Here's what Jesse Marsch had to say in his pre-match press conference ahead of this weekend's clash with Brighton and Hove Albion.
I'll start with injuries.
Junior and Luke. We think that they will be in training next week and potentially Mateusz Bogusz as well. Obviously Stuart is still months away, but working really hard. And then the big question mark is Patrick Bamford.
We think he's doing well and moving forward. I think also with the performances of the team, it allows us to be patient but we will still have a call to make for exactly what it means for this weekend. But we want to put him in the best position possible to physically be ready to pick up where he left off.
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It's been a great start to the season. So far. Another big crowd has been broke last night. How important is it to feed off that positivity and to maintain this unbeaten run for as long as possible? Just looking ahead to the game this weekend, great win against Chelsea but in some ways given the way Brighton have started the season, could this be an even tougher test?
Yeah, I would say obviously there's momentum but we've talked a lot internally that we're only starting our process of becoming the team that we really want to become and there's still a lot of work to do. And, there's nothing that keeps you more honest than what this league is and what football and sport in this country is.
If you take one second to think that you've achieved anything then the next opponent can come and just clean you up. So we really respect Brighton, they've obviously had a great season last year, they've made some good additions, they have a wonderful manager and they've had a really good start to the season. So we know that our focus and attention exactly to this challenge will be the most important thing.
We're a week away from transfer deadline day and there's been a lot of talk about bringing a forward in during this transfer window. How likely is that and if you don't get a player in Are you comfortable with the squat that you've got?
Striker, yes. How likely it is is dependent on how things play out and what availabilities are of players and we certainly don't have a surplus of big amounts of money to go out to spend and bring in a huge transfer but I think we've done a good job of evaluating players that are of high interest to us. Then we're waiting to see and having good communication with different clubs and agents and players to see if there might be flexibility and what their contracts are and what their situations are that we can still add a quality piece to what we're doing.
Luis Sinisterra, we saw it for the first time from the start at Elland Road last night. How big an impact do you think he could make this season and did it give you something to think about last night with that performance in terms of your team selection this weekend?
No, it didn't. We knew we already had a fantastic player and it's not been so easy for our fans and all the media to see him up close, but we see him every day. I was not surprised at all that he was the man of the match, he played a big part in all three goals. We think very, very highly of him and he is driven to continue to adapt and grow within our within our system and within our environment.
Will it be this weekend? Let's see how he gets out of the 60 minutes, I think the 60 minutes were incredibly important and valuable for him and let's see where he's at physically. I think for sure he becomes bigger and bigger an option to have a bigger and bigger role within what we're doing here with our team.
Also, I always think the most important thing is that the players are proving themselves internally that the other players see how good you are and how important you can become to the team. And Luis has done that in a big way. So, I think we need to just monitor him physically but then be ready that regardless, we'll be ready to use them in a in a big roll this weekend.
Did Liam Cooper come through OK?
Yeah. that was very important for us. The idea was 30 to 45 and 30 minutes he looked really strong so we went with 45. He feels great. He'll be ready for this weekend and then again trying to figure out exactly what his role will be.
Mateusz Klich was impressive last night, just how important a player is he?
No, I'm really happy with Klichy. He's had to accept a different role. He and I've had really good conversations I think the air is totally clear and he's committed in every way to try to help in any way that he can.
I think he's had good performances from the bench and then last night I think for 90 minutes to get a good 90 minutes under him, he also played against Norwich with the 21s and he was very good in that match as well. I think he will continue to be a big factor for us and then how we rotate things when we use them how we use them.
I think he's excited about the role and is taking it on as a really important role and then a big challenge and he'll be ready when we need.
Inevitably he's probably got one eye on the World Cup going forward so because of that we'll be desperate to get as many minutes as possible. Are you able to offer him those minutes that he needs or would there be any suggestion that he might look for a move where we could guarantee first team football week in week out?
I think he's very committed to being here. I think he feels like the role that he and I have discussed is enough for him to continue to push to make the World Cup team for Poland. And if he plays like that, I think which he I think every time he stepped on the field for us now on the last matches he's played really well. So I think that Poland will look at that very favourably and Mateusz thinks that as well.
A little bit more reaction from last night. It was a really big opportunity for a lot of players to show you what they can do to impress you, who particularly did that for you last night?
I think in one way or another they all passed the test and in a good way. The challenge I said to them immediately after the Chelsea game and immediately before the Barnsley game was, ‘can we be as clear with our tactics and our mentality and our performance as we were with the Chelsea match’.
