You wanted a competitive one to finish with, so was that game what you were hoping for?
Yes, it was a really good game for us. The three games we’ve had previously have been good games, but this looked a lot more like what’s coming for us in the league. We looked a little bit surprised by the speed of it, the intensity and physicality, so it’s exactly what we needed out of the game.
What did you make of the overall performance, which seemed to improve late on?
They were better than us at all the stuff we have prided ourselves on over the last couple of seasons: running hard, winning second balls, being resilient, tough and hard to beat and doing the basics really well. They were better at that, which is good because that’s what we have been based on, so if we are going to get a little wake-up call, now is the perfect time to do it. It was a really good game for us and perfect for us in many ways.
Have you just made that point to the players, that it has to be a wake-up call before the proper stuff?
Yes, but they’ve been excellent in pre-season, really good. They’ve worked exceptionally hard. I won’t make excuses for them, but you try and understand the rationale behind the performance. I’d much rather it came today than next week.
How close has today been to a League One away match day?
We’ve tried to do it all the same. We’ve had pre-match. There have been one or two little bumps, which again is the whole point of running the day: to get it done and out of the way, so next Saturday runs a little smoother.
Will Ferry was due to start at left wing-back, but pulled out. How is he?
I’ve not spoken to Gav (Crowe) yet, but he felt something in the warm-up.
How are Sean Long and George Lloyd and are you hopeful they’ll be in contention for Shrewsbury?
I’ve not seen Lloydy today, but Longy was here. We’ll see how they both are going into next week.
Sean Long has missed the last three games, but do you hope the area will have settled down enough to play next weekend?
That was the idea. Leave him off it a bit and let him manage it. He’s a fit boy, Longy and a warrior as well, so I have no worries about him.
Curtis Thompson on in the second half. What’s the situation with him?
He’s a free agent with good pedigree. We talked about it internally and Wycombe are usually yardstick for us because they’ve generally recruited good characters. We had the opportunity for Curtis to come in, have a look at us and have some minutes and us to have a look at him.
How do you think he did?
I think he did all right. He’s a good age and he’s played at a good level. He’s played a lot of games in this league and a fair few in the one above, so we know he’s a good player.
You said recently you expected some free agents to crop up, so do Michael Smith and Curtis Thompson fit into that bracket as potential signings as the season approaches?
It’ll all start moving a little bit now. Clubs higher up the pecking order are tuning up their squads, so loads will become available, free agents stop getting paid generally on August 1, so they want to get back into clubs and as the season comes around want to get playing, so I’d imagine there will be a little bit of movement.
Michael Smith came on at right side centre-half. Is he somebody you have to make a decision on now?
He has been in for the week to train and get fit and we’ve had no issues with that because we are a little bit skinny on bodies. He’s been a really good pro and character, so it’s win-win for both of us. We haven’t discussed signing him as a staff yet.
Anything else close?
You’ll have to ask Russ (Milton), but nothing imminent I am aware of.
How would you sum up pre-season overall, with four wins, one draw and one defeat?
From going through it last season, this is the week I’ll probably go home and think ‘have we done this, have we done that?’ but we are fit, strong and I think we are organised. Today, we haven’t played well, but we’ve managed to scab out a result, which I’d have been made up with if it was a league game. I’d have been cock-a-hoop. We’ll have to be better than we were today, for sure, but in terms of pre-season, we’ve given ourselves a good base to kick on from.
How does this week look now in terms of preparing for Shrewsbury?
We started building up last week. We went to Selco and bought a load of nails and started nailing everything down so Micky (Moore) can’t take anything else! The build-up to that has already started.
Another goal from a set piece, with Aidan Keena’s header coming from a corner. And he has three goals.
Yes, as I’ve said before there is a vacancy for a 20 goal a season forward in our team, so if one of them wants to step up and fill it, that’d be lovely!
Has Dave Watson had a big input on set plays already?
More so on the other side, defensive ones. Little bits and bobs with the attacking ones, but he has liaised a lot with Ash (Vincent) and Bitts (James Bittner) on what they look like and detail around them.
Will he start looking more at the attacking side?
We are looking at them and we do work on them. Watto has done it at a very high level for a long time, so we’ll pick his brains going both ways.
How has Kevin Russell settled in as assistant manager?
From my perspective, yes, and the staff. He’s one of them with the players, he will drive them mad because he’ll be constantly on them, which is brilliant for me. But the more they are around him, the more they’ll see how much he’s invested in them and they’ll grow to have a real respect and love for him, which gives him that in to go and communicate with them and get on their wavelength. So yes, he’s been good.
