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Michael Skubala press conference | Bristol City vs Lincoln City · Bristol City

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_01: Just briefly back to um to to Saturday.
• 0:03
  SPEAKER_01: Is it more frustrating when you play well and and and don't get the result like that, or can you take a lot of positives out of it and say, you know what, it's just one of those days?
• 0:13
  SPEAKER_02: Um I think a bit of both, really.
• 0:15
  SPEAKER_02: Um definitely I thought uh there were moments in the game where we played very well.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_02: Um we we had some good moments, didn't take our moments, which is the frustrating bit.
• 0:25
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and then there were moments where I thought we could defend better, um, and they took their moments, but they're a good team, we know that.
• 0:33
  SPEAKER_02: It's always gonna be a tough place to go.
• 0:35
  SPEAKER_02: Um but I thought we for the most part of the game applied ourselves very well.
• 0:39
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and then we probably just didn't chase the game as well as what we chased at Burnley when it was 2-1.
• 0:45
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and then there was a few tie legs, and then I think the score line is the thing that stings, um, and then a few situations as as you know when went on.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_02: Um but that's football.
• 0:55
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but you dust yourself down and you go again, and into the next game we go, and um yeah, uh another two games this week, which are really important.
• 1:02
  SPEAKER_01: It it had the the feel of one of those sort of both boxes games where you've been very good and it just you probably came off what you've been over the last few weeks on the afternoon.
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I think when you actually when you look at it, when you you've hit the nail right on the head, I think in the end we lost the both boxes game.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_02: Um we were better in the middle of the pitch, but we didn't um you know we didn't score, we didn't defend the boxes well enough.
• 1:23
  SPEAKER_02: So, and ultimately that's where games are well and lost, um, and their quality of the player at times you know was very good, I thought, yeah, some of their finishes.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but we have to keep working on that, and sometimes we are still, I say it all the time, we're still quite a new group together, lots of changes.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so we're still gelling in those moments.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_02: It it could look like it, but I think there was some really tough performances by individuals as well.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_02: So, yeah, it's uh it's a tough one to take, I think, through the score line, but actually, I think there's some really positive things to take out as performance.
• 1:53
  SPEAKER_01: And the players mentally, you've had such a good run of form, and they've they've you know got some great results, and and they can sort of take a lot out of that.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_01: I guess it's all down to the reaction, isn't it?
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_01: Because if that's a blip, a one-off, it you sort of write off, it's fine, it's it's making sure that it is just a blip and not anything more.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I think what you see is though every game is different, um, and this is the challenge of the championship.
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_02: It's you know, every game is a challenge, every next game is a new challenge, um, and it's really important that you put those things to bed and go again.
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_02: You've seen different results throughout the championship already.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_02: I think it's what makes it an amazing league to watch, it's what makes it an exciting league to watch, um, because every game is really competitive and for different reasons and different styles, you know.
• 2:34
  SPEAKER_02: Um, we have a very different style to other teams, and Southampton have a very different style to you know some of the teams, and etc.
• 2:41
  SPEAKER_02: etc.
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_02: But so that's what makes the league exciting for me.
• 2:44
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so you have to attack every game to try and go win it, and you know, that's what we try to do.
• 2:50
  SPEAKER_02: Um, we probably get caught attacking a bit too open, but I much prefer to go attack games than than settle in for draws and and losses, and even if it is is at St.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_02: Mary's, so we want to attack the game.
• 3:02
  SPEAKER_02: So, but the the downside to that, sometimes you get punched on the nose, and by being a bit too open and a bit attacking, we we got punched on the nose for sure by a quality team.
• 3:10
  SPEAKER_01: And I think you're right, in terms of the stars and looking at the all the stuff that you're gonna have to face, obviously, a very different test tomorrow.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_01: In terms of the way that you approach that as a team, I don't know if you can put a percentage, but how much of what you do stays the same, and how much can you sort of tailor to suit a particular opponent?
