Crawley Town lost 2-0 to Bolton at the Broadfield Stadium in League One despite dominating possession in the game. Here is Interim Head Coach Ben Gladwin's full post-match press conference
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00:00Can I get your overall thoughts on the game?
00:08Yeah, I think overall a lot of pride, really, just for the players' level of commitment
00:14and making it look very similar to how it has been in terms of the performance overall.
00:18But obviously a lot of disappointment as soon as the second goal goes in, it becomes a little
00:23bit harder and the game doesn't quite look how we want it to.
00:28So obviously results are the important thing, we need to pick them up, but really grateful
00:34for the players and what they gave.
00:35You controlled a lot of the game, didn't we? I haven't had a chance to look at the stats yet,
00:39but I imagine the possession stat would be in our favour.
00:44We spoke to Armando after the Wrexham game last week, is there a frustration in the changing
00:48room that we're not punishing teams when we've got that much of the ball?
00:51Yeah, I think so, definitely. There's always a balance, right? If you've got a lot of the
00:55football and you're creating chances, it's the best thing in the world. If you've got
00:57a lot of the football and maybe you're not, it's something we need to look at.
01:02We always try to dominate the football, it's in our DNA here, but we obviously need to
01:07do a little bit of work in the final third.
01:09Yeah, as you say there, a lot of pride can be taken from the performance because obviously
01:12there's been a lot going on around the club this week. So to put that to one side, it
01:17can be tricky for players, can't it? I suppose you all know with the career that you've had.
01:19So a lot of pride in that performance and a lot we can take on building in the coming weeks.
01:24I think so, it was a big point to mention after the game and the players even pointed
01:28it out themselves. They could easily have sort of gone under this week in all honesty
01:32because of losing a manager. But everyone got together, everyone pulled in the same
01:38direction. Not loads of staff left at the training ground, so the lads were really mucking
01:43in and helping each other out, helping us out. So it's been a moment where everyone
01:47at the club has pulled together. It's just a shame we didn't get a result today.
01:51Yeah, and for yourself, looking at the game, how do you sort of take Monday's session,
01:55obviously a very quick succession, we're back at home. We're here to Mansford, so is there
01:59anything specific that you'll be looking to work on?
02:01I think, honestly, I think so much of the game looked like how we wanted it to look
02:06other than a few moments. So set pieces obviously were big today and we didn't quite get one
02:12right. So they score from that and then they punish us on the break. But in all honesty,
02:16one of the only times they managed to do it, I thought we really locked out the action
02:20fantastically and stayed in their part of the pitch a lot. So there's some really good
02:26bits, but in the top part of the pitch, we just need to show a bit more teeth, I think,
02:29and a bit more desire maybe to get to the box and score goals. We created some moments,
02:34but never any that really deserved to score from.
02:39Yeah, I think the fans could see that the lads were giving 110% today and they won't
02:43leave anything out there. So I suppose the message to them is do the same, give 110%
02:48in the stands and we'll be looking to get back to winning ways against Manfield on Tuesday,
02:51won't we?
02:52Yeah, for sure. I think it's a moment for everyone at the club to pull together.
02:55Everybody wants to pull in the same direction. We all want the same thing. So the lads are
03:00fully committed. The lads are working so, so hard. Us as staff, what's left of us are
03:05working really, really hard and we're going to try and prepare the boys for the game against
03:08Mansfield to get a positive result.
03:12Yeah, it was a disappointing start, obviously. Like you said, it was a set piece. How
03:15disappointing was that as a start?
03:18Yeah, to concede early is always frustrating. And then when it's from a set piece also is
03:25because you almost feel like maybe we've not prepared the players enough. So not easy,
03:31but I really enjoyed the players' resilience, in all honesty, to bounce back and wrestle
03:34control of the game. And I felt like we were the better team for a lot of it. I know the
03:38scoreline doesn't reflect that. But like I say, with a really tough week, I'm really
03:44proud of the players and everything they gave.
03:46Yeah, and Sam mentioned that Armando said last week about being more ruthless. How do
03:52you teach being more ruthless? I know you can practice, get a bit more desire for the
03:55ball and that, but can you teach ruthlessness to a team or a coach?
03:59I think, so like finding the balance between sometimes we may have the ball out wide and
04:05we have players positioned ready for it to be sort of recycled round and hurt them on
04:08the other side of the pitch. Maybe slightly tweaking that and when the ball's out wide
04:13on one side, the other side are making the box and everybody knows the ball's coming
04:16in the box. But I mean, listen, it's work we're going to do. It's not always the easiest
04:21fix in the world because you pay loads and loads of money for the top, top guys at the
04:24top of the pitch, right? That's generally where the money is. So we will work relentlessly
04:32Monday as much as we can. We're not going to be able to do loads and loads, but video
04:35work with the players as well, maybe just repositioning people slightly to create more
04:40chances. But I'm sure we'll get there. We've scored plenty of goals in this team and it's
04:45not something that just goes away.
04:47Yeah, and I saw Dion helping out in the beginning with some coaching and that. How helpful has
04:51he been this week and can you give us an update on his progression with his injury?
04:54Yeah, I don't think he's a million miles away now. We definitely don't want to rush
04:58him either because he's going to be so important once he comes back. We want him to stay back
05:01for the rest of the season. So I would imagine within the next couple of weeks, please don't
05:06hold me to that because I've not asked before I've come in here. But he was brilliant. We
05:10asked him to come on the bench with us to almost help with the defensive unit when we
05:15get the ball up the pitch, can he organise. So he's fantastic. He was brilliant.
05:20And we saw Eddie Beach got an injury in that. Not sure how long that is or anything yet,
05:26but is there going to be looking at calling Jasper back from Whitehawk on loan?
05:30Yeah, I think so. So he was available to use today. I found out sort of after I'd made my
05:36mind up on how the bench and stuff would look that he would be available. And I've decided
05:42to just go with it at this moment. But that'll be looked at over tomorrow, Monday and we'll
05:48make a clear decision for next week.
05:49Yeah, and ignoring the result, have you enjoyed today as the first time in charge of a team?
05:54Do you know what? Until the second goal went in, I was loving it. Yeah, I really enjoyed it. I knew
05:58when the second goal went in, that deflated me a little bit. But in terms of an experience
06:03and stuff, and like I say, just immense pride in the players and what they've given for us
06:07as a staff. I'm really proud.
06:09Excellent. Thanks, Ben.
06:12Just touching on that, Ben, you said about a tough week. How do you feel personally? You
06:20haven't really had time to think about too much. It's all happened quickly. In a way,
06:27you know, just take it on and just keep going with it.
06:30Yeah, I mean, listen, I'm employed by the football club to help out as best as I can,
06:34right? So I find myself currently in the interim manager's role or head coach, whatever you
06:38want to call it. So I try and take a lead and try and be the one that helps. But listen,
06:44I've got loads of help behind the scenes. It's not me. I just happen to be the guy that
06:48comes and sits here. So everybody's put in the same direction.
06:52And the crowd, how do you feel about them today? They were very supportive as always,
06:58weren't they?
06:58Yeah, brilliant. Like I say, I believe everyone at the football club's put in the same direction.
07:02I understand the manager's left that happens in football. That is part of the game. I know
07:06they would have obviously had a strong connection to him. But I thought they were brilliant
07:11behind the boys today and we're going to need them.
07:14Many thanks.