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Michael Skubala press conference | Preston North End vs Bristol City · Bristol City

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_01: Um would just br briefly back to to Saturday, it any time you get that first win it it must I know you've been in with the players yesterday, but it must have been a a a bit of a a happier feeling.
• 0:12
  SPEAKER_02: I was always happy to get three points.
• 0:14
  SPEAKER_02: I think everybody goes home happier.
• 0:15
  SPEAKER_02: So yeah, I thought we were great for sixty minutes.
• 0:18
  SPEAKER_02: I think everything went to plan.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_02: Um and then obviously trying to see the game out is always a challenge in the context of the game, but I thought for 60 minutes we were very, very good and and deserved a win.
• 0:28
  SPEAKER_01: And taking that on, does that confidence-wise, you you're asking players to do things and they've got to get used to what it is you're asking them, which is different from what they've done before.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_01: But actually, sometimes it is just actually I played really well here, you get that that momentum going into the next game.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, well, I think when you look at the game, you saw um things we've done on a training pitch, which is always really, really pleasing.
• 0:48
  SPEAKER_02: Um but I've seen that at Birmingham, I've seen that even at you know Millwall for the 30 odd minutes we had.
• 0:53
  SPEAKER_02: So the lads are working hard every day, and they're training hard, they're trying to take things on.
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but again, it takes time.
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_02: Uh it takes time for that cohesion, it takes time for that gelling of players, um, and we're still in that moment.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_02: But again, you know, seeing things off the training pitch is is exciting.
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_01: And for Tolly in particular, having played, I thought, really well at Birmingham but missed chances to get that first goal, just you can almost see it on his face afterwards.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and um, you know, I spoke to Tolly in the week, I said I thought his performance at at Birmingham was very, very good, caused their centre-half loads of problems, and you could see his frustration of not getting his goal.
• 1:27
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but he's a quality player, that's why we bought him.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_02: We knew we knew his score.
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_02: He scored goals his whole career through all levels, so there's no way he's there, he'll he'll hit the back of the net, and he did that very well.
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_01: I guess having made the step up that he's done sort of every year, there's always that little question mark, isn't it?
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_01: It's like is the next level higher, better players, quicker, all those kind of things.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_01: So for his own self-belief, actually getting that early-ish goal, that that's gonna hopefully serve him really well.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I think it's um it's how you look at that as um you know, how you how you want to view that.
• 1:57
  SPEAKER_02: For me, you see evidence of him at every level he's played at, he's scored goals.
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so I see it the other way.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_02: I see it as he's got really good pace and power, he's strong, he's he can cause a hassle for any defender, and he's been doing that at this level, and he scored goals at every level, so he's exciting, just like Don Ballard is exciting.
• 2:13
  SPEAKER_02: You've seen his moments that he brings to the team as well.
• 2:16
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so yeah, some we brought some exciting players into the club, but they're gonna take time.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_02: It's the consistency at the level that's probably the biggest challenge.
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but I thought, yeah, Tolly again had a really strong performance.
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_01: So, consistency-wise, are you it it's only a small sample size still, but are you starting to see more of the habits and behaviours you want to see more regularly from more of the players?
• 2:37
  SPEAKER_02: I think it's early to talk about consistency in three games, um, but definitely between Birmingham and um yeah, Birmingham and Portsmouth, we definitely saw some consistency in what we wanted.
• 2:48
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but again, it's the challenge of the championship.
• 2:50
  SPEAKER_02: You know, going away now on the road is a big challenge, and we need to see some consistencies in there in how we want to be against some top teams, you know, at their place.
• 2:59
  SPEAKER_01: So for tomorrow, um anything picked up from the weekend, any injuries, anything that's going to be different squad-wise than you had at the weekend?
• 3:05
  SPEAKER_02: Uh no, um, but with all the squads, you know, I know I've got players not in the squad, um, so I have to look at that.
• 3:10
  SPEAKER_02: I'll look at the the starting lineup as always.
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_02: That's a big plan, but also what the bench required to win the game is.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so probably you've probably seen that already.
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_02: Sometimes players are left out that people think why they're left out, and usually it's tactical, it's been tactical.
• 3:23
  SPEAKER_02: Um so yeah, so you've seen Tommy Horvat come on come on the pitch, but he was left out a couple of weeks ago.
• 3:28
  SPEAKER_02: It just depends what I think the team needs to win the game.
• 3:31
  SPEAKER_01: And is that something you kind of have to talk to different individuals about each time and explain to them why it is they're not involved?
