The New Saints F.C. Press Conference ahead of their game against Astana
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00:00Hello everyone and welcome to the the New Saints press conference ahead of our
00:04big game tomorrow on the platform is our head coach Craig Harrison
00:08and fresh from international duty with Kenya
00:12Adam Wilson. Craig we'll start with you if you don't mind.
00:16Not at all. Another exciting week, another exciting game ahead.
00:21How are you feeling, how are the squad feeling more generally about tomorrow night and
00:24the prospect of another European game, but a European game
00:28at home? Yeah definitely it's you know it's been it's been a good week
00:32you know there's lots of games in between so there's not much time to
00:34think about it. Ideally we'd have a little bit more time
00:37on the grass to to go through a bit more training sessions etc etc but
00:41but yeah it's been it's been great you know the the thought of having our first
00:45you know home European game at this stage you know the conference groups
00:49phase is fantastic for the football club and
00:52fantastic for everyone else involved you know it was special out in
00:55Fuentina but it was a little bit different to what it is you know at home
00:59you know being at home is going to be
01:02it's going to be even special more special night on tomorrow night.
01:05Absolutely, short turnaround as you mentioned so if I ask you about team news and
01:10squad availability is there anyone in particular that's missing out
01:14Leo Smith for example is he going to return? Yeah Leo's fine,
01:18Leo's fine yes I think the only one is
01:21Jordan Marshall and Ryan Astles so that's it obviously Ryan's been a
01:26longer term one but Ryan's coming back on the
01:29grass recovering from a cruciate I think Ryan's been about 10 months now
01:33and he's you know he's nearly there he's at his latter stage of
01:36recovery so hopefully Ryan will be back in the next month or so
01:39to play a part and be involved but yeah there's only
01:42there's only Jordan Marshall everyone else is fit. Fiorentina just to come back
01:46before we look forward how do you reflect on that match now
01:50after having a little bit of time to really sit and
01:53on what your team what your squad did that night?
01:56Yeah I think first and foremost was probably proud of how we're
01:59you know we represented the Wales in the in the in the league
02:03you know because I'm sure a lot of people thought we're going to go out
02:05there and and get hammered six or seven I'm sure
02:08there was a few wanting me to get hammered as well
02:10but you know the the lads were fantastic they worked so hard
02:13it was obviously a fantastic defensive display
02:17you know and we caused a threat on the counter-attack
02:20it was just obviously a huge and historic
02:23football club you know and if you take a step back and have a look at the teams
02:27and the players and the managers that have been in that dugout
02:30and the players that have been in that away dressing room
02:33you know you're going all the way back to people like Maradona etc etc so
02:37you know it's it was special you know even more so I think once we're
02:41once we come away from it obviously there was a bit of
02:45apprehension when you go in there when you play a club as big as that and I
02:48believe 100% in our players but you never know if they
02:51they get an early goal and it's you know we had a little bit of that at
02:54Ferencváros where we you know had a really poor 20 minutes and
02:57falling over 3-0 and out the game but yeah it took for them to to bring
03:01their three best players three internationals on to to break
03:05we're down and um you know and the rest was um
03:10I think enjoyed it more than anything else.
03:12Do you feel like you've taken a lot from that game in the winter tomorrow night?
