Crawley Town face Burton Albion at the Broadfield Stadium in League One on Saturday. We spoke to manager Rob Elliot ahead of the game to get an injury and transfer update
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00:00Rob, thank you for joining us. It feels like a while since we've had a game. We've got
00:04a big one this weekend against Burton. Can I get your thoughts on that one?
00:07Yes. No, it's nice to have the break. I think it was much needed, obviously the halfway
00:11point of the season as well, so you get a chance to reflect and make plans going forward
00:16and to attack in the second half of the season. Obviously, it starts with a big game at home,
00:23so you want to attack in every way and get three points and start the second half of
00:28the season well. We've got a tough run coming up after Saturday, but you can only control
00:33what's in front of you. We need to attack Burton in every way we can, get back over
00:44the Christmas period with the injuries and people missing. It really threw us a little
00:47bit, not really having any wide players, so we had to adapt a little bit and get back
00:51to what we've done well with Addy and Harry hopefully being back fit as well. Just a bit
00:56of a reset and then kick on again because I think the first half of the season has probably
01:00shown us things that we can do really well, good results, good performances and things
01:04that we need to improve on. It gives us a good starting block to kick on again and take
01:11our levels up.
01:12Is this mini-break that we've had, we've had a few of those recently, has it given a chance
01:18for some of the lads that were struggling and perhaps needed a bit of a rest? Has that
01:22helped in any way?
01:23Yes, a lot of lads obviously, as you do, it happens at every football club, a lot of lads
01:28playing with injuries and niggles and obviously missing a few. Obviously losing Addy and Harry
01:33and Darce limited our options in terms of wide players, so having them back is good.
01:38We'll have to see how everyone is over the next couple of days, there's still a few question
01:43marks on a few things, but the squad's definitely looking healthier in terms of that and bodies
01:49and numbers, so it's good for competition, it keeps things more honest and I think it's
01:58a good reset and mindset in terms of who's ready to attack for the rest of the season
02:02and how we go about it because I think when we've kept things simple and we've done things
02:07well we've been really effective, so we just need to make sure we understand who we are,
02:13what we're good at, what our strengths are and we need to stick to that because, like
02:16we said, we've had some brilliant moments in the first half of the season and we just
02:20need to be more consistent with them.
02:21Yes, purely based on where the two teams are and obviously we're on the other side of Christmas
02:26now, this will be billed as a big game, but equally there is still a lot of football to
02:30be played and perhaps we may have the upper hand on some teams out in the season, considering
02:35how many postpones we've had, so we're going to have some more games once we know what
02:38everybody else's results are, but does this feel like a huge game inside the dressing
02:43room at the training ground or is it just one of those normal ones that we'll be approaching
02:47as we normally do?
02:48Yes, I think it's two things, obviously when you play teams in and around you it obviously
02:52feels like it's bigger, but ultimately we should attack to win every game.
02:56I think other than a couple of instances, I think we've probably been competitive and
03:00been able to probably be disappointed in games we haven't won against bigger teams and there's
03:04only a couple of games I can probably honestly say where I didn't think we could, where we
03:08didn't affect the game, whereas every other game I felt like we've attacked it well, we've
03:13had creative opportunities, we've shown really good glimpses, we've picked up points, we've
03:17picked up results and other times we've been unlucky not to, but I think the big thing
03:21is the consistency.
03:22I know I keep saying it and people are probably bored of it, but you can't get too high and
03:25too low because there's 23 games, my maths might be wrong, there's 69 points to play
03:31for and as much as you want to win every game, especially at home against teams in and around
03:36you, a million percent you want to win them games, but we've got to look at the big picture
03:40in terms of there's still half a football season to be played and a lot of winnable
03:44games and a lot of games where you don't expect to win that you'll win and vice versa, so
03:48as long as we're consistent and we get back to showing what we've done probably in the
03:52last three months, I think the Christmas period is always a tricky one because it condenses
03:55the schedule and obviously we've only been able to train one day, the schedule was unkind
04:00to us, it sort of threw us off a little bit, but only for one or two games and I think
04:04we need to remember where we was at after Birmingham and then seven days later there
04:08was probably a bit of a negative vibe around the club, which is fair when results don't
04:12go your way, when you're in such a brilliant position against Exeter and obviously a disappointing
04:18start against Barnsley, even though we were excellent in the last 35-40 minutes, I think
04:23we just need to get back to where we was at before and I think we will be because up until
04:27that point for two, three months we were excellent to be honest with you, so if we get back to
04:32where we were there then we're going to be absolutely fine and I think the big thing
04:35for me is making sure that whoever steps on the pitch is ready to carry that momentum
04:38forward and we've seen the league now, we've seen enough of every team, we've pretty much
04:42played everyone once, Stephen is the only one, so I think the players now have an understanding
04:47and any fear or trepidation should be gone and we need to go and attack it because that's
04:52how we're going to, we need to go and get the points, it doesn't matter what anyone
04:55else does, it's about what we do.