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, well, I'm trying to with work with the lads since I've been in here and we've still got loads to work to do.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_02: Our principles never change how we want to be, how our principles, what we look like, never changes.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_02: But the tactical tweaks and the positioning of things can change with a structure, um, and we've still got loads more to do on that, and I think that's what helps us to play against other teams.
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_02: Um, we have to have an identity and a way of playing and our principles of play that we're really solid on.
• 3:52
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and at times I thought against Southampton they were very good, and at other times we've probably lost a little bit of that, and that's what hurt us.
• 3:59
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but also we can make tactical tweaks and changes to suit our our way of uh attacking the opposition.
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_01: So it was always going to be a game where people were looking at it given your past associations, but but Lincoln coming to uh to to Ashton Gate, it is it a special game for you given given the history?
• 4:16
  SPEAKER_02: Um it's a good question.
• 4:18
  SPEAKER_02: I I'm yeah, I'm really proud of what I achieved there, you know.
• 4:22
  SPEAKER_02: I think um to take a team from when I went in, I think they were 17th in League One and get them back to the championship for the first time in 65 years.
• 4:31
  SPEAKER_02: I'm very proud of that.
• 4:33
  SPEAKER_02: Um I'm very proud of the work um that I did at Lincoln.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_02: Um but all good things come to an end.
• 4:39
  SPEAKER_02: Um so is it a special occasion?
• 4:41
  SPEAKER_02: I think no, not really.
• 4:43
  SPEAKER_02: It's about two sets of players who have to go out there and battle.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, of course, that it will be about you know myself and coming back because it's early on in the season, um, and I know the staff and a lot of players and they know me well.
• 4:57
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but ultimately football's always been about you know the green stuff and two eleven men going out to fight it out because it doesn't matter, you know, in some some senses when they get out there they have to make decisions.
• 5:08
  SPEAKER_02: So um yeah, I'm very proud of my time at Lincoln.
• 5:12
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but now you know um when we cross that wide line, I'll definitely want to go and beat them, and I'm sure they're the same.
• 5:17
  SPEAKER_02: So yeah, we'll yeah, it'll be an interesting game.
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, 100%.
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_01: And in terms of you obviously know, as you say, a lot of the staff, a lot of the players are they much different from from when you were last in charge at the end of last season, they made a lot of changes.
• 5:30
  SPEAKER_02: That's a good point.
• 5:31
  SPEAKER_02: That's the other thing as well.
• 5:32
  SPEAKER_02: I think they've signed 10, 11 players, so there's a lot of players in that group I don't know.
• 5:36
  SPEAKER_02: Um, there's a lot of staff they've brought in, I don't know.
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_02: So clubs move on very quickly and change very quickly as well.
• 5:42
  SPEAKER_02: So they're a they're a relatively new group.
• 5:45
  SPEAKER_02: Um I'm you know, I I still still see a lot of the identity that I put into the team that's still being played, um, sort of continuation of the, if you like, the game model um that developed there in terms of get that team out of the league.
• 5:58
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and I think that's probably why to start off with lots of championship teams would underestimate them and and how well they do what they do.
• 6:05
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and we definitely won't underestimate them because I know the how they work and what they're trying to achieve and the nuances around it.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but I think you could end up underestimate a Lincoln team coming up into the championship, but their results that they've got has not surprised me one little bit, um, and they're gonna be a really tough team to play against.
• 6:23
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but we we're a good team, and we can be a tough team to play against, and hopefully it'll be a really good game, but hopefully we've come out that side of uh of the win.
• 6:31
  SPEAKER_01: D do you take some some measure of pride, I guess, in that the way that you'd built things over you know a good few years there.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_01: They they basically brought in your assistance and and gave them the job, and and it was continuity because they obviously saw a lot of things going well.
• 6:44
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, it's a smart move by the club, I think, to to keep the continuity there because that's that's you know, continuity not just with the staff and uh the model and the game model that that was built, but also the the continuity of the growth with lots of different changes.
• 6:59
  SPEAKER_02: So I think that's a quite a smart move.
• 7:01
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but it's a different league, it's a challenge.
• 7:03
  SPEAKER_02: There's different quality of player in this league.
