Rusk on Southampton’s spirited 0-0 draw with Man City

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Southampton interim manager Simon Rusk reacts to their spirited 0-0 draw with Manchester City in the Premier League St Mary’s, Southampton, UK

Transcript

00:00George, we'll start with you if everyone's ready.

00:07I think a lot of people have probably written you off before the start of the day,

00:11you've probably shown them that that was all wrong, you've got a nail on the door.

00:15How are you guys feeling?

00:17Yeah, we're feeling obviously good.

00:21We knew the size of the task today.

00:24I think for me it was more about the principle of what today was

00:27and inherited the job about we knew there was going to be some challenges ahead of us,

00:32even over the seven games.

00:34There was a lot of pressure involved with that and I think today we handled that really well.

00:39It's not for me to focus on external, about people writing us off or people having their opinion.

00:47My job is to stay measured and stay somewhere in the middle

00:50and that's the best way of supporting the players in this situation.

00:54We had our game plan, we wanted to build on all of the things we've done really well

00:59over the last four games apart from last Saturday.

01:01We were disappointed over last Saturday but as I mentioned the other day I think

01:06our priority was to become a harder team to beat on day one of my tenure.

01:10We were definitely making great strides towards that

01:13and I think today we were a little bit more complete from that point of view.

01:17So yeah, delighted for the players, delighted for the supporters today.

01:20It was a nice moment when the referee blew a sort of end.

01:24You also asked a lot of questions about the points record but you're up to 12 now

01:27so there's a line drawn under that, how much of a relief is that?

01:30I didn't know much about the points record did I?

01:33Yeah look, I wasn't making it my main focus because again my job, I was well aware of the significance of the points record

01:41and I totally understand how important it was for the club to fight to not have that.

01:49But for me it was about focusing on how I improve the team, how do we get the best performances possible,

01:54how can we give the supporters something to identify with in a short space of time

01:58and I felt if we'd done them things and done them to the best of our ability that we would get the points required.

02:03We nearly got a great point against Fulham, we nearly won away at West Ham

02:09and today in my opinion we've got what we deserved out of the game.

02:13So I was confident that we could get past the points record but I think it was about staying measured really

02:21and just focusing on performances.

02:23Just a couple of questions on the team, Kyle was obviously able to do so he couldn't play,

02:26when did you find out about that, what can you tell us about it, is he going to be back for next week?

02:30Yeah hopefully, I've not had an update on him so he wasn't well going into the game

02:34and a great opportunity for James Bree, I thought Breezy was fantastic today

02:38so I'll probably have to wait and get an update on that.

02:41I've had conversations and looked into the players I work with and Campbell Dean has played number 9 before.

02:53I thought looking at the type of game it was going to be

02:56and the type of moments we were going to try and have to capitalise on,

03:00it suited the blend of the three, I think the same three that played away at Old Trafford as well.

03:05So it wasn't something I was uncomfortable with going into the game.

03:08Just on Tyler, I think he's had to deal with people maybe put too much pressure on him and stuff.

03:12Yeah.

03:13Today he had a couple of moments when he skimmed with a lot of y'all and then somehow

03:15was he getting given against him, was he sort of back towards his plans today?

03:18Has he maybe benefited from coming out of the starting line a little bit?

03:20Yeah, of course, when I took over the job, one of my areas of expertise, if you like,

03:27is working with young gifted footballers for a long time

03:29and having a deep understanding of the pressures and complexities that come with that.

03:33And I think he needed a bit of breathing space as a young man

03:37because he's gone through a lot this year and it's not easy at this level of football,

03:41particularly in a team that's having a difficult time over a long period.

03:45Yeah.

03:46And sometimes, you know, with young players, you've got to push and pull at the right time.

03:50You've got to have the right conversations at the right time.

03:52You've got to, you know, help them add meaning to good times and bad times.

03:56You know, and hopefully, you know, he's found that little balance today.

04:01And I thought his work rate to defend was outstanding.

04:04So, yeah, please for him.

04:05Leslie giving off the half time, was that just because he had a couple of fouls at the first half?

04:10Yeah, I just felt, you know, the nature of the way the second half might look,

04:13that there might be a key moment where he really needs to commit into a tackle

04:17or into, you know, a particular moment and a bit of tiredness later on.

04:21So, I sort of wanted to eliminate that risk, really.

04:23And Aaron Graham said, I haven't seen a lot of times this season.