04:56You mentioned there obviously we're trying to move away from that negative vibe, what
04:59can help that is winning football matches, especially at home, with the postponements
05:04that we've had, we actually haven't played a home game since Birmingham before Christmas
05:07which is absolutely crazy, so a win at home in front of those crowds is what you say is
05:13being built in some ways as a big game will do wonders won't it?
05:16Yes 100%, winning is massive in football and winning gives you that, it's what you win
05:21it for ultimately and I think the big thing with the identity of this club though is that
05:25it's about how you win, I think last season into this season it's not just been the wins
05:29we've got but it's about how we've got them wins and I think the big thing for me is if
05:33we get our performance levels right the wins will consistently come and we saw that before
05:38Christmas and even with the defeat to Birmingham, even Peterborough to a certain degree, then
05:43performance levels will consistently get you results and obviously we did fall off it against
05:46Leighton and Barnsley so I just want the performance levels to be back to where I expect them to
05:53be and where they need to be and if we get to that point then I have every confidence
05:56that we'll be absolutely fine and we'll win more games than we lose and I think that's
06:00been seen but for me it's about the mentality, it's about how we are without the ball, definitely
06:06how we are with the ball and simplifying what we've done because when we've simplified our
06:10press, when we've simplified our play in terms of being brave and playing around presses
06:16then we've been really effective and I think the players just need to have a deep breath
06:20and understand that we've got a good group here that can be effective but we need to
06:27be effective together as a club and as a team and yeah we can start that on Saturday.
06:32Looking at Burton, you obviously drew Neil New in November with them, having looked at
06:36them recently, have they changed much since you played them last time?
06:39Yeah definitely, I think Gary's definitely improved them, they've got good pace up front
06:45in the wide areas now, they still try and play similar type of football, they're always
06:49going to try and be aggressive with the ball and move the ball well which they do, they
06:55obviously had a couple of good players that have returned and added to them and so we
07:00know it's going to be a tough game, it's not going to be, it's by no means an easy game,
07:04I think their position in the league is probably down to the fact that they were managerless
07:10for a while and now they've got a very experienced manager who's had a lot of success and has
07:13made them very organised so they're going to be really difficult to break down, you
07:15can see that from their performances against the Huddersfields etc. So no it's going to
07:20be a really tough game, I think any game in this level is but what we can't control at
07:24Burton, we can control what we do and we need to make sure that we're at it in terms
07:27of the way we approach the game and the way we set our standards for the second half of
07:30the season.
07:31Yeah and you mentioned Ronan Darcy had a groin issue, how's that progressing?
07:37Yeah no he's getting better so he's been back in training, we'll have to see how he is,
07:40if he's available to be able to start or be on the bench, so that's a positive because
07:45he obviously was struggling with that over Christmas and obviously having Addy and hopefully
07:49Harry back as well, we've got to monitor a couple of others because of knocks and niggles
07:53but hence why the break was probably a good thing for us. But yeah there's always something
07:57that pops up especially with the amount of games and obviously coming now we're going
08:00to go into a period where it is thick and fast, Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday so we're
08:02going to need the whole squad and I think the biggest thing for me, I've talked to the
08:05players about buy-in, is buy-in into what we're trying to do and how we're trying to
08:08do it because I think if you look over the last three month period as a whole, not just
08:12the small sample size last couple of games, it's been positive, we've got good results
08:16against good clubs and we've played some really good football and we've probably got a lot
08:20of compliments for our football from a lot of clubs and a lot of teams and now we need
08:24to turn that and be a bit more ruthless and turn them into points. So the players, for
08:28me, they have to take a lot of pride and credit in the fact that they can affect this level
08:32in such a positive way but we need to do that consistently, we need to do it with the aim
08:35of getting three points every Saturday, Tuesday, whatever it may be so we can get ourselves
08:39up the table and stay in and around it because it's a tough league this year like everyone
08:45keeps saying but I think my big thing is that we have to attack every single game, we have
08:50to look to go and score goals, we have to look to be compact and aggressive because
08:56the only way you get out is by putting your best foot forward, you have to put points
09:00on the board, it's the only way you get out of these situations, it doesn't matter what
09:04anyone else does, we have to be the ones that go and put the points on the board.
09:07On the transfer window, we've seen two leave, including Eddie Beach, does that make getting
09:13another goalkeeper a priority in this window now?