• 7:05
  SPEAKER_02: There's you know, it's very um very exciting league with some top top players like we saw at the weekend.
• 7:12
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but my focus is now obviously fully with Bristol City, not what other teams are doing.
• 7:16
  SPEAKER_02: And I'm really excited to keep moving this club in the right direction and keep moving this club and growing.
• 7:20
  SPEAKER_02: And some of the stuff I've seen this season with our boys here have been really exciting.
• 7:24
  SPEAKER_01: From what we've seen so far this season, you both look like teams that could are very good on the break that that like to counter quickly.
• 7:31
  SPEAKER_01: And when you've got two teams like that coming against each other, it can be quite a chess battle, can't it?
• 7:36
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I think there's um always moments, you know, the game in possession, out of possession, transition.
• 7:41
  SPEAKER_02: There's always moments in games that um you know you need to be good at, you know, you need to be good with the ball, you need to be good without it, and you need to be good in transition.
• 7:49
  SPEAKER_02: And of course, you need to be good at set pieces, and I think every team um and we're starting to improve on that the set piece scoring more set pieces, you know.
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_02: And people say that you know Lincoln are just a set piece side, they're more than that.
• 8:02
  SPEAKER_02: You know, we were more than that when I was there, we'll be more than that here.
• 8:05
  SPEAKER_02: Um, there's more to it than that.
• 8:07
  SPEAKER_02: So that's what I'm saying about the nuances of the game.
• 8:09
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but I'm you know, again, really excited, um, really excited by the game.
• 8:14
  SPEAKER_02: I'm sure everybody else is excited, but more than anything is about two sets of 11 players going at it.
• 8:19
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 8:20
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and just finally from the weekend, any bumps, brews, is anybody available, not available that hasn't been?
• 8:25
  SPEAKER_02: Uh no, we have to look at the squad though, because obviously the the challenge for us, which is unique, is to go again on Friday and Tuesday.
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_02: Uh so we have to think about that.
• 8:33
  SPEAKER_02: Obviously, it was a tough game on Saturday, physically a tough game on the road again.
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_02: But we've got two home games now, which is great.
• 8:38
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but obviously having a Friday night instead of Saturday does make slightly different.
• 8:42
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but we're I think we're health-wise at the minute, we're okay.
• 8:46
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you.
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you, Michael.
• 8:48
  SPEAKER_00: Just on that sort of squad selection, can you talk us through the sort of process you go through?
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_00: Because I know the other week you mentioned with Rob that you felt you needed attacking options on the bench, and that kind of changes week by week.
• 8:58
  SPEAKER_00: Can you just talk us through how you make those sort of decisions?
• 9:02
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I think it's um making sure you've got cover everywhere for start, um, but then making sure in against the opposition where you think you're more likely to need changes.
• 9:12
  SPEAKER_02: Um obviously players rack up certain amount of minutes throughout a week and and two games and three games, so where you think players might need to change.
• 9:20
  SPEAKER_02: And I'm not sure they're always you can always pre-plan those changes, um, but you can definitely have the cover that you need on the bench to make sure that tactically, physically, um if you're chasing, if you're having to defend, what are the scenarios that you go through?
• 9:36
  SPEAKER_02: So when you're planning an 11, you're not doing that anymore, I don't think.
• 9:40
  SPEAKER_02: I think you're planning a squad and you're planning everything for every eventuality that you can think of.
• 9:44
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, so yeah, that's the process, that's the challenge.
• 9:46
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that's an interesting challenge as well, like you say, when you're trying to focus mostly on your style and not the opposition.
• 9:52
  SPEAKER_00: I guess do you feel like most of those decisions are based on what you want to do rather than what the opposition might throw at you?
• 9:57
  SPEAKER_00: I think it's both.
• 9:58
  SPEAKER_02: I think you have to have both.
• 10:00
  SPEAKER_02: Um, or my style is to have to have both.
• 10:02
  SPEAKER_02: Um, mostly outers, you know, if we we we want to concentrate on ourselves as much as possible, but I don't think you can ignore the opposition because I think that wouldn't be right.