03:15Yeah I think it's really important that you know I speak to loads of people
03:18with the press and it's like you know there's something new every day
03:21on and off the pitch you know the guys off the pitch are getting stuff thrown
03:25at them left right and centre you know and us you know as as staff and
03:28as as manager you know something new comes up every day
03:31that we've not experienced so we're learning from it all the time
03:35and let's take into you know into this next game we're
03:37learning from the you know obviously we've got no travel this time but we're
03:40learning from the games coming thick and fast the training
03:45schedule the loading you know the players what we do with them when we do
03:49with them and etc etc you know so the rest periods
03:52which are just as important and how we're getting or if we can't get
03:56on the grass how can we get our our method across and our game plan
03:59through you know video analysis etc so the lads are still fresh and ready
04:03to go but they know what they're doing. So what are you expecting from Astana
04:06tomorrow night? Yeah they're a very good team
04:08they are a very good team watched a lot of them you know you you look at it and
04:12they they beat some good teams along the way obviously Brown are a big team
04:16in Norway where they you know they got beat 2-0 away but
04:19they beat them 3-0 at home and you know watch both them games
04:23they're in real good form in the domestic league
04:26I think they're two points behind with the game in hand and you know they've
04:30won the last five or six in a row and so now we know it's going to be a
04:34really tough really tough game and you know they've
04:37they've beaten some good teams but then it's up to us now to to try and
04:41you know flip it and try and put our stamp on the
04:44on the game as much as what we can tomorrow we understand that they're a
04:47very good team like I say with you know out of the squad of 20
04:51others 13 or 14 full internationals you know so we know the the task at
04:56hand but um but yeah we're at home and we're
04:58looking forward to the first game. Playing in Europe is you know a new
05:01experience for you, for the club, how different is it
05:07you know researching Ballotown and Britain Ferry
05:10usually and now looking at these clubs what's that been like for you as a
05:14manager? It's not different whatsoever it's just a
05:17different name you know it's a different name and if you do exactly the same
05:20process you know we try to go and watch
05:23teams you know live by myself and Christian
05:27Sargent both will try and get to see them
05:29myself, Sargent and the other staff will look at the
05:33teams three or four games home and away and then we'll get everything together
05:36and then we'll deliver to the players what we think are the
05:39main points and obviously don't want to fill their heads too much because we've
05:42got a job to do we need to be clear in what what we're doing and what our
05:46game plan is so so yeah we don't try to give them too
05:49much information but just enough feeding over the you know the hardest
05:53bit is doing it in between because it's not
05:55obviously the length of time it takes to to
05:58break a game down is hours and hours and hours you know for maybe a
06:02four or five minutes you know clip and it takes hours of
06:06off-field work by the analysis and the staff
06:09to then drop the players it every now and again so it's not getting
06:13too much information and they can keep practicing as we work
06:18hard in training without taking the eye off of each
06:22game because as I said we've played I think it's I can't remember four or
06:26five games since our last European game so we've obviously had
06:30important games in between that as well. So you've been out to Kazakhstan?
06:34No no haven't no no yeah no no no we haven't we haven't had the
06:39opportunity to do that yeah fine yeah yeah well and like you say the
06:42games have been coming yeah for you obviously the Fiorentina
06:46game was brilliant for so many reasons okay albeit a defeat in the end
06:49yeah to keep them at a nil-nil draw for 65 minutes was incredible
06:53yeah you know this game against Astana being at home as well how important is
06:58it for you to stick your claim TNS in this
07:02conference league tomorrow night? Yeah it is definitely but we need to have
07:05a game plan as well we can't just you know
07:07we are not silly enough to just think we can turn up and play the
07:11way we want to play you've got really good opposition
07:13against us you know one that are you know the best team in their
07:18league and like I said you know from the European point of view
07:22they've beat some good teams as well you know they had a great result last week
07:25as well in the in the Europa League you know so they've got three points on
07:28the board so yeah we can't just turn up and think
07:31we're going to just steamroller them we're far from it you know we've got to
07:34give them respect we're due and we've got to have a game plan in and out of
07:38possession which which we have. Great, thank you Craig. No problem. I will
07:42want you quickly Adam if that's okay. Mark Stevens, Spice Sports by the way, nice
07:45to meet you. You mentioned about your
07:49exciting couple of weeks international break obviously
07:52had your call up to Kenya earlier on this year how has it all been for you an
07:56exciting time I'd imagine? Yeah it has been it's been a bit of a
08:00roller coaster to describe it but yeah it's a big
08:04honour to be called up and it was a good experience to get out
08:07there against Cameroon there was big crowds
08:10there 30, 35,000 and it was a good experience
08:15overall. Brilliant and now to be back with TNS I
08:17mean I know it's your second stint with TNS how
08:20how are you finding it on this occasion having grown up a little bit since your
08:23first time here and obviously now with the pleasure of
08:26playing in the Europa Conference League? Yeah really enjoying it a bit
08:29different to my first time because we're in Europe now but
08:33as I said I love being here the first time as well
08:36playing under Craig and all the lads all the boys are really good it's a good
08:40group so yeah I'm really enjoying it. There's a
08:43bit of a difference between Llangollen Town
08:46and Astana tomorrow night but for you personally to come off the back of
08:51a Kenya call up and as well scoring four against Llangollen
08:56all be a different opposition lordy respect to Llangollen but what does that
08:59do for you as a group 16-0 win going into tomorrow night?
