unfortunate that it fell to him obviously but that's life.
" The big thing is, I think I said going into November that if we were still in the top six at the end of this month then that would be a good position for us. The bigger picture than just Saturday is looking at the last four fixtures in the league certainly have been away at Southend, away at Luton, away at Brighton and at home to Leeds United. We've not lost in any of those games, we've won two and drawn two and I think that is a really good return for us.
" As we are coming up to the end of the month we are sitting in third position. So the overall position is generally pretty good, you always want to do better, you always want to be in the cups, you always want to do all those things. When we said that a month ago though I think that we have got to put it all together and say we have done quite well over November in the league certainly.
" It can be frustrating that we go ahead and don't win but you are looking for perfection all the time. I think we are a good side and I think we should demand and should be pushing for more things and be better. The biggest picture of it all though is that we are in this good position in the league where we can push on for another month and challenge through this busy Christmas and New Year programme and see where we go with that.
" It doesn't always stand that you can score first and win. We've conceded against Leeds and went on and scored three in the second-half, we warned the team about that at Brighton on Saturday, if we can do it then Brighton could do it to us. Yes, the good thing is that they didn't, and it doesn't always happen that we get beaten 2-1 or 3-1 away from home and drop away. So whilst we are getting better, we are learning about things all the time.
" I'm certainly learning about this squad, it's a new squad to me obviously, I'm learning about them in different positions. Generally I am satisfied with how they are going but I think there is a lot more to come yet. The four changes that I made were really a reflection on the cup ties. Whilst I am saying how important the cup ties were, they were for me and because we didn't perform very well I felt we had to look at some different personnel in the team. Again, I was generally satisfied with what I saw at Brighton on Saturday, but I was pleased with Richard's debut. "
" It wasn't a secret to me, or a surprise to me that Richard Keogh did well. I've known Richard since he was about 17 or 18 playing in Stoke City's reserves, being Midlands-based for my last four or five years I have been watching a lot of football round there. I tried to get him when he went down to Bristol City but obviously that was a bigger lure for him, but now we have the opportunity to bring him in. So I knew about Richard as a player and the young man that captains his country at under-21 level has got some maturity, not just about his football, but about his personality and I think that showed on Saturday.
" I wasn't totally sure whether to put him or not when he first came in because he'd been away with the Irish squad, he'd been in Montenegro and come back, then they'd played a game in Dublin. He'd flown out of Dublin into Bristol, then he flew from Bristol to Newcastle, he flew from Manchester to Brighton and then it was go and have a game. So on the reflection of all that, what a hectic seven or eight days he'd had prior to the game, and considering all of that it was a good performance from the kid.
" Paul (Thirlwell) is going to play in the reserve game on Wednesday this week, we'll see how far he goes, it might not be a full 90 minutes but even an hour in that football. In eleven v eleven it will be absolutely bonus time for me and for the squad because it will be like me getting a new player in. Marc Bridge-Wilkinson and (Chris) Lumsdon have done very, very well in midfield but we are a bit young and a bit inexperienced on the cover for that. To get Paul back into the squad, he is a very influential person, let alone a player, I think that will be good for us all.
" It's difficult to say how many players I need because in another two or three weeks time with all the games coming that may alter with an injury or two. Or if anybody bids for our players for instance, or whatever, so that always remains uncertain, you have to be prepared and deal with it. We've specified certain areas that we'd like to improve the squad, not to change players but to add to the squad to make it stronger. I've told the players this and anyone that comes in will be there to help and not necessarily to replace.
" We feel that we are a bit short on numbers, I've said that since I came in. We've improved that with Richard Keogh, we'll see how that develops in terms of bringing him in, I think that is a good addition as I have said but I don't know if that can be permanent. We'll look at one or two others, the staff and the scouting network is already doing that, we do have a list, we have a list of first aims and second aims. We keep ticking them off and crossing them off if we don't think they are good enough or if we do, that's being followed up quite thoroughly at the moment.
" Joe (Anyinsah) is here until the 18th of December, he can't go any longer than that because that is the maximum length of the deal. He then would have to go back across to Preston, I've left a message with Alan Irvine, there has been a change of manager there as we all know at Preston, so that could alter the whole situation. I did put a call in though to Alan to wish him well and to let him know that Joe is here and is being well looked after.
" I'm sure his coaching staff will have put him in the picture about that so we'll have to wait and see. He'll see that Joe is in our side and he'll be guided by his current coaching staff and what he thinks but he has got a 24-hour recall on Joe and that could be implemented any time. I could get that call today and suddenly I have not got Joe for next week so it's in the balance a little bit but that's how it is. "