• 10:10
  SPEAKER_02: So you have to look at everything, you have to look at the strengths of the opposition, the weaknesses of the opposition, and where you think can hurt them, and then who complements that the best.
• 10:18
  SPEAKER_00: In terms of the players that have, I guess, like been left out if you've got someone like Rob, and I know we speak to you a lot about players that don't play quite often.
• 10:24
  SPEAKER_00: Is it ever a case of you feeling you need like something more from them, or is it just that sort of situational position?
• 10:31
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I think it's it's really interesting because um most of it could be tactical, they've all been training really well.
• 10:39
  SPEAKER_02: I don't think I'd need something else, but ultimately you have to make decisions.
• 10:42
  SPEAKER_02: Um, who would you leave, who would you bring on the bench and leave out?
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_00: I've no idea.
• 10:47
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, so so but I think that's that's the challenge, isn't it?
• 10:49
  SPEAKER_02: I think there's always when things go well, it's brilliant, it's a bit like substitutions.
• 10:53
  SPEAKER_02: When things go bad, the substitutions are bad, and the why is X not playing.
• 10:57
  SPEAKER_02: I think that's the nature of the job, that's the nature of the beast.
• 11:00
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, you have to make decisions.
• 11:02
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but nobody is you know training badly, nobody is um yeah, not doing very well, everybody's training hard, the group's strong and and they're working really hard.
• 11:12
  SPEAKER_02: Um we keep developing, we keep improving.
• 11:14
  SPEAKER_02: I think one challenge that the group has here now that probably didn't have last season is it's more competitive for places.
• 11:22
  SPEAKER_02: So that's for them to, you know, and me and them to help them through that.
• 11:26
  SPEAKER_02: So but I think that's every squad that wants to be successful successful has to have that.
• 11:30
  SPEAKER_02: Um but again, it's a long season, we're healthy at the minute, we've got lots of games to come, and we're gonna need everybody, that's for sure.
• 11:37
  SPEAKER_00: I don't want to like dwell on the sort of chaos of Saturday March, but I just wonder when you get those sort of situations with the new rules, do you get opportunities where you can kind of feed back those sort of teeth and issues to try to say it does feel like these rules have been implemented and it's gonna be a period of adaptation to make sure they're implemented in the right way?
• 11:55
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, we we feed back all the time, so there's no problem there.
• 11:58
  SPEAKER_02: Look, frustrated, yeah, not happy, all those things and emotions flying around on Saturday.
• 12:05
  SPEAKER_02: Um but I've always you know I've always backed referees.
• 12:08
  SPEAKER_02: Um I always think they have a tough job to do.
• 12:11
  SPEAKER_02: Um they're human beings, they make mistakes, you know.
• 12:13
  SPEAKER_02: We've seen another mistake yesterday in a big game, but um we've got an apology which is nice.
• 12:18
  SPEAKER_02: Um but the reality is like um it hurts us at the time, but but over the course of 46 games, that won't be the reason why we're successful or not successful.
• 12:28
  SPEAKER_00: Is that apologies which is recognising should the game being stopped?
• 12:31
  SPEAKER_00: Is that the that's between me and number three, yeah.
• 12:33
  SPEAKER_00: Completely understand that.
• 12:34
  SPEAKER_00: Um I wanted to just ask you a little bit about Lauren and Dom playing alongside each other on Saturday and how you thought that sort of combination worked.
• 12:40
  SPEAKER_00: Was I think comparing that to when we saw them at Millwall from the start, it looked like that cohesion's going?
• 12:45
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, um, but again, I think it's a different game against Millwall and Southampton.
• 12:50
  SPEAKER_02: So um I thought at Millwall, yeah, the the opposition's different, so it has a different effect.
• 12:56
  SPEAKER_02: Whereas Southampton, I thought they played very well together.
• 12:59
  SPEAKER_02: Um, that's why we wanted to try and put the threat on the pitch.
• 13:01
  SPEAKER_02: And I thought for the the first half we were creating the better chances we took there and caused them a lot of problems, which was good.
• 13:06
  SPEAKER_02: Um second half the same again.
