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Dom Ballard press conference | Stoke City vs Bristol City · Bristol City

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_01: Um well just briefly back to the weekend.
• 0:03
  SPEAKER_01: I mean that th those games are always frustrating, aren't they?
• 0:05
  SPEAKER_01: I guess especially for you as a striker, because you it just felt as much work as you put in, you're not really getting any reward for it.
• 0:11
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I mean sometimes in this league that's how it goes.
• 0:14
  SPEAKER_00: Um look, we know as a squad it wasn't good enough.
• 0:18
  SPEAKER_00: Uh we've come off the back of two two tough games now, but there was definitely upsides on Tuesday, and um to have that uh uh performance on Saturday was was a bit gutten, but all we can do now is move on.
• 0:28
  SPEAKER_00: Um games come thick and fast, so yeah.
• 0:30
  SPEAKER_01: And I don't want to talk about Tuesday, and you must have felt you'd like run over a black cat or something because you know some of those saves were were ridiculous.
• 0:37
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, they were, but at the same time it's my job to score goals, isn't it?
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_00: So uh I take accountability for that.
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_00: But yeah, I I believe if I keep doing the right things and I keep getting the right positions, I'm gonna score goals.
• 0:47
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_01: Is that something you you're quite good at, or do it or does it almost sort of build up and build up and think, oh, this is never gonna happen?
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_00: I think when people talk about experience and stuff like that, I'm obviously only 21, but I've played up to about 100 games now, so I feel like I've sort of learned that.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_00: Um earlier on in my career, I was definitely beating myself up by it.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, whereas now, yeah, I feel like I'm quite good at moving on to the next one, and um, like I said, the game's gone thick and fast, so you can't really you can't dwell on the past.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_01: And as a striker, you never quite know how many chances are coming your way, obviously, in any given game, like Tuesday, you got a few and and it came up against an amazing goalkeeper Saturday, not a great deal.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_01: How do you stay mentally sharp so that when that one opportunity comes round you you're completely ready?
• 1:34
  SPEAKER_00: Um it's a good question.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_00: I think the consistency of just doing the the right things all the time, um, trying to get yourself in the right positions in the box because more than likely you're gonna you're gonna get the the chance to score.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but yeah, mentally it's just uh staying positive all the time and I know I can score goals, I have the confidence I can do that.
• 1:52
  SPEAKER_00: Um we've got a good team, so they're gonna create chances for me.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, I think just having that confidence that that it'll come and try not to go chasing it.
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and and the fact that you've obviously got goals this season, it not for a couple of games doesn't sound like you're letting it worry you too much.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_00: Nah, um I was sat there last time and I wanted to play more minutes.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_00: Um the gaffers uh allowed me to do that.
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_00: He's uh I'm getting more minutes and I I can't be more grateful.
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_00: It's just now my chance to really start scoring some goals because look, I think my performance has been good, but um my job is to score goals.
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and and that's the thing, isn't it?
• 2:22
  SPEAKER_01: Because I think you're right, you're doing a lot of really good stuff for the team getting them up the pitch, but do you almost feel like it's it's not worth it unless obviously you're getting the win, first of all, but you get the goal at the end of it all?
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, to a point, um obviously there's more to a striker than just scoring goals, but uh especially me, I I prime myself on scoring goals, so um yeah, that that is my job, and like you said, to win games you have to score goals.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and yeah, we're we're not winning games at the moment, and part of that is because I'm not scoring goals, but you just have to keep going, keep pushing, and find a way to score goals.
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_01: And that physicality, I'd I'd imagine sort of growing up, you you've never been the sort of the tallest kid in the team, so it looks like you've had to figure out ways to to impact defenders when when you're chasing long balls and and and the like.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, 100%.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_00: It's one of my favourite parts of the game.
• 3:08
  SPEAKER_00: Um, obviously only being five foot nine, but I've I've learned to use my body, I've learned to work hard.
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_00: It's one of the reasons that Gaffel spoke to me first in the summer, and he was saying it's one of my best skills.
• 3:19
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but yeah, no, I I love that side of it and it gets me chances.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_00: Um, people underestimate me because of the size, so yeah, I I lean towards that.
• 3:27
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, long may it continue.
• 3:28
  SPEAKER_01: And and the fact, as you said, last time you were in, you hadn't maybe had the minutes you would have wanted.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_01: You you played regularly over the the the last few weeks.
• 3:34
  SPEAKER_01: How are you feeling with that?
• 3:35
  SPEAKER_01: You if you're getting into that sort of rhythm that every footballer wants, that that you're just going game to game now.
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, 100%.
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I struggle in coming on 30 minutes every now and then, just find it hard to get in that rhythm, but I was scoring goals.
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_00: Whereas now I feel like I'm at a fit point in myself, and that brings that confidence out of you because if you're if you're feeling fit and you're feeling sharp, then you believe you're gonna get more chances off it.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_00: Um so yeah, like I say, I can't be more grateful that I'm getting the opportunity now, and it's just my my time to take it.