09:04I think it breeds confidence you know going in I mean we take
09:09each game as it comes just to go out there and perform and get a positive
09:12result and do that again last week and we'll try to do it
09:16again tomorrow and hopefully it comes off. Craig has
09:19mentioned how important it is you know to make sure that
09:22this club stakes their game doesn't just make up the numbers you know you're here
09:25to compete at the end of the day has that message really filtered through
09:29to you and the players? Yeah definitely we're not just here
09:34just to qualify we're also here to get results as well
09:37and hopefully tomorrow we can start off and get a result I mean the first
09:43game against Fiorentina was our first game
09:46obviously a big excitement big mood within the group and
09:50going forward now we know we need to start getting results and
09:53performing. A bit of a pinch yourself moment heading out to Italy what was that like?
09:58Yeah it was it was a really good experience to be fair
10:02it's exciting exciting to be there in the grounds and
10:05playing against good opposition and yeah. So what do you think of a start on
10:11tomorrow night what are you expecting from that?
10:13I think it'll be a tough game as long as we're all together and we're
10:17we know what we're doing we're focusing on the game and
10:21doing the right things we should come away with a result.
10:24And you want to be excited about these games at the end of the day but how do
10:27you also stay grounded when you know that this game
10:31is sandwiched between Llangollen and Aberystwyth Town
10:35what's that like for you as players to sort of keep yourself measured within
10:39what your achievements are this season whether that be in the Cymru Premier or
10:42in the European Conference League? Yeah I think you can't think too far
10:46ahead and you just take each game as it comes
10:49as players that's all you have to focus on is the next game and
10:53be here in the present here and now and just and just ready to go every time
10:57we step onto the pitch.
11:05Craig, Nick Southall BBC, do you think this is a bigger game
11:10than playing Fiorentina away for you as a
11:14as a club? I think it's just different it is it is different you know you
11:18obviously had the all the the so-called glamour you know
11:22Fiorentina it's a huge club European club with massive history
11:26you know and maybe they're not so
11:30knowledgeable people they'll think oh Astana, Kazakhstan who are they what are
11:34they you know we should just you know turn up
11:36and beat them etc etc but you know if you've got any sort of
11:41knowledge in football and you know that they're a big club
11:44in their country the biggest club in their country you know they're very
11:48heavily backed with a very wealthy owner you know
11:52they've got everything they need and they just built a new stadium which is
11:5530,000 as well and you know they're well supported and
11:58they're the most successful team in their
12:01in their country so we know you know on the pedigree like I said you know
12:05I think at this moment in time Brown are sitting third or fourth in the Norwegian
12:09League and obviously we know that's a good league with the teams in
12:12there as well and they beat them 3-2 over the two legs so
12:16it's going to be it's going to be a tough game and
12:20obviously I think they beat the Bosnian team last week or the week before
12:22whenever the games were and that was a that was a that was a
12:25tough game you know and watch them games back as well so
12:28we know it's it's you know it's completely different
12:32you know we've got to make sure that we we are can do both sides of the game you
12:37know we've got to make sure we have our
12:38organisation and our discipline is what we had away in Fiorentina but obviously
12:43we're going to have to have a few more moments than we
12:45we did in Fiorentina on the on the front foot if we if we can
12:48I think it's all about the first 30 minutes of the game you know the first
12:5230 minutes will be key in the game and you know feel our way
