Crawley Town enjoyed a comfortable 5-0 win over neighbours Three Bridges in their pre-season friendly at Jubilee Field. Here is Scott Lindsey's full post match interview
00:00Scott, that's the first game back in front of the fans for pre-season.
00:04What did you take from today?
00:06Three things, really.
00:07I spoke to the players about the three things before the game.
00:10That was keeping a clean sheet was important tonight, scoring goals and winning the game.
00:16So, the three things we spoke about and the three things we've done.
00:20So, I'm really, really pleased with that.
00:21I thought it was a good performance.
00:22Some actions that we've been working on that was clear to see tonight.
00:26So, yeah, really pleased.
00:27We've got lots of new signings introduced to the fans for the first time in that first half.
00:32What excited you about them today and their performances?
00:34I just think kind of playing our way.
00:39You know, when they've come from another club and they've not been used to pressing the way we press
00:42and playing certain actions the way we play,
00:46it's clear to see that they've taken on the information already and executed it really well.
00:51Good to see some of the new players get on the score sheet as well, which was pleasing.
00:55So, yeah, I'm really happy with the performance tonight.
01:01You know, we played a game out in Spain.
01:03It's our second competitive game, as it were.
01:07And up to now, I've been really pleased.
01:09Yeah, at this stage, were you happy with the intensity?
01:11Because it seemed quite energetic out there for this stage of pre-season.
01:13Yeah, that's what we want.
01:15We want an energy, we want a tempo which suits us, you know, whether that's with the ball or without the ball.
01:23We certainly showed that tonight.
01:25I thought it was aggressive.
01:27We didn't have to defend many moments because we camped in their half quite a lot of the time of the game.
01:38So, you know, the test would be to play against a team that probably asked more questions of us.
01:44But that's not being disrespectful to Free Bridges.
01:47They give us a good game tonight.
01:48There were some moments where it was a little bit uncomfortable for us at times.
01:51So, fair play to them.
01:53But no, listen, I can't complain.
01:54I think the players applied themselves really well tonight.
01:57As ever, lots of trialists on the show.
01:59Apart from what you see on the field, what sort of attracts you with a trialist?
02:02What do you look for in a trialist?
02:04Attitude.
02:07Want, will and determination to run for a start.
02:12Technical ability to be able to play in a possession-based team is obviously a big factor.
02:17And I thought all the trialists did really well tonight.
02:19They all looked comfortable with the ball.
02:20They all looked like they wanted to run.
02:22They all looked like they wanted to press, defend.
02:24Do the basics really well.
02:28I thought they did well.
02:29But we know it's important to have a good group of players and you got to take them away to Spain obviously last week.
02:34Just sort of summarise that trip and how did that benefit the squad?
02:37It was just about getting away and getting together and trying to create a togetherness, which we did.
02:44They trained extremely hard every day.
02:49It was hard work for them and it was quite relentless if you want to put it that way.
02:54And it was hard, you know.
02:55And I think that it wasn't an enjoyable week in many ways for the players because they worked extremely hard.
03:03And I think they couldn't wait to get back on the plane and get home, to be honest with you.
03:06But it was a great week from a football point of view.
03:10And it was just a good week of getting together and kind of building them connections and building that togetherness.
03:18Yeah, most players obviously were 45 minutes at this stage of pre-season tonight.
03:21Can we expect to see the same on Saturday?
03:23No, it'll be slightly more on Saturday, probably around 60-30 split now.
03:26So we've done two games, two 45s, so now it'll be a 60-30 split moving forward.
03:35And then you're going to look towards back in the pre-season where there'll be more 90 minutes thrown in with certain players, certainly.
03:41So, yeah, I think up to now we've kind of ticked all the boxes in which we wanted to tick in terms of distance covered in the weeks that we've trained and the games that we've played.
03:54And we've come away with no injuries, so that's always a big plus.
03:58Thanks, Scott.
03:59Mark?
04:00Scott, yeah, just a quick word about Danny Cashman.
04:02I thought he looked very lively in the first half.
04:05Yeah, we're really pleased with Danny.
04:07He's very sharp, very lively, comes in the pitch really well.
04:10We're kind of working on actions where he does come in the pitch, what is the next pass or what are the next passes from that,
04:17which we saw a couple of times when he does come inside the pitch.
04:20Just the opposite winger comes in and we try and play through, but we've been really pleased with him.
04:25He's actually surprised me in the pre-season how fit he is.
04:30When you come from a non-league club, you don't usually see a boy that fit.