• 13:08
  SPEAKER_02: I thought we started well, and then as we started to tire, things started to open up a little bit, and as we started to chase.
• 13:13
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but I think, yeah, that combination again, it's it's something that we can have, and it's something that we don't have to have all the time.
• 13:19
  SPEAKER_02: So I think it's again it's exciting to have all the different combinations and keeps you know even oppositions on the toes if they don't know um exactly how you're playing every single week.
• 13:29
  SPEAKER_00: So that's the exciting bit.
• 13:30
  SPEAKER_00: Was it a bit more of a like I guess old-fashioned strike partnership?
• 13:33
  SPEAKER_00: I know when you mentioned before you was kind of than that.
• 13:36
  SPEAKER_00: You mentioned a few weeks ago that Dom was almost that nine and a half playing off him.
• 13:40
  SPEAKER_00: It seemed like he was a bit more up alongside Lauren.
• 13:42
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, Dom's been a Dom's a nine, Tully's a nine.
• 13:45
  SPEAKER_02: There's there's no doubt about that for me.
• 13:46
  SPEAKER_02: They're both number nines.
• 13:48
  SPEAKER_02: Um, Elijah's a different nine, so they're all number nines, but I think in terms of how you deploy them in a certain role, it can look a little bit differently, and that's why profiles are really important and have to have the options tactically.
• 14:00
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but you're right, on Saturday it was more two orthodox nines up against their two centre halves.
• 14:05
  SPEAKER_00: In terms of Elijah, you've been able to give him those couple of cameos, is he how is he coming through?
• 14:09
  SPEAKER_00: Is he kind of on track with that sort of like progress?
• 14:12
  SPEAKER_02: Yep, still a way to go to get you know to see him ever you know getting more minutes and starting.
• 14:16
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but we can put him on for more minutes now because he's growing and he's still developing.
• 14:20
  SPEAKER_02: But again, with all these types of players that are coming back from big injuries, you you have to look after them.
• 14:26
  SPEAKER_02: Um same with Luke McNally, you'll start maybe to see him get under 21's minutes soon, but it won't be quick to see him in the first team.
• 14:33
  SPEAKER_02: Um, yeah, and Brian's gonna go and get some minutes as well, so but he's probably a bit closer to the first team because he's not had a big injury.
• 14:38
  SPEAKER_02: So we're in a good place and we're actually adding to the group slowly, which is which is excellent.
• 14:43
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but yeah, same with Elijah, even though he's on the first team bench, he's still actually working his way back physically.
• 14:50
  SPEAKER_00: In terms of these two games, and then heading in into that break.
• 14:53
  SPEAKER_00: I guess it'd be nice with that such a long gap to if you can head in with that bit of form, a couple of words.
• 15:00
  SPEAKER_00: You'd be able to enjoy that sort of period a little bit.
• 15:02
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I think um look, we want to win every game.
• 15:04
  SPEAKER_02: Uh we want to attack every game, get three points from every game, and that's what we've tried to do, and that's my you know, that's my mentality with how we want to be.
• 15:12
  SPEAKER_02: Um we don't go into any game to draw, you know, we want to take maximum points out of each game.
• 15:17
  SPEAKER_02: We want to be good at home, um, and we'll do our best to win football matches.
• 15:20
  SPEAKER_02: Um what what the result is is the result, but we went out to win the game against Southampton in the same way with Burnley, in the same way with Preston.
• 15:27
  SPEAKER_02: And I think if you attack the games in that same way across 46 games, you can do quite in the press box.
• 15:33
  SPEAKER_00: It feels like a long time since you've been at Ashton Gate as well.
• 15:35
  SPEAKER_00: It'd be nice to get back there, I imagine.
• 15:37
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, it does feel quite a long time actually.
• 15:38
  SPEAKER_02: I don't know why, it does feel a bit ages, but yeah, uh, you know, we haven't had many games I haven't had many games there, so it in some ways it doesn't actually feel like home in the way that you have when you've been there for so long.
• 15:48
  SPEAKER_02: Um so yeah, it'd be great to get back there and have, you know, be back in front of a large majority of fans.