Stockport County v Crawley Town preview with Rob Elliot

SussexWorld

Crawley Town travel to Stockport County on Saturday for their latest League One clash. Here is Reds manager Rob Elliot's thoughts ahead of the game

Transcript

00:00Rob, thank you for joining us on the verge of a tough away trip to Stockport this weekend.

00:09Can I get your thoughts ahead of that game?

00:11Yes, it's going to be a tough game. Obviously, a very good team in good form as well, physically

00:16very good. So, no, by all means, every game in this league is a tough league, as we know,

00:23but yes, a particularly tough one, but one we're looking forward to, because I think

00:27performance-wise against Burton was excellent. Obviously, we didn't get the result we wanted,

00:31but I thought the performance was really good, other than one chance, which obviously we gave

00:36to them. We were defensively good and created enough chances to score, more at least than we

00:42did. So, no, looking forward to the game and hopefully getting back on track to where we

00:48were before Christmas. Like we said before, it was just that week where we come off it a little

00:52bit with the scheduling and the injuries and people missing. So now, with the squad getting

00:57fitter and stronger, hopefully we'll be in a better place to attack the games.

01:00Yes, you mentioned there, obviously, the tough period of scheduling. This one doesn't seem

01:04particularly fair either. I know it was highlighted at the start of the season as well as crazy,

01:09the fact that we've got to travel up to Manchester and then to Nottingham only a few days later,

01:12with very little rest, pretty much the Sunday before we're back on the road. So,

01:16is that more annoyance from that side of things, that we're being forced to do that

01:21unkind doubleheader?

01:23Yes, I don't know the other fixtures, if other clubs are in this situation, but with the Christmas

01:27period that we're given and then this period here, it's obviously disappointing because,

01:30especially for a club like us, with the resources, it's a six-hour coach there and back Saturday,

01:38then six-hour coaches on Monday, Tuesday. But even for the fans as well, it's expensive after

01:43Christmas for the fans to do two away trips, which I know they will. But look, we can't control that,

01:48we just have to attack it the best we can. Hopefully, with the squad, the numbers coming

01:51back now, the squad will be, in some senses, will be stronger in areas. So, hopefully, we'll be

01:58able to manage the two games and the load over the two games. But we can only worry about Stockport

02:03and we'll worry about that game and then we'll tackle Mansfield after and take it from there.

02:08Yes, earlier in the interview, you mentioned obviously the good performance against Burton.

02:12I think we spoke about it in previous interviews. When do you think we're going to not have to

02:17start prioritising result over performance? But is there, do you think, going to be any

02:21switch in your mentality or the team's mentality in that sense? Or do you think

02:24once the performance is fully there, obviously the results will then marry up with that?

02:28Yes, I think there's no coincidence. Our best performance has got us our best results.

02:32So, in my opinion, you can't consistently get one without the other. Everything we do is geared to

02:38win games and I think what we need to make sure we do is that every opportunity we can to score,

02:43whether it's set pieces, long throws, whatever it might be, we might need to be a bit more direct

02:46and a bit more forceful. But also by not coming away from what's got us the performances and

02:51results because the way the team dynamic is and the style of play that the club's had,

02:56we have to stick to what our principles are in terms of dominating the ball and

03:01adding that high intensity in terms of the running, the crossing and that high press.

03:05So, no, there's certain things that you have to adapt, but you're always looking to get better

03:09and I think you play well, you tend to get the performances, you get the performances,

03:13so you get the wins and that's what we need to concentrate on because,

03:16yes, consistently one comes with the other.

03:19Yes, and what's the squad health looking like? Obviously, we put a video out of

03:23Flinty doing some running on a treadmill earlier in the week, which was great for fans to see,

03:26but obviously don't get too excited yet. There's still probably quite a few weeks until he's back,

03:30but is there any sort of update on him and the rest of the squad?

03:33Yes, Flinty's the ultimate professional and he's flying through his rehab, obviously still

03:38weeks away, but he's had another check with the surgeon that's given the all-clear,

03:42so that's pleasing for him because all the hard work he's putting in is showing.

03:46You know, we've been unfortunate that Toby Malarkey's back issue that he's been playing

03:50with has flared up to the point where he's probably going to be missing for a little bit,

03:53and we had a really unfortunate incident where a freak accident with Joey McKenna in training

03:58where he slipped on the ball and the ground gave way underneath him and he's had a serious injury.

04:05So, Joey looks like he's going to need surgery and there's a good chance we might not see him

04:10for the rest of the season. Hopefully, we're getting back quicker than that, but obviously

04:13it's too early to tell. So, obviously, our thoughts at the moment in terms of with Joey

04:17and looking after him because he's been brilliant for us. So, that's obviously devastating and leaves

04:21us very short at the back. So, yes, in terms of other areas, obviously, Dar should be back

04:26with the squad this weekend, which is good. And Adi, Harry Forster, Adi's come back at the weekend

04:31with Harry Forster as well. So, now the squad in some areas is getting stronger, but obviously

04:35the centre-half, the defensive issue is something we'll obviously have to look at now, especially

04:40one in the window and two with the couple of injuries. Yes, the window's obviously progressing.

04:46There's still plenty of time. We've seen in previous years, we've done a lot of deals towards

04:51the end of the window. So, there's no reason for Courty fans to panic too much yet. There's still

04:55plenty of time. It's there now with the extra added injuries, more departments that we think

05:02we're going to need more than others, do you think? Yes, well, I think obviously the defensive

05:06situation he's looked at, and I think that's obviously more of an emergency than it is...

05:10I'm sorry, I say emergency, a priority is the right sense. And then obviously with Ben Radcliffe

05:15coming in and performing well, that's a positive. And Charlie Barker has been as consistent as ever

05:19and been a real bite spark for me in terms of, he's given absolutely everything.

05:23He's his first bit of exposure to this level to play the game as he had. He's been tremendous.

05:26And then obviously, we were having to recall Jasper. We need to look at the goalkeeping

05:30situation as well to give us a bit more cover. But, yes, I think it's one of them ones where

05:36obviously the recruitment, I mean, it's obviously understood how the recruitment's done here.

05:40I've obviously put in players and names that I know about and that I like, and obviously the

05:45club recruit in terms of their model as well. So hopefully we're getting to the point now where

05:48there are people coming in or that we're getting closer to bringing people in. So, yes, fingers

05:53crossed on that front. It'll be sooner rather than later so we can give this squad a bit of

05:57depth where we need it and look forward to kicking on for the second half of the season.

06:01Yes, we'll talk about them a little bit more after the two games, but a massive shout out

06:04to any of the Crawley fans that are making either of their mental journeys this weekend,

06:08especially to grounds that they would have previously been to last season. So,

06:11yes, fair play to them. We obviously wish them safe travels.

06:13Yes, 100 per cent. Obviously, I know the weather's not great this weekend, so you obviously want

06:16everyone to be safe and travel and be careful. But it's so appreciated, especially at the away

06:20games where it's obviously even tougher for us in terms of stepping up the level. But,

06:25yes, probably two places they'll be familiar with from last year. And, yes, I think that's

06:29the thing that needs to be considered is the fans, isn't it? A Saturday and a Tuesday night.

06:33Die-hard fans won't miss the game because that's what they are. They're Crawley through and through

06:37and they want to support the lads in every opportunity. And, yes, it's tough for them,

06:40but obviously, yes, it's really appreciated within the group and obviously we'll always

06:44show our appreciation. We'll make sure the lads give absolutely everything over the two games to

06:48show that.

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