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_01: Because every player wants to be in at least the 18.
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, that's the it's always the hardest job as a manager is leaving players out because every player wants to play or be involved.
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but we need the depth, and we're really healthy at the minute, and fingers crossed with that, and it's a challenge that I want is to be able to leave players out.
• 3:51
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, but we've got really good depth, and again, we brought in not only the depth to cover the winter months that when you need it, because we'll definitely pick up injuries, um, but also the competition, and I think that's the that's where you see the lads training hard every day because they know there's competition, um, and if if they don't do it or that for some reason they're out of the squad, they have to work hard to get back in.
• 4:11
  SPEAKER_02: I think you only have to see you know a couple of performances from the lads that have come in and lads that have missed out to show that there is really good, healthy competition in the group, and you need that.
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_02: You need that every day, you need that every week, um, and that's what you want from a top squad.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_01: So we've got what, a day and a half, thankfully, until the uh the window closes and we can stop asking you questions about it.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_01: But from the weekend, has anything moved on significantly in terms of incomings or outgoings?
• 4:35
  SPEAKER_02: No, we're in a similar position.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_02: Anything can happen last minute, we know that.
• 4:38
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, James, Charlie, myself, we're really prepared for for whatever that needs to look like.
• 4:42
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but yeah, we just feel really comfortable in a good place.
• 4:45
  SPEAKER_01: And uh from your position, I I think having a match on the day that the window closes is is never ideal, is it?
• 4:51
  SPEAKER_01: Are you at some point do you have to say, right, I'm not even gonna give even any brain power to that, I'm just gonna be focusing completely on the match.
• 4:58
  SPEAKER_02: My my brain power is already on the match, to be honest.
• 5:00
  SPEAKER_02: You know, already focusing on that.
• 5:01
  SPEAKER_02: If there's anything that comes up, me and James speak regularly, so that's that's really good.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but yeah, my my my focus is always fully on the games, that's my job, that's where I have to focus the team.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and I'm really confident that wherever that happens, you know, good decisions are made here.
• 5:15
  SPEAKER_01: Fantastic.
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_01: So um Preston uh along with Bristol City have uh have been mid-table buddies for a long time, but the the record up at Deepdale, they've been some really good performances recently, maybe not got the points that they deserve.
• 5:28
  SPEAKER_01: What have you seen from them this year in terms of threats?
• 5:32
  SPEAKER_02: Well, I think you you're right in terms of I think they're a strong club with a good fan base up there, um, had good managers over the year.
• 5:40
  SPEAKER_02: Paul Hekkenbottom knows knows what he's doing at this level.
• 5:43
  SPEAKER_02: Um, they've probably not got the start they wanted, um, but it's still early days.
• 5:47
  SPEAKER_02: But they're always in and around, like you say, sometimes up there mid-table, so they have a very strong squad.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_02: Um, they've brought some top players in uh this window, and I think they're still trying to do that.
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_02: So we expect a very, very tough game.
• 5:59
  SPEAKER_02: And when you look at all the games they've played uh this season, they've they've been in been in the game.
• 6:04
  SPEAKER_02: Um so there's no doubt in my mind that every game in the championship is going to be tough, and every win you get is important.
• 6:10
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but we'll we'll go there to put a plan together to try and win the game.
• 6:13
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but knowing away from home, and it's gonna be a tough challenge to get the three points.
• 6:18
  SPEAKER_02: Good luck.
• 6:19
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you.
• 6:20
  SPEAKER_00: Hi Michael, I just want to get the sort of chance of chat out of the way first up.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_00: I know you're saying you focus on the game.
• 6:26
  SPEAKER_00: Are you expecting any movement over the next two days?
• 6:29
  SPEAKER_00: I know it's unpredictable at this stage.
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, nothing nothing expected.
• 6:32
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and like I say, but again, you know, the the the the wheels and things can move really quickly in the transfer window.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_02: So yeah, we're good, we're ready to go, and we're we're set for whatever happens.
• 6:41
  SPEAKER_00: It must be a really nice position to be in as a manager there, where you get into these last two days and you know there will be people sweating up and down the country that you're really happy with the group you've got.
• 6:49
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, really happy.
• 6:50
  SPEAKER_02: Again, if we I said it you know weeks ago, if we didn't add anything else to the group, um then I'll be really happy.
• 6:56
  SPEAKER_02: We've done it all early and we're ready to go, and we keep you know gelling the group if you like.
• 7:01
  SPEAKER_02: Um but if there is anything that we feel that is more of an opportunity for us, which happens late in the window, we we would look at that as well.