04:26You can probably credit him for a lot of points at London.

04:28We're not seeing any more performances like that from him.

04:31But for him to be able to do that in the centre-master game this season,

04:33it's a great balance to see him.

04:34Brilliant from him, right?

04:35Yeah, that's right.

04:36I mean, I really want to focus on the group effort today, the club effort.

04:39You know, the effort from the fans, you know, the effort from the players,

04:42the, you know, the belief in that we can get something out of the game.

04:46You know, that's what we spoke about.

04:48We spoke at the start of the week about unity.

04:50And you find out about yourself in difficult times.

04:53You know, you don't find much out when you're having a great time.

04:56It's easy and you're winning games every week.

04:58And as a football club, that's where you really find out.

05:00That's where culture is tested.

05:02So, you know, hopefully this now can be the start of us really ending the season

05:06with as much pride and dignity as possible.

05:09And, yeah, and really just enjoy what's a great result for us today.

05:14Yeah, but, you know, it's an away game.

05:26They're tied in great form with some good players, or decent form,

05:30in a very highly strong emotional day for them, I'm sure.

05:33And then we're, you know, we're playing the team that Arsenal have been playing

05:37in the semi-finals of the Champions League.

05:39So, definitely not getting carried away with this one game at a time.

05:42And, you know, I believe in staying measured and working a process.

05:45And we've got another game next Sunday and we'll recover

05:48and we'll try and perform as best as we can next week.

05:51Exactly. Cheers.

05:52So, Ruben, you just said about the way Salampton played today

05:56that they didn't even try anything.

05:58They just sit and don't even want to win the game.

06:00It's not good for themselves or anyone.

06:02I just wondered what you thought of that team.

06:05Yeah, look, I mean, firstly, what a fantastic player he is.

06:08And, you know, what a great football club.

06:09No, seriously.

06:10Look, when players...

06:12It's frustrating, isn't it?

06:13And that was our aim.

06:14We did want to be frustrated today, you know,

06:16and we did want to make it difficult.

06:18And it's a bit of a backhanded compliment, really.

06:21And I think in the heat of battle, you know,

06:24I believe, you know, intelligence is looking at what's in front of you

06:29and looking at being adaptable

06:31at what you do to get the best out of the situation.

06:33And we have to find a different way.

06:35If we go toe-to-toe with Man City today, we lose.

06:37You know, we can't go toe-to-toe with Man City there.

06:40I think we've got maybe, I don't know, I'm guessing one-fifth of their budget.

06:44Or, you know, they've got a pool of players that are some of the best in the world.

06:47So, we have to find our way, and that's okay.

06:50You've said, obviously, when you say it a lot,

06:52that the points record hasn't been in your focus.

06:54But is it something that when you were given the job,

06:56someone at the club would have said,

06:58that's all you want almost?

07:00Yeah, but I can only speak honestly that, you know,

07:05whatever is put in front of me, I will do to the best of my ability.

07:08Whatever is put in front of the group of players,

07:10we will try to aspire to do to the best of our ability.

07:14So, the points record is there,

07:17but it wouldn't have changed us trying to win a game of football.

07:20It wouldn't have changed me analysing our opponent

07:22and trying to break down, you know, the best way to play against our opponent.

07:26But why I was confident was that when, you know, we took over that,

07:29right, okay, we need to be harder to beat.

07:31We've conceded too many goals.

07:33So, you know, what suits us best?

07:35And coming up in a short space of time in very difficult circumstances,

07:39you know, something that the players can get behind,

07:42hopefully be identifiable to the supporters that they can get behind.

07:45And we've run teams close, you know, the Fulham game, the Villa game,

07:49the West Ham game we should win.

07:51And today, we had a bad day last week, and we had a great day today.

07:55You know, and I fully appreciate that.

07:58You know, it might not have, from my point of view,

08:00looked like a beautiful game, but some of the defending was excellent.

08:04And, you know, high levels of concentration

08:06and good levels of defending in and around your box

08:08is at underrated quality, perhaps.

08:10And we've got to do what we've got to do.

08:13And we've done it well today.

08:14I just went to ask Pep,

08:16you seem to have some sort of exchange with Adam Alar on the pitch at full time.

08:19I don't know if he's made you aware of that or told you what?

08:22No, I've got no idea. No, sorry.

08:24Cool.

08:26Cheers, guys.

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