Paul Heckingbottom press conference: Contracts, transfers and more

Lancashire Post

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00:00Are you sort of glad the teams you're playing at the end of the season are all fighting really for something,

00:05whether it's promotion, relegation, the feel in the ground is just different?

00:10Yeah, I am personally, yeah, and that has to be recognised and it does bring with it a different challenge.

00:18As I said, if I go back to the Cardiff game, you know regardless of how you're feeling that things have to change,

00:25it's bigger than a cup final for them, you know, and put bodies on more, balls come in your box, it's totally different.

00:31And that's why our lesson or my lesson from the other day was about that second goal, getting that two-goal lead,

00:37because then you can manage the game in a different way. So I felt we were comfortable, managed it well,

00:44but while there's a goal limit, you just need that one moment and it was a lapse from us.

00:47So clinical at both ends is key and it does make sure there's still that edge to games and atmospheres

00:53in the stadium, whether that's home or away.

00:55In terms of Leeds, why have the results been a bit bumpy?

00:58Time of season, the time of season, it's exactly what it is.

01:01Yeah, 100%, top or bottom.

01:05Yeah, and now that's projected onto players or you protect the players from it.

01:13Within the stadium, that's tough, you know, the mood.

01:16Yeah, it's the time of season, that's just exactly what happens.

01:18It is, it's the best bit, the best time of year, the last sort of half a dozen games.

01:26And how big you think the sixth last game is when it comes to them last two, it's huge.

01:31Would it be good to see a team go up and sort of make a good fist and then stay up because it's

01:36getting a bit worrying and seeing these teams just stay up?

01:38Yeah, someone will at some point, but it will be majority of the time if one stays up, the other two go down.

01:44Do you know what I mean? If one stays up, they'll be fourth bottom.

01:49Yeah, but there will be teams that do it through momentum, through things go their way.

01:55But then you see how hard that second season is.

01:57Leeds United, Sheffield United, probably the last couple who have been up stayed up.

02:00And it's a tough challenge, that Premier League. And that's one of the reasons I don't like how it is different.

02:11It's a different product now. VAR makes it a different league, so we need to give ourselves the best chance.

02:16We need it in our league. The referee, the game differently, they'll always say they don't.

02:21They 100% do because of VAR and because of the rules. We need that the same, because when you go up,

02:26it's different, it's totally different. And the more things you've got to go against you, the harder it is.

02:31I saw Gary Neville say that the games are a bit robotic and stuff, and he feels like he's watching the same match a lot of the time.

02:36Is that exclusive to the Premier League? Do you agree with it or not?

02:39100%. I said it two or three years ago that the game will go that way.

02:45And it's the referees and the officiating that's taking it that way. It's not their fault, it's how it's doing.

02:49But because they don't understand the game, they don't know where they're taking it.

02:52You watch now why they give fouls to defenders, where there'll be a centre-four grappling with a centre-back

02:58and they're attacking half the pitch. And the other half the pitch, a centre-four will go near a defender.

03:02A defender will just feel a slight bit of contact on none and just die. But they give a foul,

03:07because it's not going to lead to a goal. But all that does is mean it's ineffective and pointless pressing.

03:13So every team plays the same way, every team. In a derby, well, what's the point in trying to make a tackle

03:19and risking a red card? Because to slow it down that much or anything that's not perfect, what's the point

03:23in going and risking it? So obviously the atmosphere is gone, everyone has to play the same way.

03:28And it's just a totally mundane way of playing football and it's only going to get worse.

03:34In terms of contracts, have you spoken to Peter and Graig about that clarity around the budget

03:38and what you're going to have to work with? Yeah, I spoke with Peter. So yeah, just had a quick chat

03:42this morning with Peter. But yeah, I know what that looks like now and what we need to do.

03:49So yeah, conversations will be going all the time, all the time.

03:52Yeah. But yeah, I think in my mind, I think Peter knows, been really clear and we're at the point now

04:02where I get what that looks like, I know what that is.

04:04At what point do you tell the players that are out of contract?

04:07As I went, some have, some I've already spoken to, some I haven't. Yeah, so now I know it's...

04:14Because what's the point of saying anything until I know in my mind, do you know what I mean?

04:19And part of my reason of thinking has always been, well, what is the best decision?

04:23What have we got to work with? You know, because these are the potential solutions,

04:27but you know, we can't afford this one or this one. I don't think it'll make us any better.

04:30So until you have all the facts, it's hard to make the best possible decisions going forward.

04:36But I think, yeah, I'm comfortable now with everything that we spoke about, where we're at.

04:42Yeah, I think I know what that looks like now.

04:45Freddie's obviously injured. Have you been able to tell him what the decision is going to be around his future?

04:50You're asking questions, aren't you? You know, you know I'm never going to answer.

04:53Not what you've told him, does he know?

04:57I've had conversations with Freddie. Yeah, I've had conversations with Freddie.

05:01Whether he knows, well, what they've been or altered with me and Freddie and all that else.

05:04Yeah. Is it easy being ruthless with it? Because you've said,

05:07I love the lad to keep them all, love them to bits, but then being that little bit...

05:11No, listen, there's no sentiment in it. You can't have sentiment in it. But likewise,

05:17there's no sentiment the other way. So that's why I say it's a natural part of football and what it is.

05:24And as much as I'm saying for Preston as a football club, it's an opportunity. For players,

05:29it's an opportunity. So there could be players that we want to keep or don't want to be here

05:32because they've got better opportunities and then flip that the other way. There could be players who

05:37would love to stay here, but we think we could potentially improve the squad by doing something

05:41different. And that's where we're at. Do you know what I mean? But when you're in my shoes,

05:50that's what it is. We have to take the opportunity and some will go our way, some won't. And that's

05:54the way it is. How exciting is the prospect of this change coming this summer? Could be

05:5910th sign and sort of thing. You've got to look at that as a positive, isn't it?

06:02A hundred percent. Yeah. Well, yeah. If it's done right and we get what we want, then

06:05I'd be absolutely over the moon delighted. So that's what... So we've got to try and force

06:10and make sure it happens. Do you think it would mix the loans, freeze and then hopefully spend a bit

06:15of money? Yeah, definitely. Listen, I want to spend some money, yeah, but it's not my money.

06:19So do you know what I mean? But yeah, it'd be a mix of all those things. Yeah, that's the plan.

06:24Make our signings, buy some players who we think will improve us, be really clued in to the best

06:32potential loans who can improve us. Amongst that, we want some of those to be assets as well,

06:36because like I said, we want the success together. And if we can improve, then that's brilliant.

06:41We improve together. If not, there may come a point where a player moves beyond us,

06:46but we get the financial benefits of it and then we reinvest that. So we've got to look at that.

06:51And then, yeah, a hundred percent will be... Yeah, I can't see anywhere next season's squad

06:57doesn't include a couple of loans, so that you can't see it.

07:00In terms of the sort of personality which you're massive on and leadership, can that improve?

07:04Is it pretty much where you want it?

07:06It can always improve, but what we've got is real good characters here who want to be here,

07:11who, yeah, good group, really honest, train hard, want to do well, and we can't lose that.

07:22Do you know what I mean? We just can't lose it. If anything, we've always got to try and improve that.

07:26So that's a big, big thing. We need good personalities here. Some are going to go away,

07:30you know, and thrive in environments like Helen Road when they've got a few games left

07:34and they're going for the title and we're mid-table, you know? So, yeah, people thrive on that.

07:40Let's go back to the title.

07:43Let's go.

07:44Let's go.

07:45Let's go.

07:46Let's go.

07:47Let's go.

07:48Let's go.

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