12:55into it again and and then like I said we've got we've got
12:58really good players we've got really strength
13:00depth you know everyone's fit apart from one or two
13:04so that's a that's another fantastic positive that you know
13:08you can look to the bench you can bring players on you can change things around
13:11you can tactically change it you can freshen
13:14things up and etc etc so so yeah it's
13:18it's a it's a completely different game but a game where
13:22equally we need to be as as concentrated on and
13:26in discipline first and foremost first home game
13:29for the club in the league phase of a European competition so
13:34a big night yeah yes it is it's one we've all been looking forward to for a
13:38long time you know I've you know on and off I
13:41think this will be my 10th season at the football club
13:43there's people who've been here a lot longer than me and this is what
13:46everyone has worked towards for a long long time
13:49you know it's a fantastic achievement but we don't just want to
13:52stop there we've um we've sort of as a group we've sat and spoke about it
13:56staff and players and we we think seven points will give us an
14:00opportunity to maybe get into the the playoff or the knockout
14:04and um and that's where we'll we'll try and get to and
14:07hopefully we'll start by picking some sort of points up tomorrow night
14:11We've followed you in Europe over the last 15 years and
14:16you had a superb win at Badea Tarn in extra time and didn't quite get
14:21through to Anderlecht. How do you think
14:25you as a head coach or manager how do you think you've changed and
14:29and the European experiences that you've been on
14:32do you feel better prepared for it now? Yeah I think I think you always do
14:37with experience I think you know I don't think
14:40anything can be experienced you know the first time like
14:43I just spoke about earlier you know there's a lot of things going on the
14:46football club for the first time so each week each day each month you
14:50know each more fixtures that come up we are learning all the time
14:53could we've done this different well we'll do that different you know I've
14:56spoke about it in the in past as well I think we've um
14:59we learned hugely from Ferencváros getting a bit of a
15:03you know a bit of a kick in there and then we'll go out to Fiorentina and
15:07also the other games in between as well we'll learn from
15:09that point of view from from yourself and the staff from a tactical point of
15:12view from the players to realize how important
15:15the first 20 minutes 30 minutes of football games are
15:18home or away however you play against you know you can you can never win a
15:21game in that but you can certainly lose it and
15:23you know it's really important that way we learn from that and I think
15:27it's one thing where what probably let me down
15:30last season obviously Haken were very very good you know Haken was good as
15:34what we played take away Fiorentina I think Haken
15:37were probably as good if not better than Ferencváros in my opinion
15:40and being there live on the touchline thinking what do I do here I'm not too
15:44sure are they playing with 12 or 13 men I'm
15:46not really too sure what's going on here taking a bit of time to to
15:50acclimatize yourself to that and then and then obviously we're a
15:54little bit disappointed with with getting beat off swift and getting
15:57knocked out because I believe that if we had the same same group as
16:00what we've got we've obviously improved the group
16:02strength in the group depth as well as strength but also going off that
16:07experience then that's got through to where we are
16:09now through adapting learning and and making good decisions throughout the
16:14club. But for you as somebody that played
16:17professionally for Crystal Palace Middlesbrough
16:20you had that horrific injury that ended your career
16:23and and football really gave you a new go at life didn't it you were in a
16:29bad place you've spoken before about that and you know can you ever
16:34imagine that you'd be in this position now?
