The discussion centers on the challenges and responsibilities faced by football players, emphasizing the importance of education and awareness in making informed decisions, particularly regarding the use of nitrous oxide. It highlights the professional and personal ramifications of such choices, and the need for rehabilitation opportunities. The conversation also touches on players like James Madison and Jed Spence, focusing on their physical fitness, mindset, and potential contributions to the team. The importance of team dynamics, player development, and strategic signings, such as Dom, to enhance overall performance and address past shortcomings is also discussed.
- Nitrous oxide was made illegal last year, yet some players are still using it.
- Education and awareness about the ramifications of using nitrous oxide are crucial.
- The consequences of using nitrous oxide include legal issues and personal ramifications.
- Professional footballers have a responsibility to set a good example due to their privileged position.
- Rehabilitation and redemption should be available for those who make mistakes.
"The best way is just awareness and education, you know, I think and understanding the ramifications of making those kind of decisions."
- Emphasizes the importance of education and awareness regarding the use of nitrous oxide.
"There’s the personal ramifications like I said it's illegal so you know there's a significant price to pay there."
- Highlights the legal consequences and personal ramifications of using nitrous oxide.
"There is a responsibility in what you do, and hopefully with education and awareness, there's a reason it's illegal."
- Stresses the responsibility of footballers to set a good example and the importance of understanding why nitrous oxide is illegal.
"There should always be an opportunity there for rehabilitation and redemption for every human being, including footballers."
- Advocates for the availability of rehabilitation and redemption for those who make mistakes, including footballers.
James Maddison's Injury and Recovery
- Maddison had a significant injury that set him back despite not being out for a long time.
- Smaller disruptions affected his performance even after returning from injury.
- The team's struggles compounded his challenges in regaining form.
- Missing out on the Euros was disappointing but part of being a footballer.
- Maddison is determined to have a strong season and get back into the international frame.
"Even though it wasn’t a significant injury in terms of time out, it still was significant in that it set him back a fair bit."
- Acknowledges the impact of Maddison's injury on his performance and recovery.
"When he came back into the team, we were kind of also struggling, which doesn’t help him in terms of the kind of player he is."
- Explains how the team's struggles affected Maddison's ability to regain his form.
"He’s working hard at preseason; the good thing is he’s fit and has given himself a good opportunity now to have another strong season."
- Highlights Maddison's efforts in preseason and his determination to have a strong season.
"The disappointments of missing the Euros are part of being a footballer. We take all the good stuff, but you have setbacks; it’s how you react to those."
- Discusses how setbacks like missing the Euros are part of a footballer's career and the importance of how one reacts to them.
Djed Spence's Journey and Potential
- Spence caught attention during his loan at Forest before signing with his current club.
- Scoring against Leicester in the FA Cup was a significant moment for him.
- His journey has had challenges, and it hasn't worked out for him so far.
- With Destiny returning and experimenting with different positions, Spence might have opportunities.
- His story is a testament to the ups and downs in a footballer's career.
"Spence is someone that caught the eye during his season at Forest on loan from Middlesbrough before he signed."
- Introduces Spence and his journey, highlighting his loan at Forest.
"One of his big moments was scoring against Leicester in the FA Cup."
- Mentions a significant moment in Spence's career, scoring against Leicester.
"It hasn’t worked out for him so far here, but with Destiny only just coming back, and he tried J in preseason, there’s potentially a possibility that he could be involved."
- Discusses the challenges Spence has faced and the potential opportunities with Destiny returning.
"His story is a testament to the ups and downs in a footballer’s career."
- Concludes with the idea that Spence's journey reflects the typical ups and downs experienced by footballers.
Evolution of the Squad
- Players go out on loan to develop and potentially fit better into the team upon return.
- Jed's characteristics as a player were considered to see if he fits into the current football style.
- Jed had a good preseason, trained well, and integrated well with the group.
- Jed’s versatility, being able to play both left and right fullback, provides valuable options for the team.
- The team aims to minimize performance drops due to injuries or suspensions by having a stronger squad.
“You know, the guys go out on loan for a reason. Have they come back better fit? Are they part of what we're doing?”
- Players are loaned out to develop and reassess their fit within the team.