• 7:08
  SPEAKER_00: I know there's been a you've been asked a lot about Jason Knight's situation.
• 7:11
  SPEAKER_00: Is your expectation that he'll be here come come Wednesday morning?
• 7:14
  SPEAKER_00: I know there's not been loads of talk about interest, but obviously fans have been questioning that slightly.
• 7:19
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah?
• 7:20
  SPEAKER_02: That's my expectation.
• 7:21
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I expect him to be here Wednesday morning.
• 7:23
  SPEAKER_02: He's great.
• 7:23
  SPEAKER_02: I thought he had a great captain's performance on Saturday, and he's he's training really well and he loves Bristol City, so it's important for us, but he's a he's a big player for us as well.
• 7:32
  SPEAKER_00: I thought his performance on Saturday, I know we spoke about it a little bit, but especially his the emotion that he showed when he scored the goal, it shows how much it does mean to him playing for this club.
• 7:39
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I don't think anyone can question um Jason Knight's A professionalism and B passion for Bristol City, and that that's definitely not what we do.
• 7:48
  SPEAKER_02: We think he's a great guy and he's he's he's massively in our plans for this season.
• 7:51
  SPEAKER_00: In terms of the sort of team news with the challenge, it's the first time of Saturday, Tuesday this season.
• 7:56
  SPEAKER_00: Are you gonna have to rotate a little bit, do you think, or do you feel because it's so early in the middle of the year?
• 8:02
  SPEAKER_00: No, of course not.
• 8:03
  SPEAKER_00: But I think it's someone like Joe Williams, maybe who's come through 90 for the first time, do you have to be a bit careful with players like that?
• 8:09
  SPEAKER_02: Yep, we have to manage players at certain times and what they need and what they don't need.
• 8:13
  SPEAKER_02: It's obviously a challenge going Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday away.
• 8:17
  SPEAKER_02: Uh two big away games that we're gonna need at you know, maybe to look at the squad, but also I know the fans are travelling with that as well.
• 8:23
  SPEAKER_02: It's gonna be important for to get the support there, and we appreciate that.
• 8:26
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but it over the next few weeks we've got some really tough weeks.
• 8:29
  SPEAKER_02: So I think over the course of the next what five, six games, um, we're gonna have to lose the squad's gonna be needed, and I've said that all along.
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_02: You know, we need the depth, we need the competition, we need the squad for these moments in the season.
• 8:40
  SPEAKER_00: I imagine it's your hope as well.
• 8:42
  SPEAKER_00: I know you spoke about there's not many injuries in the group as well, but in theory, with a bigger group as well, it could be that sort of circular thing where you can manage it if you can manage players' minutes better, you might be able to avoid those sort of issues.
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, 100%.
• 8:53
  SPEAKER_02: I think that's part of it.
• 8:54
  SPEAKER_02: It's um when you need to or can give players a little bit of a breather.
• 8:58
  SPEAKER_02: You know, 60 minutes in a game is very different from 90 minutes.
• 9:01
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so there those those challenges come, um, but also you know you want to win the game.
• 9:06
  SPEAKER_02: So it's important that you get the balance right of those things.
• 9:09
  SPEAKER_02: And I think in all of these contexts, in in injuries, in squad development, in selection, in the subs bench, whatever, it's all about balance.
• 9:17
  SPEAKER_02: And I think football's about balance and getting that right.
• 9:19
  SPEAKER_00: I wanted to ask you about Elijah.
• 9:21
  SPEAKER_00: I know you he wasn't in the squad and you kind of said you're gonna have to look after him and build him up a little bit.
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_00: Can you just talk us through a little bit of what that looks like?
• 9:27
  SPEAKER_00: Because obviously it's kind of away from what fans see and how you build a player up like that.
• 9:32
  SPEAKER_02: So with Elijah, um, he's been out for quite some time with his injury.
• 9:36
  SPEAKER_02: Um, he's been back rehabbing, um, and obviously you've seen him in pre-season, which is a lot lower intensity games.
• 9:43
  SPEAKER_02: Um, we need to help him still with his rehab so he can be in and around things training, but he's not fully into training.
• 9:50
  SPEAKER_02: And we need to hybrid his training back to get his strength back to where we want him to be and where he wants him to be.
• 9:55
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so it's really important with the medical team and the sports science team about how we build him back to his best, um, which actually can take longer due to his you know his gym programme, his individualised programme.
• 10:06
  SPEAKER_02: We think he can get there.
• 10:07
  SPEAKER_02: He's a great guy.
