MANAGER REACTION: Alexander on Sheffield Wednesday Victory

Gaffer, picture here at Sheffield Wednesday this evening. How do you assess the game? >> Tough one. Really tough, especially the first half, but all the way through the game to be fair, but the first half especially we didn't do ourselves justice. We didn't look after the ball enough. We uh we didn't trust ourselves in possession and um our press was a bit disjointed and a little bit non-committal in certain areas and we we were wide open. Um On turnover, on transition, um when they play out from the back it was just we we were fortunate to be nil nil at half time. I thought John made some fantastic saves. Couple of good defending um uh moments as well from the from the back lads and in the midfield, but um yeah, we just didn't commit to the game as we didn't believe in ourselves enough, so you know, just remind you there was no real tactical information. We knew we know how we play in and out of possession. Don't commit to it. We we we can't we can't leave a a stadium or a game and regret that we could have done more, you know, and and actually believed in ourselves more. I will back these players to the hilt because I know how good they are, but they've got to they've got to understand themselves how good they are and believe in themselves uh more than we did in the first half, but it's understandable the atmosphere here tonight how Sheffield Wednesday were approaching the game because of what a game it was for them. Um you know, it was almost like a reversal of what we do to teams at Valley Parade and uh so we can see how tough it is, but I thought right from the the kick-off for the second half um we committed to the press, we were connected together and we got the ball down and played some really good stuff. >> How much does that say about the mentality in the side already that they could go and find the extra gear in the second half? >> Yeah, look, I think I think look, there's there's going to be challenges all the time and it's not easy. We're not robots, so you're going to have doubts at times and you're going to have frustrations. And I said to the players, I've been there as a player. I remember these games well. I wish I could go back and play again. You can't. Once it's gone, it's gone. So, don't go home tonight and it's gone and you regret it. And I think the players will look at the second half in in comparison to first half and they won't regret the second half. But, they might look We We need to use the first half as a little bit of a lesson for us. We're better than what we showed what we showed. Um but, I thought we showed that in the second half and um turn the game around and I'm delighted to do that cuz winning this tough and winning Hillsborough is is extremely tough. So, delighted for everyone. >> You mentioned it's a bit like coming to a valid parade for a visiting team and to see how we turn the game around as a visiting team ourselves. Not sure that how hard it is and how much you have to be in it all the time for the players at home as well. >> Yeah, well, look, we but we have great confidence at home. We will we will commit to pressing. Sometimes it's risky, sometimes it's a little bit very scary, but you go for it and we commit to it and and and and we play our way. I know I you know, you got to do it when you haven't got the the full backing 20,000. You got to go if if it's one man and his dog. Don't mind. You just got to go and believe in yourself and um but, honestly, we're all human and you have these moments and uh it's my job, the staff's job, the experienced players' job to to understand that and actually back themselves. And I'll always back them. Honestly, I told them that after I'm all the time, after the game, all the time. They They won't understand how how good I think they are. But, they've got to have that self-confidence as well and and back yourself, you know, with how we train. Cuz we train so hard against each other under pressure all the time. And we can play out of that trouble because we've got good players. But, you got to transfer what you're doing in training into games. It's the biggest um It's the biggest challenge for any professional sportsman. It's taking what you're doing in training into a game. >> And how much can the players take from a win like this? Yes, it's only three points, but mentally it must be a big boost. >> 100% Yeah, I think I think um to understand you know, it's massive club and um some real top players in there and and um and and to turn that game around from where you could have been easy to capitulate to go to go on to not believe in yourself in the second half. But the players showed that we we've got more than that and um so you know, life is full of reference points about how you learn about yourself and your your character and your personality. And I think the players will learn a lot about themselves tonight. And but then we've got to keep it in the memory bank, not just forget about it, ignore it, but it doesn't earn us the next point. We have to go and do it again. And um I'm sure the team will. >> Second clean sheet as well in two games in the league. That's to be really pleasing. >> Yeah, look it's it's important for us I think you know, we want to score more goals. Obviously, we want to score more than the opponent, which is the the biggest thing in football. It's what gets results and we've done that three three games on the trot now from the start of the season. Um but we'll be challenged every single game and um look we we we would we've been defensively strong for the last two seasons. I I believe um and uh and we need to maintain that and add to the the attacking intent that we we have and uh I think we'll do that, but listen, winning 1-0 is a a beautiful score by the way for me. >> Another set piece goal as well. Must be really pleasing to see that hard work pay off. >> Yeah, look we but we're not really particularly doing anything different from what we did last season as in like uh how we communicate, how we how we practice, how we sort of put ideas in players' minds, but listen, the game's about committing and we commit to the deliveries, we commit to the runs, we commit to the final action. Life is about committing to everything full out full out and I think the players have done that. So, maybe scoring in the first game has given the players extra confidence that we can be um more prolific from those set piece situations and uh yeah, to get three in three, we're really happy. >> Hopefully Aden scored again. Must be pleased seeing him score with his head and his feet. >> Yeah, well I think um we didn't score enough goals from certain areas that of our team last year I felt. I think we needed more goals from midfield, we needed more goals from the the back three in set pieces, the situations and stuff like that. So, it's great to see that they're they're chipping in with that and um we want to have a a team that's full of attacking intent and goal scorers and I think we've showed that with the goals we scored so far. >> Sold out away end as well. How special was that those scenes at the end? >> Well, I think if we'd have had the bottom tier, the the stand on the other side, I think we'd have sold out. That's it. That's what our fans do. They they they're amazing. The backing we had, even in the first half when we were right under the cosh, I could hear them singing. I could hear them getting behind the boys and they must have If you fair, we played most of the half right in front of them right in our defensive half, so um now they these these moments we have at the end of the game are really special. They're they're they're they're memories that that that can sort of that can fuel you going forward that you want to um experience it again. And that's why we we go and get that connection. It's really important to us, so uh yeah, the the the supporters have gone home with a smile on their face once again. >> Who do you think enjoys those scenes more, the supporters or Chris Wilder? >> [laughter] >> Yeah. Uh look, listen, I I love them. I love it. I We all do. Honestly, it's um it's uh I think it's a special thing. These are the moments that we'll remember in years to come. We we've got special memories from the previous 2 years of after games, home and away. Um but yeah, it skips a a big one for getting it because basically the guy who does it has to buy all the staff coffees, so why wouldn't they? >> [laughter] >> It's another tough test on Wednesday as well with Burnley. How much is that another that that carrot in front of the players after today? >> Yeah, look, it's we we're we're Valley Parade. It's a great offer from the club to get more more supporters in into the stadium. We've got a Championship club coming to to our home to to play again. So, it's um I think it's a brilliant game for us to play and uh we're looking forward to it. If we can compete as well as we did in the second half tonight, we've got a chance. >> On a personal note, your 150th game as manager, probably nice way to mark it. >> Uh very nice, yeah. Um I've always loved Hillsborough as a player. I'm loving it just as much as a manager, so yeah, to get 250 games for this special club, I'm I'm over the moon. So so happy about that, but um yeah, hopefully I'll get to 151. >> Mhm.