“Jed had a good preseason, trained really well, and seems to fit in the group really well.”
- Jed's positive preseason performance indicates his potential fit into the team.
“I don't think left back is his obvious position. I think he's more of a right fullback, but the fact that he can play on the left gives us some good options.”
- Jed’s ability to play multiple positions adds depth and flexibility to the squad.
Attitude and Integration
- Concerns about Jed’s attitude were addressed, with no issues reported during the preseason.
- Jed has taken responsibility for his past and ensured his attitude is not a problem.
- The coaching staff has had no issues with Jed’s attitude, indicating his positive integration.
“There have been question marks about his attitude. Has that been an issue?”
- Addressing concerns about Jed’s attitude and its impact on his inclusion in the squad.
“We’ve had absolutely zero issues with his attitude. He’s trained really well and fit in with the group really well.”
- Confirmation that Jed’s attitude has been positive and not a problem for the team.
Decision-Making in Signings
- The role in signing decisions involves evaluating players and making the final call.
- Dom was signed not based on a single performance but on his overall abilities and fit for the team.
- Dom’s mobility, movement, and work ethic were key factors in his signing.
- The team values players who have overcome challenges and demonstrated resilience.
“My role in all the signings is pretty small. I just make the decision. I’m the one that says yes or no.”
- The coach’s role is to make the final decision on player signings.
“Dom certainly fits that mold. He gave us some problems and his mobility and movement were really impressive.”
- Dom’s attributes and performance against the team were key factors in his signing.
“He scored 19 goals in the Premier League last year, which we all know is a fair feat.”
- Dom’s goal-scoring ability in the Premier League was a significant factor in his acquisition.
Impact on Team Dynamics
- Bringing in experienced players like Dom is crucial for a young group.
- Dom’s presence allows for tactical flexibility, such as moving Son to play on the left side.
- The team suffered from injuries at the back last year, highlighting the need for a stronger squad.
“We have a really young group, and Dom is one that’s proven at Premier League level and I think he improves us.”
- Dom’s experience and proven track record are valuable for the young squad.
“As much as the injuries at the back cost us last year, that was mainly because we lost three quarters of our backline for a big chunk.”
- Injuries significantly impacted the team’s performance last season, emphasizing the need for depth and resilience in the squad.
Improvement in the Front Third
- The front third of the team was identified as the area needing the most improvement.
- Injuries and new players affected the performance last season.
- Key players like Richie and Sunny had different roles due to injuries and team needs.
- The team had to sign new players to fill gaps caused by injuries and departures.
"The time I still felt it was up front we were most short you know it's still the area that I think we need to improve the most."
- The front third was the primary area needing improvement.
"Richie when he played was outstanding but he had a lot of injuries last year so then we had to play sort of you know Sunny inside."
- Richie’s injuries led to positional changes for Sunny.
"It was Brennan's first year at the club he's only 22 his first year at a big club and I still think he did well then we had to sign sort of Teo."
- Brennan’s first year at a big club and the need to sign new players like Teo.
"We lost Perisic and Solomon first the second round so we were down two Wingers."
- Injuries to Perisic and Solomon further depleted the wing positions.
"Having Dar Richie there like two real good presence in that striking position like I said allowing Sunny you know doesn't mean Sunny can't play through the middle during the year but um I think we look a much better team when he's out out wide on the left."
- The return of key players to their preferred positions improves team dynamics.
James Madison’s Confidence and Physical Condition
- James Madison’s performance is linked to his physical condition rather than confidence.
- The focus has been on ensuring he is physically fit to perform at his best.
- A strong preseason was aimed at improving his physical fitness.
"I haven't sat down with him and but you know I don't I don't know what confidence player really means I think as a player you got to be on at all the time."
- The coach does not believe in the concept of a "confidence player."
"With matters he certainly doesn't lack self-belief he knows he can be a real dominant player."
- Madison is confident and knows his potential.
"A lot of it last year for us was just the physical element where you know when he wasn't 100% fit then he couldn't really perform at the levels he wanted to."
- Madison’s performance issues were due to physical fitness, not confidence.