Yeah, there's little things in there that could be better but I think for the most part, we went through the match today, we heard from a lot of the guys on how they thought it went, what they thought was important in the match. I think there was a lot of really good comments and intelligence with the way that the group processed exactly what the game was and we'll use it to continue to feed them with confidence and understanding and help them continue to grow and be more and more of an option at important moments in the season. Last night was also very important moment for our club and for our team and I thought all of them were ready to go and play quite well.
For some players it was particularly a huge opportunity for them. Some really shone some maybe will come away and think I didn't do quite as well as I could have done, is that where the man management is particularly important, they feel that pressure that they want to impress and it's hard to do that sometimes?
In this business if you're not getting so many playing minutes, then it's hard to really show your development and they need to play in order to make mistakes, to show improvement and then we'll look at the video, we'll talk about things and we'll find ways to help them improve.
I take that role very seriously. I haven't really announced it but Cameron Toshack is our new individual plan, individual coach. We've invested a lot in trying to be very clear with every player and to get their input and investment into as to what they think they need to do to improve and then do it within the model of how we're trying to play football.
I think what we've seen is full engagement from every player, and that gives them the chance to think be the best versions of themselves and continue to improve. Ultimately that's what will help the team is if every player is fully engaged is improving is giving everything they have to the group and then we'll see we'll see more and more quality moments for every player.
Quick reaction to the draw of last night, Wolves away in the next round. What was your reaction to that?
Terrible. Terrible but mostly because we know Wolves is a really good team and that it won't be easy. We've tried to build a squad that has more depth so that we can be ready for every challenge so that that will obviously be a big challenge for us in the third round. So yeah, not what we wanted, but whatever, we'll be ready to go
With seven all Premier league ties, should you get past Wolves, seven more Premier League sides are going to go. Is this a real opportunity to progress?
No, it's true. You know, and you see some big matchups in there where it won't be it won't be easy for some big teams so but we'll be totally focused on ours that I know that I'll it'll require total concentration.
When you came in here, the club was in a difficult spot. You had some difficult moments yourself towards the end of last season as well. I wonder how different things are for you day to day now, especially this week, after such an impressive result against Chelsea?
I would say mostly internally the feeling of the work has been always really good and really strong and the commitment from every guy. Obviously last year, the stress of relegation meant that a big part of my job was just the psychology of how we were approaching every day.
I have a bigger support team now so it doesn't require me to go over every opponent myself and every video of every session and every game. We still are evaluating things as a staff but we've created a wider spectrum of roles and then how we relate with each other which lessens the burden of me to do every little thing which is helpful because then I can focus a little on some more of the broad things but still know when to get into the minutiae.
So I feel like the staff is operating really well. I didn't hear Rene Maric’s press conference last night but he's a very intelligent person and he's helped a lot so has Ewan Sharp, the work that Jacko does is amazing that I talked about Cameron already. Marcos is an incredible goalkeeper coach, for me, and really pushes the environment that those guys are put into every day. And then Aaron dagger and Willy are helping me in every way with the video analysis. So we have a really good support team right now and it feels like we're really moving things in the right direction.
I'm sure to you every day you're seeing all these people operate, you're seeing the benefits that there are to all the different individuals, but to the wider media, the fans, the football public in this country, how much does a result headline result like that against Chelsea help?
I don't think we needed validation internally. The guys know, I've been saying for weeks that there's something special happening here but obviously it helps, it always helps, results always validate and against good opponents. Even before the game, I said ‘shut the door on that result because for the next game and the next game it doesn't mean anything’. We need to stay laser focused and fully concentrated on improving and maximising our potential every day and then continuing to commit to the playing style, the mentality of the group, the engagement, everything.
The minute you think you're doing well, you'll get smacked in the face, we're very aware of that. In terms of who I am and what I try to do every day, it doesn't change a whole lot. I'm still the work is the most important thing. And that's what I'm focused on every day.
And just finally Archie Gray has been in and around the first team this season. I just wanted I was GCSEs have gone?
I asked him in front of the team and he said he got B's and A's so, but he said B's first, which made me think maybe more B’s than A's. Clearly he's a bright kid and then he was he was sick for a little bit, he didn't have COVID but he had like some sort of weird stomach intestinal flu or something.
He’s still a big part of everything we do, every day and he's such a great kid. It's a pleasure to have him around. It's not like you have a 16-year-old kid in the first-team, it's like he's one of the players. So it's a big compliment to him.