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_01: So stoke away this coming weekend, and it obviously what happened at home is it's happened in terms of of not getting the results.
• 4:09
  SPEAKER_01: The fact you've been generally pretty good on the other the road.
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_01: Do you take confidence from that going into a game like this?
• 4:15
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, 100%.
• 4:16
  SPEAKER_00: Um obviously at Ashton Gate, I I don't think we found the form that we're really looking for, and it's been frustrating for us uh in the group, but also I can imagine for the for the fans.
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but yeah, like you said, luckily our away form's been pretty good, so um yeah, I think we can go into it with quite a lot of confidence.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_01: And and they have had a decent start.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_01: I think their home form opposite yours is very good, so this is going to be a big test.
• 4:38
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, very, very much so.
• 4:39
  SPEAKER_00: Uh they're a good side, they've brought a few really good players in, but um so have we, and I think we we've got a really good team, and on our day we can beat anyone.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_02: Good luck.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you.
• 4:52
  SPEAKER_02: Mentioned the frustration after a game like that.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_02: What's the sort of feeling like around this place when you come back in on Sunday or Monday?
• 4:58
  SPEAKER_02: Is it a case of recognising that and just immediately trying to put it right?
• 5:02
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I think it's important to recognise it.
• 5:04
  SPEAKER_00: Um, don't be naive and just try and like jump straight past it.
• 5:07
  SPEAKER_00: But uh yeah, we've got a really good group for that, and um the GAFA and all the staff, they're really good for look picking out what went wrong and trying to improve on it.
• 5:15
  SPEAKER_00: Um we're a new team, we've got new coaching staff, so this stuff's gonna take time, but uh yes, it's important to eventually move on, but also don't fly past it straight away.
• 5:24
  SPEAKER_02: So I imagine it's a valuable learning experience as much as it's frustrating in terms of what a championship game can look like.
• 5:30
  SPEAKER_02: That's probably a perfect example of what it can be.
• 5:32
  SPEAKER_00: 100%.
• 5:32
  SPEAKER_00: I think our whole week last week of Tuesday being Miles the better team, and then they score a runaway goal and we can't find a way to score.
• 5:41
  SPEAKER_00: But there were so many positives take from that game.
• 5:44
  SPEAKER_00: Saturday was was a bit different.
• 5:45
  SPEAKER_00: I don't think we really had a strong foothold in the game at any point.
• 5:49
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, again, we did create some chances, probably not enough, but um we definitely did enough to maybe nick a goal and and level the game.
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_00: But yeah, either way, they're all learning curves, especially for me.
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_00: I'm I'm new to the championship, but um even for anyone, like you you've got to find ways to win games.
• 6:06
  SPEAKER_00: We're all a new group, so we're all learning them relationships.
• 6:09
  SPEAKER_02: In terms of you mentioned kind of waiting and biding your time for that sort of like run of games.
• 6:13
  SPEAKER_02: How are you how do you find that sort of spell when you feel like you're getting this 30 minutes here and there?
• 6:17
  SPEAKER_02: Are you someone that just accepts your chance is gonna come or are you constantly like knocking on the manager's door trying to trying to get in this team?
• 6:23
  SPEAKER_00: Um no, I'm not really a knocker, but um at the same time, like yeah, I I just try my best in training and try and prove to him that um I can be trusted, and I think obviously with Tolly had a couple a little knock and he came out of the squad, so it allowed me to have my opportunity, and like I said, I think I've I've performed pretty well, but it's just the goals that are missing right now.
• 6:44
  SPEAKER_00: But I I'm confident that they'll come.
• 6:46
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I was gonna say I think when we spoke to you the first time, like days after you signed, you mentioned that confidence.
• 6:50
  SPEAKER_02: Is that something you've kind of always had in your game or is it something you've had to develop?
• 6:55
  SPEAKER_00: Um I don't know.
• 6:56
  SPEAKER_00: I think I'm quite a confident lad, like I think always being around older people like coming through, I think yeah, you just you have to sort of in in this in this world of football, you have to sort of have that confidence, or otherwise it can swallow you up.
• 7:08
  SPEAKER_00: It's it's quite a hostile environment sometimes, and uh yeah, so and especially being a striker, like you you go through so many ups and downs, and because we are so goals related, it's like one week you're sky high, the next week you're you're really low.
• 7:21
  SPEAKER_00: So it's important to just maintain that confidence and believe that you can affect a game at any given time.
• 7:27
  SPEAKER_02: Do you feel like you're quite level with that as well, in terms of too high, never too high, never too low?
• 7:31
  SPEAKER_02: Are you someone that managed to find that sort of medium?
• 7:33
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I I I believe so.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, don't get me wrong, I had a couple of hat tricks last year where I was pretty high, but um yeah, I I like to think I can stay pretty neutral and uh yeah, I do think it's important.