• 10:08
  SPEAKER_02: Um so that's why you might see him for some games, might not see him for other games.
• 10:12
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and in a weird kind of way, that'll see him back to his best quicker than if he was just to play games.
• 10:18
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, of course.
• 10:19
  SPEAKER_00: Um does would that ever involve like under 21s fixtures or that sort of thing where you can give him those minutes in the game?
• 10:24
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, maybe maybe with all the players, and I think you know, I've always liked to use the the 21s games as giving lads minutes um when you can.
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_02: Um you can't can't obviously put too many in there um because of their ages and how many you can put into the 21s, but definitely there'll be there'll be players you know that need to go and get some game time that that keeps them topped up and keeps them game ready, yeah.
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_00: I know I've asked you a couple of times about the sort of youngsters, but I know this bit different with loans when you can do them in the window.
• 10:50
  SPEAKER_00: But is that something that could happen the next sort of 24 hours a few heading out?
• 10:54
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I would I would suspect there's quite a few clubs looking at our youngsters.
• 10:57
  SPEAKER_02: We've got some really good young talent here.
• 10:59
  SPEAKER_02: Um, myself and James are really aligned on what we think the young guys need, and for me they need senior football.
• 11:04
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so if we can get some of our young players playing some senior football, I think it's great for them.
• 11:09
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but it has to be the right loan at the right time in their development.
• 11:13
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but I'm sure there'll be you know clubs looking at our young players at the minute uh in the last few days of the window.
• 11:18
  SPEAKER_00: I wanted to ask you that Lisav as well that would have deserved a clean shit like the whole battle line on Saturday.
• 11:24
  SPEAKER_00: Have you how impressed have you been with how he's made the step?
• 11:26
  SPEAKER_00: Because he has looked for someone so young as well, coming from a coming from abroad, he's looked really natural at the level.
• 11:32
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I think um with the young players and the foreign players, sometimes they make that step at different speeds, and I think for Lee Saf he's he's probably been chucked in there quite early.
• 11:43
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but you see his talent, um, I think you see why we brought him to the club.
• 11:47
  SPEAKER_02: I also think you see why he's got loads to develop and could be quite an exciting player, and he's got lots of hard work to do.
• 11:53
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but he's a really good, young, hard-working man as well.
• 11:56
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but again, you know, with all the the lads that we've brought in, including Gibson, they're working hard behind the scenes, but but sometimes the opportunity comes in different ways, and and Elon Gibson's working really hard for his opportunity.
• 12:08
  SPEAKER_02: But I think Lee Sav, you know, is showed what we what we brought him here to do.
• 12:12
  SPEAKER_00: You must and you've always been confident in your business, but from the early signs you've seen, it's you must be encouraged with how people are adapting so early in the season.
• 12:20
  SPEAKER_00: In general, with the new signings.
• 12:22
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 12:23
  SPEAKER_02: I think it's it's one of those things where you it's never perfect and you have to keep working on it.
• 12:27
  SPEAKER_02: So we're working hard on it every day.
• 12:29
  SPEAKER_02: Um the lads are working hard and we've just got to keep improving.
• 12:32
  SPEAKER_02: And I think as the course of the season goes on, um, you want to see the team keep improving and keep developing, and um, yeah, we've got loads of work to do on that and loads of improvement, but at the same time we need to go and win football matches.
• 12:43
  SPEAKER_00: You obviously went on a long run with Lincoln last season.
• 12:46
  SPEAKER_00: How important is it now to go up to Preston and kick on, make sure that Saturday's the start of something?
• 12:50
  SPEAKER_02: Well, yeah, I suppose when I talk about consistency, that's it.
• 12:53
  SPEAKER_02: I think it's really good to have a performance, excuse me, at Birmingham.
• 12:57
  SPEAKER_02: The consistency is the next one, but then in any you know, competition like the Championship or League One, it's going again, it's going again and showing another level of consistency.
• 13:07
  SPEAKER_02: And I think that's our challenge.
• 13:08
  SPEAKER_02: First of all, it starts with Tuesday and and pressing away.
• 13:11
  SPEAKER_02: Can we show consistency of performance to to go and get a result again?
• 13:14
  SPEAKER_02: And I think consistency over time is is what takes teams from where we are to where we want to be, um, not necessarily flashes of just moments.
• 13:23
  SPEAKER_02: And I think that's where the young players uh and the players we brought in after Jell and developed to get that consistency.
• 13:30
  SPEAKER_02: That's the last half tomorrow.
• 13:31
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you.