Boro go again tonight away to Preston North End. No butter pies for the away fans this evening as we instead must hunker down around our laptops or red button Sky single camera dis-service to see if we can bounce back from defeat at Stoke and show once more that this team can keep in touch with the promotion chasing pack. Kick off is 7pm.
Neil Warnock was in the mood for fan reality checks yesterday when I questioned him at the Hurworth press conference. But accommodating as always the Boro boss was giving off plenty of reasons to be cheerful..
Fly: Preston are usually very tough to play at Deepdale, they have been indifferent at home so far this season. Is this an opportunity to bounce back from defeat at Stoke?
NW: I think we are always looking on the next game when you have had a result like Saturday. I think it will be a different me because Preston play some really good football. The game I saw was as good as I've seen. In fact I couldn't believe where they were in the table when I watched them go 3-0 up against Bournemouth. We have to be ready for that now. We have to be ready so we don't let them dominate games like they did that one. Our lads will be. We'll not be more than 10-15% away in any game. It is just a small matter that makes you win it, draw or lose, really. We've got to try and get back on the swing now. I would like to go on another unbeaten run now. That is what we should be looking at.
Fly: Does it often come down to the supply? The final ball in and around the box just being that little bit better?
NW: Yes. It comes down to quality, Rob. I am not saying our lads are not good players but there are certain areas. They say sometimes you pay for what you get and things like that. But I think you look around the league and I could tell you certain teams that I think have got a lot of quality in that area but you have just got to do the best with what you have got. Whilst it frustrates me, I am lucky to have this group. I think they are a good group. I think the club's fantastic. So, I'm going to enjoy it. I don't enjoy reading Craig's (Craig Johns – Gazette) reports now and then but I think to myself when I read that, bloody hell how would you be if I weren't here. What would be saying then. You get a bit carried away when you forget where we were and you forget all sorts of things when you are covering a particular club. But you have got to try and look more into the reasons why things don't happen and I know for a fact not one of those lads didn't give me 100%. So, it wasn't that. It is nothing to do with the physical and the trying and that's the important thing for clubs like Middlesbrough. You have got to make sure that your lads are giving you 100% every game. If they are giving you that and there's other problems, you can cope with that. I haven't got a problem with my lads at the minute. It is just I am hoping we don't get any more serious injuries in the next few games.
Fly: I think that is what supporters demand don't they players giving their all. We cannot be there cheering them on but sitting at home I think that is what we want to see.
NW: Yes, I think your fans want always want to see exciting football I think. And I don't think there have been many times this year when we haven't.. we are always trying to play football but sometimes the team you are against is very difficult to play against. You have just got to come up with something else and we haven't been able to in one or two games.
Probably the best we have played all season was the 30 minutes at Huddersfield. And if we are 3-0 up at Huddersfield there's no way they would have come back and it is a whole different ball game the following week. Are you with me?
It's such a fine line, football. And you've not got to forget how close you were and a player doesn't miss chances on purpose, don't fall over on purpose or give a goal away. You know they do it like that.
So, while I'm here I have just got to be level-headed and I'm trying to enjoy it as much as I can, Rob. Because I think if I enjoy it, I think the players will and the fans will and it rubs off on you.
The chairman he's loving it at the minute. And its great from him not to have to worry all the time about whats going off. Are you with me? He knows I would love 3 or 4 players. He would love to give me 3 or 4 players but we are all working together. That's the best thing about Middesbrough football club really. We are all working together.
We have a winner for the Manager of the Month award. £12 and half thousand. Fantastic really. Which just shows you what the fans are like, really. So, I would like to get another one now so we could get another 12 grand in.
Neil Warnock was in the mood for fan reality checks yesterday when I questioned him at the Hurworth press conference. But accommodating as always the Boro boss was giving off plenty of reasons to be cheerful..
Fly: Preston are usually very tough to play at Deepdale, they have been indifferent at home so far this season. Is this an opportunity to bounce back from defeat at Stoke?
NW: I think we are always looking on the next game when you have had a result like Saturday. I think it will be a different me because Preston play some really good football. The game I saw was as good as I've seen. In fact I couldn't believe where they were in the table when I watched them go 3-0 up against Bournemouth. We have to be ready for that now. We have to be ready so we don't let them dominate games like they did that one. Our lads will be. We'll not be more than 10-15% away in any game. It is just a small matter that makes you win it, draw or lose, really. We've got to try and get back on the swing now. I would like to go on another unbeaten run now. That is what we should be looking at.
Fly: Does it often come down to the supply? The final ball in and around the box just being that little bit better?
NW: Yes. It comes down to quality, Rob. I am not saying our lads are not good players but there are certain areas. They say sometimes you pay for what you get and things like that. But I think you look around the league and I could tell you certain teams that I think have got a lot of quality in that area but you have just got to do the best with what you have got. Whilst it frustrates me, I am lucky to have this group. I think they are a good group. I think the club's fantastic. So, I'm going to enjoy it. I don't enjoy reading Craig's (Craig Johns – Gazette) reports now and then but I think to myself when I read that, bloody hell how would you be if I weren't here. What would be saying then. You get a bit carried away when you forget where we were and you forget all sorts of things when you are covering a particular club. But you have got to try and look more into the reasons why things don't happen and I know for a fact not one of those lads didn't give me 100%. So, it wasn't that. It is nothing to do with the physical and the trying and that's the important thing for clubs like Middlesbrough. You have got to make sure that your lads are giving you 100% every game. If they are giving you that and there's other problems, you can cope with that. I haven't got a problem with my lads at the minute. It is just I am hoping we don't get any more serious injuries in the next few games.
Fly: I think that is what supporters demand don't they players giving their all. We cannot be there cheering them on but sitting at home I think that is what we want to see.
NW: Yes, I think your fans want always want to see exciting football I think. And I don't think there have been many times this year when we haven't.. we are always trying to play football but sometimes the team you are against is very difficult to play against. You have just got to come up with something else and we haven't been able to in one or two games.
Probably the best we have played all season was the 30 minutes at Huddersfield. And if we are 3-0 up at Huddersfield there's no way they would have come back and it is a whole different ball game the following week. Are you with me?
It's such a fine line, football. And you've not got to forget how close you were and a player doesn't miss chances on purpose, don't fall over on purpose or give a goal away. You know they do it like that.
So, while I'm here I have just got to be level-headed and I'm trying to enjoy it as much as I can, Rob. Because I think if I enjoy it, I think the players will and the fans will and it rubs off on you.
The chairman he's loving it at the minute. And its great from him not to have to worry all the time about whats going off. Are you with me? He knows I would love 3 or 4 players. He would love to give me 3 or 4 players but we are all working together. That's the best thing about Middesbrough football club really. We are all working together.
We have a winner for the Manager of the Month award. £12 and half thousand. Fantastic really. Which just shows you what the fans are like, really. So, I would like to get another one now so we could get another 12 grand in.