I don't have to worry about those exam results with the way his football is going...
No, but I think his family and him are committed to him educating himself. He even talks about taking some of his A levels which I would I fully encourage because I think a well-rounded human being is important part of being a good football.
Cody wanted to go out in January to get games and did so, why was he happy sticking around this season and how is he getting on?
I think he's doing great. Cody and I had some tough conversations at the end of last year when we had him in for training. I think he had a very good experience at Cardiff and in his mind, maybe wanted to stay there.
I challenged him to think about challenging himself to be here. It was really good that he got games, that he was playing well and I watched not every game but I got highlights of most of his games and I watched a lot of his actions. I think over time he's enjoyed being here and I think in there he has played good football and I think with him, they kind of go hand in hand. The key for him is to not need the enjoyment and need more of the drive to be the best that he can possibly be and get out of his comfort zone, which he did by going to Cardiff, but like challenge himself at a high level to really maximise who he can be every day.
I think he's done that in a big way. It's been a pleasure. I've seen him grow a lot in the last weeks. I think he's performed well within the team. I think he's fit well within the team. So yeah, I mean, what happens with them going forward, I think it's not it's not totally solidified one way or the other quite yet.
The window is still open. I think he knows he wants to play games and that's important for him but we also value having him here. So we'll see how that next week goes and exactly what comes out of it but I can just say that in the moment. I think he's fully a part of our team in our club and he has a big future here.
He had a moment with Kitching last night and it was one in, all in. Did you like that?
Yes. Loved it. To be fair, they all stood up for each other but didn't cross the line. It's really important that everybody has each other's back.Cody did nothing to deserve the reaction, but Cody stood up for himself and the team stood up for him, but no punches were thrown, nothing stupid was done in the process. It was just a group showing total solidarity and commitment to each other. So this kind of stuff for me is important. And I know there's these mass confrontation things and referees are trying to avoid all this. But for me, part of being a team is making sure you have each other's back. So I thought that was great.
You said there isn't a huge surplus of cash to make any massive signings in the last week. Obviously Andrea has been on the record with the De Ketelaere Business, what would you say to fans that query the fact that there was money there for De Ketelaere but not the surplus that you're talking about?
I want to be fair to Andrea because, for me, he's committed in every way to every request that I've had since I've been here. So we're just operating within a budget that is defined. We're trying to find flexibility and be aggressive with some options, but doing it in a way that honours what Andrea has provided for us with the commitment. He and I have a great relationship and we talk daily, honestly, we talk daily, and then there's always the conversations between Victor and Angus and us and trying to make sure we're on the same page.
Obviously over the transfer period, things kind of ebb and flow based on the development of the team and each individual player. So I mean, I could bring up 10 guys maybe there was a thought about, like we talked about Klichy that maybe there was an idea that a loan and what it meant to Klichy and his future and what it meant to us. It's come together in a way where I think everybody sees things now the same way and the air is very clear and understood and then we can move forward all together.
In the end, that's what's most important, that whatever decisions get made either to move players out or bring players in are done with the exact strategy and idea in mind for exactly what we need and big compliment to everyone involved here in this building and at Elland Road that we've done that really well.
You've got very good selection problems across the team at the moment, especially at centre-back now Liam Cooper is back. How hard will it be to leave the captain out given how Diego and Robin have done?
Liam is going to play a big role in the team no matter what. But, yeah, Diego and Robin have done really well. I told Liam even before we put him on the pitch, he hadn't trained much before this match and he it was the same when he came back from his injury in the spring and when he came back again the second time after he picked up a little knee injury.
Every time we put him on the pitch he plays flawlessly almost. So in terms of a mentality and beinga professional and a leader, he's the best I've ever seen. We will need him. Trust me, he will be used and he will be needed.
With this performance laid out on Sunday, does it set a benchmark for the team? What should expectations be?
I heard people saying this after the match that this was a benchmark and I don't think like that as much. Sometimes in a process things can come together in a match plan with an opponent where it comes together in the right way. But there we still will have massive challenges and we won't be able to control big opponents, or any opponent for that matter as well, maybe, as we did in this match.
To be fair, Chelsea had big chances in the beginning and even at the start of the second half. The save that Illan makes is not offside in the 50/51 minute if he doesn't make that save after VAR, it could be it could be 2-1. All of these things, the margin of error, the line is so thin between success and failure in any moment that we just have to know that we can play to a certain level but also we felt that internally and continue to have a drive and hunger to get even better and perform even better. So I believe we have that in us but that's the goal, to never stop. And what was sorry there was a second part that you asked?
