Just go back to the moment of the winning goal and what's happened since then, how do you feel?
Yeah. At 1-1, we talked that last week when it was close with Fulham that we were more waiting to lose than pushing to win. And I think the best part was that you saw real resolve at 1-1. We needed Illan to make some big saves, but I think the mentality to push to stay in the match and to see if we could find a way to regardless walk away with one and see if we could find our way to see if we could get the three was really strong and showed resolve and belief in the team so it was necessary to stop the bleeding. Really important for us and I'm happy for our guys.
And the celebrations, what are they like?
Yeah, I mean, I haven’t even spoken to the team. The guys are happy. There's music in there. That's great. I want them to enjoy the moment. We have to use this to launch ourselves and so it makes for me next weekend really, really important back at Elland Road
So many things happening in the game, Jesse, was the defining point in some way Willy Gnonto’s introduction, was that the game changing moment for you?
I thought Willy came in and played really well. You know for an 18 year old he really savvy, he has football intelligence. So he doesn't play like an 18 year old so I thought he was really good.
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There’s a bunch of saves. There's you know, maybe you could say that, that even in the first half, maybe if we can find a way to get the second or third goal that we could even push the game a little bit more because first half I thought we were fantastic. There's a lot of little things in there but I'm certainly happy for Willy I'm happy for Cry, two young guys that that we believe in. Joffy came in off the bench last week and played really well.
We've got a really good young core. We've got this group that's like, you can include Mateo Joseph and Sonny Perkins and say there's a group that's from 18 to 21 that's really strong, especially attacking positions. And then there's a group that's 21 to 26, that is also really strong in our team and then you have the established guys. So the balance in our group is great. I think we should have never been in a situation because I think we've been playing well and just not getting points. But, whatever, we've tried to maximise it, stay strong, stay calm and keep pushing.
You’ve been under intense scrutiny with everything you’ve said…
Yeah, Mother Teresa.
How much pressure did you feel? Has that performance and result lifted it off you?
That I don't know. I mean, I'm just happy for our team, because I believe in them. I've told them that often. I've challenged them to continue to get better. I’ve challenged them to stay strong and unified. They've done that. So in a moment like this, I think if you're a real leader, your focus is on your people. And for me it was an important time for our people.
You said before the game you were sick of losing, what were your emotions like?
Again, my focus was on the team and the ability for them to in a very tough moment in our season and incredibly tough place to play against one of the best teams in the world and to come away with three points is a big moment for all of them. So yeah, it's important
What’s the situation with Luis Sinisterra?
Yeah, we hope that he will be in training this week. We hope that it's not too bad. So you'd have to get Rob Price in here to talk through all the details of exactly what the injury is, but it's a little sprain in his foot. He was still pretty sore yesterday but the swelling has gone down each day and hopefully we can get him on the pitch. This week.
The full-time whistle was met with immense emotion. How much did you feel the players were fighting for you today?
I think they were but they were fighting for us. They believe in what we're doing. It's been painful for all of us. Obviously they take heat from different people and different sources. The manager takes heat. It's impossible to work in football in this day and age in isolation. We have social media, we have media we have we have fans, we have everything you know, they walk around town, they hear from everybody that they're behind them, but that they need some urgency in our season. Nobody wants to go down. So what's on my mind is continuing to stay stable and strong so that they give themselves the best chance to perform.
Up until this moment Crysencio hasn’t had that game that maybe Joffy had last season or Sam had on the final day. How pleased are you for him that he’s come up in a massive moment for the team?
Yeah, I think he came off the bench last week and played really well and I think against Leicester he was good. So we know we have a good player on our hands with him. Honestly, the biggest thing with him is discipline, professionalism, work ethic, maximising the potential of what it is in this world of professional football and not thinking about all the other stuff that gets in the way of really developing. So I've worked with a lot of young attacking players. I've helped them become world stars, literally, world stars. And I think Cry has potential to get better and be a big player for us.
Did you do anything different with your approach this week?
Yeah, I'm not superstitious at all, but I started changing everything up but the problem is now I don't know what to keep and what to change back.
What about in training?
Yeah, we tried to change some things. Yeah, a little bit of everything. Like you know, I mean, nobody wants to go to the same routine and all the time and whether it's was set piece preparation or with video or with what the training week is and the emphasis, but again, I’ve got to figure out which things to keep
How impressed have you been with Illan Meslier since you came to the club?
Yeah, I mean, what I always say about goalkeepers is I can give them tutelage on presence and mentality and how to handle moments how to be the quarterback of the team but the technical aspect of what I can teach him that I have to leave up to the goalkeeper coach. We needed Illan, I've been pushing him to continue to grow to be a bigger presence to be savvier and understand how to handle big moments and certainly today he did that. He did that really well. So it was really important.
And Tyler Adams as well, how vital was it to have him back?
For me, Tyler Adams has been one of the best players on the pitch in almost every game we've played. So I'm not surprised to see him be able to deliver like that. I think he's had a great season. It was tough not having him last week but I thought Sam Greenwood had a good match. He's very important to our team.
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