16:36Well back then not at all you know the back then one thing I didn't want
16:40anything to do with was football you know it obviously took a lot out
16:43of us you know retiring at that age to not follow me on
16:46you know but but you know through through whatever reason fate
16:50whatever you want to call it find find yourself here right now
16:54you know and I think more so probably my second
16:57spell here is it's been not not more enjoyable because I love it but I've
17:02probably had I give myself a bit more opportunity to
17:05enjoy it you know I had probably 15 minutes in Fiorentina where
17:08you know I did actually enjoy it you know
17:12beforehand anyone that knows me it's it's not it's not my style you know
17:16we'll get the job done and you know and then 15 minutes afterwards we're looking
17:20what we can do next you know win a game win a trophy right how can
17:23we improve here how can improve there you know but but I did give myself a few
17:27hours in Fiorentina and you know said well done everybody as
17:30much as the scoreline was a defeat no one likes getting beat
17:34but I think everyone at the football club deserves a huge
17:37a huge pat on the back and I think it's um it's really important
17:40and it's something that probably I've learned a bit more to
17:44to enjoy these highs because obviously you
17:47you go away from this football club you don't realize how unique and how special
17:51it is to win how much you win and I think you
17:54should enjoy it because you go to a different football club
17:56and you certainly not win as much as what we win
17:59finally Adam um you played against Fiorentina and very early on
18:04an opportunity presented itself between you and Sian
18:08but what was that like just take us back to that moment and
18:11playing against a Serie A team yeah it was unbelievable
18:16um yeah in the first five minutes I thought wow
18:19we might actually score here uh it was really close
18:22um I played it across him I thought he's just gonna top it in back post
18:26um but yeah no it was it was unbelievable it was a really good game
18:31and when you are there in the stadium looking
18:33round you're just taking it all in and yeah it was
18:38enjoyable and just one more actually Craig I mean
18:41Brad Young went um but Adam's come in
18:45and has really taken to it superbly do you think Adam could be
18:50as good if not better than Brad yeah well we know Adam I know Adam personally
18:54you know I've got a really good relationship with Adam
18:56you know brought him to the football club the first time brought him back to
18:59the football club I know what he's all about
19:01I know his qualities you know he's um he's a top player he deserves a call up
19:05and you know it's um it's it's a different
19:10players completely different players but the
19:12quality's still there so you know as much as as much as I think anyone
19:16would miss Brad you know obviously Adam's come in and
19:19Rem's come in as well and and Dex fit again so we um we're
19:24looking a bit more healthy and a bit more
19:26you know a bit more options at the top end of the pitch
19:30Ryan Brobbles fit again um so Sean's been in good form
19:34scoring goals and Jordan Williams is available again
19:37from suspension so yeah it's um it's um it's been a
19:41it's been a lot more enjoyable week this week with the players that I've got
19:45at me at me vicinity than what it was you know
19:47two three weeks ago
19:56any more questions
20:00Alan's smiling at me there no
20:04sure don't be shy I think Alan's got a question there
20:11uh hello it's Alan from Cymru Sport both a question for both Craig and Adam
20:19you've both had two spells at the club what do you
20:22feel in your first spell that you've improved
20:26that's gone into your second spell I think everything really
20:30I do think everything you know you wouldn't believe you know
20:33what the club was like when I first come I remember the
20:36didn't have a stand we didn't have a stand behind the goal we didn't have the
20:40gantry we had a temporary stand down the bottom
20:42right hand corner the big red thing that used to
20:45get full of water and leak the in leak onto the
20:48you know the the seats or when it got when it rained a lot
20:52you know so there's been a there's been a lot everything on and off the pitch
20:55it's you know it's been a it's been massive
20:58it's moved along you know obviously a lot of people do a lot of hard work off
21:02the pitch you know you you look at obviously Mike
21:05the owner you look at Ian you look at Helen
21:07you look at everyone else who's involved with all that do
21:10doing the hard work off the pitch you know you don't really see that but
21:14but when you I remember coming to the club originally and
21:18and seeing you know one stand in the balcony
21:22and then now what is now it's it's unrecognizable