What should expectations be for the season?
Yeah, I mean, I shouldn't have answered that. With who we are and where we are it's dangerous to talk about expectations, for me. It's much more valuable to talk about game to game. That's always the case. but obviously when you have one of the best teams in the league, you can dream about titles. For us it's more about how can we really have a strong environment, get everyone healthy and performing at their best, be able to have options in every position and at every moment for every game and perform at our best level every match.
If we do that, I think we can pick up a lot of points and we can then start to maybe in a few weeks or a couple of months talk about ‘we want to be mid table’, ‘we want to be top 10’, ‘we want to be these kinds of things’. But we're not we're not there yet, for me.
Jesse, just could you talk a bit more about what Cameron Toshack will be doing and why you feel it's important?
Yeah, so first of all, we've spent a lot of time working with the players to create individual plans that include everything from technical, tactical, nutrition, physical and gym work, psychological mentality. He's put together action plans for every player that include measurables in all of these areas, that include weekly work, that include additional meetings video.
I think that the role will continue to grow and be flexible. He's also on the pitch every day with players working. He's ghost coaching during training in certain positions when we're working on certain things. The role will continue, I think to grow and change based on what we find is the most valuable. I've always wanted to have someone in a role like this and I'm thankful that the club has supported me and us in this way to now be able to execute the plan. I think we're already seeing the rewards. And then I think we'll continue to show the investment that I and we have in them as people to help them maximise who they can be.
It seems as though the game has got much more tactical in recent years. How important is it that you have footballers with footballing intelligence?
Massively important. It's always easy to evaluate when watching video how talented a player is and what his qualities are. The tougher things are to know his exact mentality and in their mostly how he handles difficulty snd then to really process how quick of a learner is he. Those two things wind up being as important, if not more important, than the actual football talent and quality. I’ve found that over my recruitment, life in football, that getting to the core of their learning abilities and mentalities, winds up dictating exactly how good the potential of that player can be.
I've been lucky to work with some incredibly talented players. The name that would come to mind is Erling Haaland, but I could say a lot of different players and then a lot of the guys even here and what really defines their learning curve and their potential is who they are as people. So yeah, that's the people business, I've said that before here. That's the truth.
Perhaps on that theme as well. Do you think when you're a new manager and you have to win over people in your own squad, and you think results and performances like Saturday or Sunday could help you to do that?
In some ways, everything you do in this position is being judged by everyone. I don't treat it that way and I try conversely not to be someone who walks around and judges everybody. I try to appreciate people for who they are and what their good qualities are, I try to also get to the core of trying to figure out how they can be the best versions of themselves.
When I do my job, I'm open. When I make mistakes, I speak about them. I show vulnerability. Certainly I try to show my strengths and my intelligence and my experience and have that add up to be something that people can relate with and are drawn to. But in the end, it's I think more about my ability to give than it is to take information from them or their judgement. I try to exemplify that with the work that I do just on.
On the specifics of day to day to get that level of running that you did on Sunday, the aggression. Do you have to manage the intensity in training or can you just unleash that?
The way I think about football and training and games and tactics and putting it all together I sometimes say I feel like I'm wearing a lab coat. I'm evaluating their nutrition, their weights, their loading, their gym work, everything that they're doing physically, their sleep, their wellness app.
I'm working carefully with Rob Price and the entire medical team to make sure that as physical athletes, specimens, we're maximising the potential of who they are and who they can become and then add the piece of the tactics and the football and the mentality and the work ethic and putting it all together to create football, high performing machines.
Do it in a way that's respectful of their lives and who they are as people and then I think you access brilliance. I said last year when I came in, I got killed for it by all of you guys about Marcelo overtraining, but in my experiences, the reality was that the team was done, physically, emotionally, everything. The first thing I had to do was try to mould them in my vision, how they needed to come out of that, and then with a long term focus on how to modify them to be the types of athletes that we need to be to perform the football that we want to play.
What you see now, if you just look at physical data is that sometimes we run more, sometimes we run less, but the high intensity and the sprinting and some of these values have gone up and the decelerations and accelerations have gone down, which sometimes those things, the stopping and going, can be more stressful on the body than the pure sprinting.
Knowing that we need them to do that, we also need to train them to be sprinting athletes and so it's a little bit different methodology and how to make sure that we're on top of how we do that every day and we're getting to the point of where I feel strongly about how they're able to perform, just from a physical standpoint.
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