04:34He's actually in the top group in terms of the running, which is unbelievable because this is a fit group.
04:39So he's really impressed me with that and he's been brilliant around the place.
04:43He's trained really well every day and again tonight he was really sharp in the game, wasn't he?
04:47And out in the game against Hearts, he was probably the best player on the pitch in the first half.
04:52I thought he was excellent, you know, so yeah, he's done well.
04:54I'm really pleased with him.
04:55Yeah, you've got a lot of attacking options.
04:57Are you using these games to find out what is the best option or have you got it in your head already what the best combination is?
05:03I think it's probably too early to look at what the side will look like against Grimsby on the first game.
05:10We know what formation we're going to play.
05:12We know kind of how that looks.
05:14There's a long way to go of pre-season yet, you know, so we've just got to keep everybody sharp and keep everybody learning our way.
05:22Certain actions we want to keep working on and come the week before we play Grimsby,
05:28we'll select a team that we think is capable of winning that game, obviously.
05:32But I've been pleased with everybody.
05:35We're still probably, I don't know, three or four, at the most probably four short of where we need to be in terms of players coming in.
05:42We're working really hard in the background to make that happen.
05:46But up to now I'm pleased, you know, I'm pleased with how we've trained, I'm pleased with how we've been in the two games.
05:52You know, we've played against a really good Hearts team out in Spain.
05:56Probably in front of us in many ways, ability-wise as well.
06:01You know, different levels.
06:03But also they've been training a couple of weeks before we had because their season, I think they,
06:07well certainly their cup football starts next week, so they're in front of us in terms of levels of fitness as well.
06:13So, but it was a good game, it was a good game.
06:15You know, like this was tonight, you know, and I enjoyed tonight.
06:20I thought it was some really good goals, clean sheet and we won the game, so I can't ask for any more.
06:26And just a word about three bridges and the facilities here, they're fantastic, aren't they?
06:29Unbelievable.
06:29But like, it's brilliant, it's like a proper game, wasn't it?
06:31You know, the facilities are amazing.
06:34I love three bridges, I think the people here, the staff, even the people behind the bar are lovely, you know,
06:40everyone's really, really nice here and we trained here a lot at the end of last season
06:43and they're our, you know, they're our friendly neighbours as it were.
06:47So, yeah, we really respect three bridges and they're a great club.
06:50I thought they, you know, they'd give us a good game tonight.
06:52I know the scoreline probably wouldn't suggest that, but they did.
06:55Some moments what, you know, where they, they could have hurt us more, you know,
06:59but like, you know, I thought, I thought it was a good game of football and really respectful to them.
07:03So thank you, three bridges.
07:05Yeah, and finally, you mentioned about three or four, sure, maybe.
07:08Are you close to any of those signings?
07:10You say you're working hard.
07:10Yeah, we are.
07:12We just, it can be frustrating because you feel you're close
07:16and then you get a phone call that might suggest you're not close
07:19and then you get another phone call that might suggest you are again.
07:22So it's a little bit up and down and it can be frustrating
07:25and it's not through the want of trying and the work that's going in the background,
07:29I've got to say, is incredible.
07:31Yeah, it's just, it's just kind of a waiting game at times, you know,
07:35and we've identified what we want and how we want to do it.
07:39We've done a lot of Zoom meetings and presentations to players
07:44and it's about getting the deal over the line
07:46and once it's a yes, all systems go really quickly
07:50but it's getting to that point where they say yes.
07:55You know, it can be, you feel you're close
07:56and then all of a sudden you feel that you're not close
07:58and it can be frustrating but it's important to all parties
08:03because, you know, the players are looking at their futures
08:05and where they want to play and how they want to play
08:07and, you know, the location of where they live
08:10and there's loads of kind of factors that have got to be considered
08:13but from a manager's point of view it's quite frustrating.
08:17Just want to get it done and get them in, you know.
08:19Absolutely.
08:20It seems like you've done a lot of business earlier
08:21and that's how you want it, isn't it?
08:23Yeah, we have to be fair and I think that's important
08:25because we want to coach the team.
08:27We want to coach the team.
08:28You know, I don't want to be coaching the team
08:32a week before we play Grimsby
08:33and we're miles off looking like a Crawley team.
08:37We want to be nailed on looking like a Crawley team.
08:39I'd only do that if we've got the place to do it.
08:41So, yeah, we're hopeful that we get another few in
08:44between the start of the season
08:46and, you know, hopefully the squad will be built
08:49and, you know, we can run with it until January.