• 7:43
  SPEAKER_02: In terms of you mentioned kind of relishing that part of the game, you know, battling for those long balls, how important to time those sort of like loan spells at lower levels in sort of breeding apps?
• 7:51
  SPEAKER_02: I imagine that's something you've had to do a fair bit in those sort of in League One.
• 7:55
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, 100%.
• 7:56
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I mean I played under Steve Bruce at Blackpool, so that was um definitely an experience, and he taught me so much about the other side of the game, which obviously sometimes coming through like a an academy like Slumton, you don't always learn.
• 8:08
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but yeah, no, I I love it.
• 8:10
  SPEAKER_00: I just think the uh underestimating of it, like people underestimate me all the time in terms of the year, and like last year I think I scored the most headers in the EFL.
• 8:19
  SPEAKER_00: So it's definitely something that I enjoy because it's people don't expect it.
• 8:23
  SPEAKER_02: You must feel like that's learning is kind of continuing at this level with similar challenges, different teams every week.
• 8:28
  SPEAKER_02: Everyone looks I think everyone you faced in the last few weeks looked quite different.
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, 100%.
• 8:33
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you've got to find your way, like some defenders might give you space and time on the ball, so you might have a couple of touches and try and beat him.
• 8:40
  SPEAKER_00: Some defenders are really aggressive, and that's when I do have to be be in a fight.
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_00: But uh, yeah, either either way, I have to I enjoy it.
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_00: I I love football and I want to find a way to score goals all the time.
• 8:51
  SPEAKER_02: Can you just talk to us a little bit about your relationship with Michael?
• 8:54
  SPEAKER_02: I think he's just he described you as a lovable rogue a second ago, that sort of feeling.
• 8:57
  SPEAKER_02: What what how have you found working with him so far?
• 8:59
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I've enjoyed it.
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_00: Um I think it's obviously very new around the building, and um there's a lot more things I think he wants from us, um, me and the team.
• 9:08
  SPEAKER_00: Uh and that stuff does take time.
• 9:10
  SPEAKER_00: But um yeah, I am enjoying enjoying it, and I just think if we can get on a run of games, like I think just before the break, we had a good spell of uh games, and I could really feel that momentum building.
• 9:21
  SPEAKER_00: He's I think that's his superpower.
• 9:23
  SPEAKER_00: Is when we do start winning games, do start getting points, he really finds a good way to to keep that confidence high and go into the next game.
• 9:30
  SPEAKER_00: It's just obviously just trying to get that first win after this international break is is a massive one.
• 9:35
  SPEAKER_02: I guess you've seen that from the other side as well, playing against his sides in the like last year in particular.
• 9:40
  SPEAKER_02: You've like you've seen how that can take effect.
• 9:42
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I mean we played Lincoln, I think, maybe three, four days after they um they won the league, um, and they obviously were all having a lovely time, but uh they we we absolutely battered them and we lost 2-1, and it was just like that momentum that he can obviously gain from his players and that confidence of just like no no pressure, we're always gonna find a way to win a game, and I think that is something that I'd I admired because I've been at a few clubs now in in men's football, and I've struggled to put a run of games together in terms of the clubs I've been at.
• 10:12
  SPEAKER_00: So um yeah, it was definitely something that I I liked, and I just thought if I can be in a team where we're we're starting to get a few wins under our belt and build that momentum, it it's gonna be really exciting.
• 10:22
  SPEAKER_02: It must be exciting that I guess it feels like there's quite a collective that all growing together.
• 10:27
  SPEAKER_02: You know, Michael's new to the division, the fair few players who are new to the division, it should only trend upwards, you'd hope.
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I do I I I do believe, I think everyone believes in the dress room that we're capable of doing really good things.
• 10:37
  SPEAKER_00: Um it does take time, and I it's it's so cliche to say that, but we're not waiting for that to happen.
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_00: Do you know what I mean?
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_00: We're we're working every day to try and make it happen.
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and I I do think with performances like Blackburn look we lost the game 1-0, but that's that first half, especially.
• 10:55
  SPEAKER_00: Like, I was really enjoying it.
• 10:57
  SPEAKER_00: I think a lot of the boys on the pitch could like really feel we were we were clicking, we were like it could have been 3 4 0 in the first half.
• 11:04
  SPEAKER_00: And um yeah, I just think it is it is definitely coming.
• 11:08
  SPEAKER_00: We just need to, like I said, just get that first win and then build on that.
• 11:11
  SPEAKER_02: And you and the team have had some good experiences already away from home this season.
• 11:14
  SPEAKER_02: Imagine being nice to add to that on Saturday.
• 11:16
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, 100%.
• 11:17
  SPEAKER_00: Um don't think I'll be scoring any more backhill volleys, but um we'll definitely have a go.
• 11:22
  SPEAKER_00: Best of that Saturday.