Video summary
Manager Alexander expressed his delight with the team's performance in the Carabao Cup third-round victory, noting that while there were some signs of rustiness among new players in the first half, the squad found its rhythm and became excellent in the second period. He highlighted the strong defensive contribution from the attacking line and praised the timing of the equalizer just before halftime, which he felt was a fair result given the quality of the opponent. Although the team conceded a goal due to a lapse in concentration on a clearance, Alexander emphasized that the subsequent three-goal victory demonstrated the squad's ability to find another gear in their attacking phases away from home.
The match provided a significant learning experience for several debutants and young players who had worked hard during pre-season, allowing them to understand the intensity required in League One. Alexander pointed out that while it is easy to perform well for one night, the real challenge lies in maintaining this level of consistency over the next forty games with a full squad of twenty-two fit and tactically aligned players. He specifically commended captain Kaden for leading by example through his commitment and work ethic, noting that senior players are essential in guiding newcomers from different backgrounds to adapt to the club's culture and high-pressing style.
Alexander also reflected on the importance of character and mentality, especially after a difficult loss earlier in the week, stating that adversity is the only time a team can truly reveal its real nature. He praised the squad for handling the setback with resilience and showed great behavior regardless of the result, which he believes is crucial for their long-term development. The manager acknowledged that progress at the club has been steady rather than linear, involving continuous improvement from the stadium to the training ground, and warned against becoming complacent as they must keep pushing to avoid falling backwards in their ambitions.
Looking ahead, Alexander mentioned that the team will travel back tomorrow after staying overnight to enjoy watching their own performance in the morning before focusing on the upcoming league match on Saturday. He appreciated the immense support from the fans who traveled on a Tuesday night and expressed excitement about the anticipation of the fourth-round draw, which adds another layer of challenge to their season. Ultimately, he concluded that while there is still much work to be done to reach their full potential, the victory serves as a positive start and a testament to the collective effort of all players, staff, and supporters in striving for continuous improvement.
Read the full video transcript
Gaffer victory here in the third round
of the Carabal Cup. How do you say the
game?
>> Um, I thought we were excellent tonight.
I thought uh thought there was a a few
moments in the first half, you could
tell a couple of lads a bit rusty, not
not played a lot of football, but I
thought second half once we got into the
swing of things we were we were
excellent. I thought some of the
attacking play defensively were really
strong. bit unfortunate with the goal we
conceded obviously um you know a slice
clearance but uh great timing of our
equalizer just before halftime really
good play and an excellent finish uh and
I thought second half we we had numerous
chances to to score more than the three
that we got um players you know new
players debutants coming into the team
players who have been working so hard in
preseason have their opportunity I I was
so pleased with tonight it's um almost a
perfect night for me as a manager to see
my team compete like that. Um with so
many changes and uh it makes for 20 22
players all happy cuz we won the last
game, we won tonight. So everyone feels
that has that winning feeling.
>> It's never a bad time to score but it
doesn't get much better does it than on
the stroke of halftime level things.
>> No, I think we need it cuz it was a bit
of a blow you look late or a really good
team. They got lots of quality, lots of
movement. Um but we saw we you know we
we cost the goal ourselves a little bit.
Um so I I think a draw at Halime would
have been a fair enough result or sorry
fair enough score line I should say. Um
so I was delighted to get that goal just
before our time. It was a great bit of
uh play from Humps and he's a lovely
ball in this one. He's made that run
that he's made so many times and and
finished it really well. So I think it
was just desserts for our efforts in the
first half and uh but second half
thought we just found another gear in
that in that attacking in the attacking
phases and like I say to score three
away from home but the chances we we had
either side of the goals were were
excellent. So um yeah I think it's been
a really really good night for us
>> to come from a goal behind especially
where the goal went in. How much does
that say about the squad's character?
>> Yeah well look it's we we're forming
that character. you know, there's a lot
of new players in there and uh you know,
they come from different environments,
different clubs, and um they have to
understand what what it's like at
Bradford, you know, um and they've got
lots of um leaders in there that are
shown them how to do it. I thought um
tonight on the pitch, I thought Kaden
led led by example being the captain, I
thought his his commitment to the game,
his work ethic, his his quality was was
superb. And I think I think we need
players like that and and senior players
like that that show what's needed. We
got some top characters in in that
change room and um when we get hit, when
we get a punch on the nose, which we've
had, uh we have to show what we're
really about. That's the only time that
you can show your real character is in
times of adversity. And we had that a
week ago, and I think we've uh shown
what we're about in the last two games.
