Crawley Town manager Rob Elliot on Bristol Rovers and attacking options

SussexWorld

Crawley Town travel to Bristol Rovers in League One on Saturday. We spoke to Rob Elliot about the Memorial Ground, his attacking options and comparisons to Scott Lindsey's first 10 games in charge

Transcript

00:00You mentioned it's a hard place to go to Memorial Ground, what makes it such a hard place? Is it the atmosphere?

00:05Yeah it is, it's a really good atmosphere. When it gets going, it gets going well.

00:09A big club, supported well. I played there a few times when I was at Chorlton.

00:13It was always a good atmosphere, a good place to play.

00:16On the flip side, these are the games you want to go to.

00:19The good thing with this year, and I imagine the lads have mentioned the step up

00:23and going to some of the away grounds you go to is big crowds, big clubs, good atmospheres.

00:27I think the lads seem to thrive on that. From what I've seen, we went to Reading for example.

00:31The lads seem to thrive on these occasions, they've worked hard to get there.

00:34I think that's the biggest thing for me, I just want us to go there and attack the game in the best way possible.

00:39Make sure that when the game finishes after 90 minutes we've given absolutely everything.

00:43We've physically given everything we possibly can.

00:48I feel confident in the boys that technically and tactically they're understanding and their ability is good.

00:54If we keep working hard to get ourselves in the right areas and keep trying to do the things we're asking of them consistently

01:00then we can go to places like Bristol and others and give a good account of ourselves.

01:07Hopefully that adds to picking up points and hopefully good wins as well.

01:11I know you're down to bare bones, is there anyone you're expecting back from injury for the weekend?

01:17No, not as it stands. Obviously Ty got minutes in the Bristol Street Rotors game, which was brilliant.

01:25But again, I think the only thing I would just say is before, even for myself, not getting carried away

01:31is that's his first 30 minutes in 10 months. He's only been on the grass for three weeks.

01:37We've got to be really careful with Ty because I think he showed glimpses of how important and what an exciting player he's going to be for us.

01:44But we want to make sure he's on the pitch as much as possible.

01:46So we'll assess how he is, whether he can be a part of the squad or whether that was just the first build-up into where he needs to be.

01:53But no, as it stands, no, we'll have to see how Gav is because he unfortunately had a bit of a tight groin.

02:00So we'll see where Gav's at and then we'll assess it from there.

02:03But the big thing for me is that no matter what happens, no matter who's missing,

02:08I think what this squad have shown is they can be competitive no matter who's on the pitch.

02:11And that gives you massive confidence because when you look around the dressing room as a player or as a coach,

02:17you get to see that it doesn't matter who's there, if they're all fighting for the cause and they're all giving everything for the team

02:23and we're buying into what we're doing, then yes, we want everyone available because it makes us as strong as a squad.

02:29But also you're only as strong as your weakest man.

02:31And at the moment, for me, I don't think I could point out a weakest man.

02:36I think the squad have just gelled together and since we've had all the setbacks or so-called setbacks,

02:40they've become even tighter as a group.

02:42So that's the thing that's most pleasing.

02:44There's one fan who sits near us in the press box who can be particularly critical at times.

02:49On Saturday, after the game, he looked at me and he said,

02:52that Toda Shawunwa, he's some player, isn't he?

02:54And we're just quite high praise for that particular fan.

02:57I mean, what do you think Toda brings?

02:59And is he pushing for a start in the league now?

03:02I know he started last night, but is he sort of pushing now?

03:04Because we haven't seen him start in the league yet.

03:06No, Tols has been excellent.

03:08I think Tols has obviously come over from America, come over from a very different environment.

03:14He's an unbelievable athlete.

03:16He's big, he's powerful.

03:18But I think he's just been getting used to the level and he's building up and up.

03:21And I think we're seeing every training session and every day, we're seeing improvements from Tols.

03:27And I think he's someone that's been really important for us and he's got some brilliant attributes.

03:33And I think he's not just for the short term, he's for the long term for us, Tola.

03:37And I think the big thing for me with Tols is that he just needs to keep impacting games in whatever way.

03:47And I think when we've got the likes of Rushy, Swanee and Tols and with Ty coming in,

03:53it gives us a real mix of attack and threat.

03:56And ideally, you want to get as much attack and threat on the pitch as possible and Tola comes into that.

04:00And I think for me personally, it's not a case of anyone getting a start.

04:05It's a case of everyone being ready to affect it as much as they can.

04:08And obviously, the big thing with this period we're in is just the amount of games,

04:15is making sure that there is a fine balance between understanding that we want our best players on the pitch

04:20or as many attacking players on the pitch as long as possible.

04:23But also, we want to make sure that we're not putting them at too much risk,

04:26hence why we've had to change this team around Burton's and even yesterday.

04:30So no, I'm really pleased with Tola.

04:33And I think he gets his goals, he's starting to score, he's starting to affect games more.

04:39And the big thing with Tola, he's got so much learning and so much understanding to come

04:43that he's only going to get better and better.

04:45So it's just a massive bonus for us that no matter what situation we're in,

04:49we've got good options to be able to find solutions for any problems.

04:52I've done a quick count-up and I think you've had 10 games in 44 days.

04:57And people in football love comparisons.

05:00Scott Lindsay's first 10 games, you're slightly edging it.

05:02He's lost one more game than you.

05:04Does that bode well for the future with what Scott achieved?

05:08Hopefully it bodes well.

05:10I think obviously the big thing with probably when Scott first came in and changed the culture and style

05:17and obviously with us trying to adapt and evolve from what Scott's done,

05:20is that it does take time.

05:22And it's not always as simple as walking in and being able to work with the players

05:26for six, seven weeks in pre-season.

05:28You come in and you're starting a game two days away against Wickham, for example,

05:34and then I don't think we've had two, three days training.

05:37I think we've had three days in a row training once since we've been here.

05:40So it's really hard from a selfish point of view where you want to have loads of time.

05:45But no, I think to do it at this level against these teams that we're playing against

05:50with the situation the squad's currently in, I think it's a huge testament to the lads.

05:54And I think from my point of view, I can really see the building blocks

05:58and see where we're improving.

05:59And I think the lads are starting to grasp that too.

06:02But I think, like I've said before, it's going to be a longer process.

06:04It's not going to be something that happens overnight.

06:06We just have to stay consistent, stay patient and stay together whilst we keep improving.

06:11And I think when we look back in two, three months' time,

06:13we'll really see the changes and the differences.

06:16Yeah, and you mentioned there that you haven't had much time.

06:19After Saturday, I think you've got two weeks where it's Saturday, Saturday, Saturday.

06:23How much are you looking forward to that?

06:25Yeah, no, it'll be good.

06:26I think it'll be good for the lads as well mentally to have a break

06:28and physically as well.

06:29Some of them need the rest.

06:30So it'll be good to be on the training pitch.

06:31It'll be good to set up for two games as well properly.

06:34We're able to get more detail into games.

06:37We went into Burton with one day's prep.

06:40Then we were travelling to Derby and training in the afternoon.

06:43But that's what it is.

06:44That's football, that's life.

06:45So yeah, hopefully it gives us more prep going into games.

06:47It means we're fresher and it sets us up for another incredibly busy Christmas period.

06:53Brilliant, thanks very much.

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