21:26so I think that's a tribute to the the people off the
21:29off the pitch so they're they're dragging our club
21:33forward into the future and you know it's up to it's up to me and the players
21:37to move us forward on the pitch I think that's you know
21:40staff wise and you know obviously the the availability bring
21:47more and better players in has helped and
21:50competition for places I think it's everything's just
21:54just keep moving on up a little bit a little notch you know the players I had
21:58beforehand were fantastic you know they were you know we won two
22:01trebles in a row we know broke the world record and
22:04you know but we never quite could get to what we we are now
22:07you know but the challenge for the for this for this squad at this moment in
22:11time is you know as obviously we've got to
22:14where we've got to but you know domestically we want to go and
22:17clean up as well you know there's a this current crop of not want to travel
22:22you know they've got to the group stage of the conference but that's not enough
22:25you know we need to go and win more things from a from a domestic point of
22:29view so there's um I think it's just a lot
22:33everything if if I'm if I'm being honest everything off the
22:37off the pitch on the pitch you know it's just um
22:40we probably we probably got here quicker than what we thought we were I remember
22:44sitting speaking to Mike when I first took the opportunity again
22:47and he said within five years and it's obviously been two years
22:50you know and we're hoping can we make it a regular occasion now
22:55you know it's just um yeah we're catching up off the pitch as well so
22:59so yeah it's I think it's everything it's everything and like you said you
23:02know the the pitch and the result is just a small
23:06part of all the people volunteers people that
23:09work the football club people have been in the football club for years
23:12you know how much dedication hard work and you know what they do off the pitch
23:16is is um they've done a fantastic job
23:19and you Adam? For me personally coming back it just feels
23:26it feels good it feels a lot more positive everyone's
23:29been on it um of course getting into Europe again is
23:34is different we didn't do that the first time when I was here
23:38um so yeah everything as I repeat what Craig said just
23:43the staff as well everyone around the building just unbelievable
23:47and to you as a player when you first felt it second
23:51yeah as I said like Europe is a big different one
23:54for me it's a lot better getting in and it means more games and that's what
23:59you want as players you want to try play as many games as possible get
24:03results and and win things so yeah
24:07and last one for you Craig is you've won a domestic
24:11welsh cup and the league you've gone into the
24:15the conference how much as a managerial would be pleasure to get that win
24:22tomorrow would that be the highlight the pinnacle
24:25of your managerial career? Probably not no
24:29no you know the you know getting here was a big thing because obviously
24:33it's one result tomorrow you know people don't see the the eight games were
24:36played previously the pre-season went through the the the
24:40time the effort the hard work the players put in off the pitch and
24:43you know the you know Desic and then we'll go Petro Club and
24:47obviously Ferencváros then obviously FK Pernes
24:50then you know it's it's it's not just one game tomorrow would be fantastic
24:54don't get me wrong and we're going to do everything we can to
24:56win the game and you know every game we're playing
24:59you know but it's a one-off game and you know the the journey to get to where
25:03i've got to was probably being my personal highlight and and my
25:07you know what's what's um what's been the most pleasing
25:11you know so we're here not to take part we're here to try and get results and
25:16but you know everyone that knows me will realize that
25:19you know from between now and the final whistle tomorrow
25:22this will be the most important thing then quite quickly you know
25:26Aberystwyth away will be very very much top of my list again and
25:30and then Connors Quay away and then Barry away
25:33and then go back to Shamrock away then you know they all come as the
25:37as they come we're playing games less than you know every 60 odd hours at this
25:41moment in time so you know we've got to you know play
25:45each game as it comes each game's as important as the other
25:49because because i personally you know demand and want to win every single game
25:55no problem
26:00any more questions no okay well thank you for your attendance
26:04very much appreciated and some great questions
26:08some fantastic answers and thank you very much. Diolch yn fawr pawb
26:12we are the welsh champions after all so we'd like to get a little bit of
26:15welsh in every now and then.