"We've tried to give him a really strong preseason try and push him in in a physical way where I think when he feels good about that then the rest of it kind of goes from there."
- The focus on a strong preseason to improve Madison’s physical condition.
Impact of James Madison on the Squad and Fans
- Madison’s performance has a significant impact on the squad and the excitement of the fans.
- He is an exciting player who can lift the mood and performance of the team.
"He's an exciting player when the ball's at his feet he's he's one of those you creative types."
- Madison is recognized for his creativity with the ball.
"He's definitely one a player who who who can get punters off their seats and um and I think the players feed off that as well."
- Madison’s play excites fans and energizes his teammates.
"It's important for us that that he's he's playing at his best I think he makes us a better team and a more dangerous team."
- Madison’s best performance is crucial for the team’s success.
Expectations for the Season
- The coach has a consistent expectation to do his job well and see where it leads.
- Improvement is anticipated, but the extent of the improvement is uncertain.
- The team’s belief in the system is growing but was not fully solidified last year.
"I expect what I expect all the time mate to to to do my job and see what that brings but um I i' I'd suggest it's not by accident so um we'll improve and see where that takes us."
- The coach’s expectation is to perform his job well and observe the results.
"What the end of last year showed that we were still not rock solid in kind of you know having a real belief in what we're trying to do."
- The team was still developing a solid belief in the system by the end of last year.
"It's only natural because like I said um and it's not unusual as you mentioned like in my first year."
- The development of belief in the system is a natural process and not unusual in the first year.
Leadership and Team Development
- The process of embedding team values and culture takes time and often requires going through tough times to reveal true character.
- Leadership is crucial in guiding the team through challenging phases and ensuring everyone is aligned with the team's goals.
- The speaker emphasizes the ongoing nature of leadership and the need to be actively involved in the process.
"It takes time for these things to become truly embedded, and you got to go through some tough times to kind of reveal those things."
- Tough times are necessary to truly understand and solidify team values.
"It's still up to me to lead them through that, and I still think we're in that phase."
- Leadership is an ongoing responsibility, especially during transitional phases.
"I certainly feel like I said before we're better prepared, the players are better sort of prepared and even sort of mentally into knowing what we we're going to have to tackle this year."
- The team is better prepared mentally and physically for the challenges ahead.
Handling Difficult Situations
- The speaker discusses the importance of dealing with difficult situations effectively and moving on quickly to focus on what's important.
- Emphasizes the need for managers to handle unexpected events without letting them impact the overall organization.
"You'd be surprised what you need to deal with as a manager, mate."
- Managers deal with a wide range of unexpected issues.
"It's important you deal with them in the best way you possibly can with all the information you have."
- Decision-making should be based on the best available information.
"My responsibility lies within the whole organization, and you kind of get used to that unexpected things will happen."
- A manager's responsibility is to the entire organization, requiring adaptability.
Player Management and Development
- Discusses the internal suspension of a player and the focus on helping him make better decisions.
- Emphasizes the dual role of managing the player's professional and personal development.
"The club sanction was one game suspended."
- The player received a one-game suspension as a club sanction.
"It's about trying to help him both as a person and as a footballer make better decisions."
- The focus is on the player's overall development, not just punitive measures.
- Discusses the importance of team performance over individual statistics.
- Emphasizes that individual contributions are secondary to the team's overall success.
"It's more about the team hitting the heights we need to on a consistent basis."
- Team performance is the primary metric for success.
"The ultimate measure is us as a team, that's what we're going to get measured by."
- The team's success is the ultimate measure, not individual statistics.
"If mats isn't scoring but we're winning and scoring goals and flying, then he's contributing in other ways."
- Individual players contribute in various ways beyond just scoring goals.
Focus on Upcoming Challenges
- The speaker highlights the importance of focusing on immediate tasks, such as preparing for the next game.
- Emphasizes the need to maintain a clear headspace and prioritize effectively.
"What's really important is we got a game Monday night, and for our supporters in our club, I got to make sure my sort of headspace is getting this team ready for that."
- Preparing for the next game is the immediate priority.
"You need to sort of find ways to deal with these things so that it doesn't impact too much of anything else that's going on."
- It's crucial to manage issues without letting them affect other responsibilities.