We’ve said every time on this programme that football really doesn’t matter in the current situation, but it must have been frustrating to end when we did, when everything had seemed to have clicked, scoring goals, not conceding any, 11 unbeaten?

“Yeah it is, in a way. We were on a good run and the group was confident. When it’s like that you want the games to keep coming thick and fast, which they were at that time. Yeah, it is frustrating in a way, but, again, I said it before we feel as a staff and I think, even the players within the club, feel like a run of good form was coming. Obviously, the winter break helped and the training that we got out in Marbella, plus also Bruno [Fernandes] and Odion [Ighalo] coming in, giving the group a big boost, but we also feel like there was some good work going on before that with the players that were in the squad. There was a good structure, a good set-up, a good ethic in the group for those boys to drop into. Our hope is that it wasn’t a one-off run of good form that comes to an end and we won’t be able to match again. We’re hoping that we’re putting the right things in place, getting the right people in the door and having the right structures and a good consistent set-up will enable us to be more consistent in the future, because we know that’s what we need to do and where we need to get to. We hope to come out of the break in a stronger way, continue some of the things that have been going on, that we feel have contributed to that run of good form and we’ll be hopeful that we can pick it up again whenever we get going.”



It can’t be easy joining a new club in January, but goodness me what an impact those guys have had in such a short space of time?

“Yeah they did, and look, they’ve had massive credit and they deserve massive credit, so I think they’ve both had a big impact in their own way. Obviously Bruno’s been a big positive. The fans have taken to him, the players have taken to him and the staff as well. He’s a great professional, a good person and a great person to have around. Odion has come in and, you know, it’s been well publicised, his passion and love for the club and that’s endeared him to a lot of people straight off the bat, but also he’s a proven goalscorer and he gives something a little bit different and adds good experience to our forward line. They’ve both had a big impact individually, but, like I said, I think the other boys deserve credit as well for how they’ve settled in. I think, traditionally, it’s very hard for boys to come into a club and hit the ground running, so I don’t think it’s a case that those two have been able to do it by themselves. I think it’s testament to the group, to the spirit, to the work that’s gone on with the staff behind the scenes as well to have a good structure and good set-up in place that if they bring the right players in, like those two, it helps them to hit the ground running and show their best form pretty quickly. So it’s been a big boost, so big credit to them, but I think big credit to the rest of the lads as well.”

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