>> 10 changes tonight and three debuts. How
much does that say about the actual
depth we've got in the whole squad here?
>> Well, look, it's uh it took a bit of
time getting together. Um obviously uh
but we were delighted with the the the
quality that we brought in. Obviously
there's a few boy young boys there that
say young boys are young men and um not
with you know hundreds of games under
their belt or season after season. So
tonight was really important you know I
think um for them to understand
uh league one uh us because lay a high
pressing high highly intensive team as
well. So I thought it was a real good um
we were came here to win that was the
biggest thing but as a learning
experience about what's needed and it
will give the players an idea of what
they need to do to get up to speed to
play like that every 3 days because it's
all right doing it for one night but
then 3 days later 3 days later that's
what our squad has to be but for me as a
manager I know what's going to be
required for the next 10 months or nine
months or whatever it is 40 odd games
we're going to need 20 22 players all at
it all fit all um tactically in tune and
uh I think we've seen that in the last
two games, but there's still a lot of
work ahead. There's still a lot of
improvement for us to do and to make. Um
but tonight was a really good start.
>> It's a good test as well, isn't it, for
the quality index when you're playing a
team in from the same division.
>> Yeah, that's a great point. And I think,
you know, sometimes championship or
league 2, it's, you know, it's it's
great to perform and and and win, but
you know, when you're playing another
good league one club, then you it's a
more of an idea of what you're going to
face for the next, you know, 40 games.
So, I think from that perspective, it's
a really good point for us to to
understand who needs a little bit more.
So, you know, Hayden Matthews, for
instance, just a little bit of tactical
information at Halime. You've made him
just play a little bit better
defensively when he was left in those 1v
one situations. But unless you learn in
a pressure scenario when there's, you
know, um a competitive game on in the
balance, that's when you really show
what you're about as a footballer. And I
thought he was excellent.
>> So getting the f round further than last
season as well, it's just another sign
of the progress being made here, isn't
it?
>> Yeah. Well, look, it's it's not always
um it's not always a straight line. It's
you know, you take a few hits or you But
I think the the gradual improvement
we've tried to make with everything. It
goes from the stadium to the training
ground to the squad to to everything we
do. We're always trying to look for a
little way to improve and get better and
make sure everyone knows that we're
we're trying to get better. Every all
the players, all the staff, all the
supporters, they see that everything
about our club is trying to improve. It
might not be at the same speed as
everybody else. I think it's been really
steady and continued progress. So, um,
but if we ever think we're anywhere near
the finished article, then we'll we'll
we'll fall backwards. So, we have to
keep chasing, keep pushing, and uh keep
trying to win games.
>> How important is the squad's mentality?
We talk a lot about not getting too high
with the highs or too low with the lows.
I guess last week where we were maybe
last Tuesday where we feel now the prime
example of that.
>> Well, I think it's a good lesson for for
our mentality about like the realities
of life and realities of football. You
know, it's it's not always going to go
your way, but you you've always got an
opportunity to handle yourself in the
right way and show the right character,
the right uh the right behaviors, the
right uh team ethic and all that sort of
thing. get around your teammates.
That opportunity is always there
regardless of results and I think we've
shown a great character about our our
club and um but it'll be tested again on
Saturday, next week, week after that and
we have to keep showing up.
>> Just over a week to go until the draw
for the fourth round. How will you put
that to one side before then?
>> Uh well, I'm going to enjoy tonight's
game. You know, we'll we'll obviously um
we're staying over tonight, so we'll
travel back tomorrow. I'll watch the
game in the morning. I think I'll enjoy
watching that performance. It would be
good to speak to a couple of boys and um
you know obviously brilliant backing
from our supporters tonight coming all
this way on a on a Tuesday night you
know and I'm so pleased that the players
reward that backing with the with the
performance first and foremost and
obviously the result but yeah look we
we're looking forward to Saturday's game
first and foremost that's the most
important one now because it's the next
one but it's great to be in a draw. It's
exciting. It's you know that
anticipation of who you're going to get.
So we look forward to it.