09:16Yes, we're working on getting another goalkeeper in, obviously Eddie did great when he played
09:20a couple of games and I think he needs to go and play some games consistently for himself,
09:24I know Eddie well anyway from when I was previously with him at Gateshead so he needs to go and
09:28play games.
09:29Yes, so obviously working in the background to bring someone in to come and give us that,
09:34we've had a bit of a strange run this year with goalies, obviously with Jojo going into
09:37Nationals and having a couple of injuries so yes, we're looking to try and strengthen
09:42there because we need to bring someone in and then yes, probably like you say, transfer
09:47windows open, obviously the way the club recruits with the data and everything like that and
09:53obviously with myself bringing Ben in, so working together to try and make sure we can
09:57add to the squad and make sure we bring players in that are going to affect it and add to
10:01the squad.
10:02I think they're signing players but they're signing players for the right reasons and
10:04making sure they come in and have a massive effect so hopefully there's a few things going
10:08on now and we can look to hopefully make a couple of positive additions.
10:12Yes, can you just give us a little bit more insight into how it works, is it the owners
10:16work the data, have a list of players, present them to you, you say who you like and that
10:21or do you give them names and they look at the data that way or is it a bit of both?
10:24It's a bit of both, it's a bit of everything, yes, obviously the system's been in place
10:27before I come and it's obviously been very successful with what happened last year and
10:31the players we brought in and yes, so I'd like to thank Ben Radley who I worked with
10:35previously, you put him forward and I sort of explained that I have very high hopes for
10:39him, I think he can play at a very high level and that goes against, sorry, that probably
10:43goes into the system that the club use and exactly right, there'll be players that are
10:51flagged up and offered and shown and I'll put my eye over them and yes, it's quite an
10:56open and honest conversation which is good.
10:59But recruitment's really tough at any level and you need to make sure that, especially
11:03with the resources we have at this level, unfortunately we are going to be out of reach
11:07for some players and some teams so we just need to make sure that what we do bring in
11:12and when players do come in, that they affect the group not only on the pitch but off the
11:16pitch as well.
11:17I think it's hugely important that they buy into the culture at the club and what we're
11:20trying to do and the fact that we are trying to punch above our weight in a very tough
11:24league against big clubs but it's a fantastic platform to come into and it's a fantastic
11:27environment, we play good football so there's a lot to appeal to and I think that's something
11:32that is quite exciting when we do get players in, it's something that we're looking to develop
11:37young hungry players who want to kick on and want to come to a place where they can express
11:41themselves and be the best version of themselves and play good attacking football and be brave
11:49and back themselves.
11:50We want players to come here and show what they can do and showcase themselves and help
11:54the team and help the squad.
11:56And saying we're into the second half of the season now, what's your message to the fans
11:59going into the second half of the season?
12:01I think it's just keep sticking with us, they've been absolutely brilliant, genuinely
12:04and I think it would be fair to say the Christmas period probably just knocked us off track
12:11a little bit whereas before that I thought we were in a fantastic place, I thought the
12:15run-up until Birmingham was brilliant, I think every game we were excellent, we gave a brilliant
12:20account of ourselves, pretty much the best part of two or three months and the Christmas
12:24periods with the schedule and the injuries that we had, just the balance of the team
12:28and the exit of the game, obviously finishing the way it did, the first 60 minutes we were
12:32excellent, there was the set-up, the way we played, the way we broke them down and then
12:35obviously it's disappointing to not take the three points 100% and then the Barnsley game,
12:40we just didn't give ourselves a chance in the game, we didn't give ourselves a chance
12:44and when we did, the game had gone even though we'd created enough chances at the end, crazily,
12:48on the stats we actually, I'm not huge on stats all the time because it comes with Inforce
12:53One but in terms of the stats, chances created and everything in possession, we were above
12:57Barnsley but we didn't believe in ourselves enough at the start of the game to go ahead
13:00and do that, so yeah, I think it's just stay on track and try not to take the last couple
13:09of weeks and let that discourage what's been some brilliant times and like Sam said earlier,
13:15we just haven't had loads of home games which is what really helps in terms of getting that
13:19advantage and having that crowd behind you, so hopefully with a few more home games coming
13:22up against some big teams, big clubs, exciting times as well because we're getting, this
13:26is why we want to be in this league because we want the likes of Erexims and I know you
13:30played them last year but the so-called bigger clubs with the big budgets and the fan bases
13:34coming and we get to showcase ourselves because I think when we have, we've done a brilliant
13:37job of it.
13:38Brilliant, thanks Rob.
13:39Always, thanks.