POST-MATCH PRESS CONFERENCE: Alexander on Burnley Carabao Cup fixture

Uh Graeme, congratulations. Really good team effort. Certainly second half you were the better team. >> Um I'm not sure yet cuz I have to assess the game, but I think second half we were we were much better. We were much better in the jewels in the competitive element of it. I think we got beat in many one v1s and stuff like that, but we still had to work exceptionally hard in that game to um to get to penalties. Um I thought they had opportunity score. I think we had opportunity to score, which was um something that we talked about that we we can't just, you know, sit back and let the opponent come at us uh at will. And um we certainly competed at a high level in that game to to take in the penalties. And then I thought our quality in the penalties was was absolutely topnotch. you made your changes quite early in the second half and they did make a positive impact. >> Yeah, I think look, we've got I I feel we've got a real good squad. We need a little bit more in depth, but we know about that. So, we're trying to work hard in the next few days for that. But certainly as as a team and then people to bring off the bench, we've got good quality. I felt it was just um we just need that injection um right and it would have been regardless of who started. I think we always need that sort of injection in a game like that. We're stretched. so so much but um they did we're bringing on really good players for good players who had absolutely ran their what's its off you know in that first 60 65 minutes so um yeah we just wanted to get a little bit more of a foothold and actually um put a bit on Burnley as well so um yeah I've you know when you're putting on players like we like we did tonight it gives everyone great confidence >> you've got a new goalkeeper and a new hero here at Val Perez >> yeah well that's that's a way to sort of um announce yourself really, you know, four clean sheets in four games. So, um, he was, you know, he made some really good saves. I wouldn't say like, you know, world class saves. I don't think he was stretched that far, but he did what he had to do. Um, no dramas and, um, and then penalty out, he's got a bit of personality to to make that save and and after the first, you know, the first guy missed for them. Um, it just gave us a little bit of a cushion for the other players. But, uh, yeah, he certainly played his part today as did. >> Got to ask you about the draw. a long trip away from home to uh Leon or probably not the draw you would have wanted without being rude. >> No, but look, we just go with an open mind. So, whoever we put out, I just see it as another game and another game that we have to try and win. So, I don't I don't um sort of build myself up right who's next and go into that. I just whatever's right in front of us, we have to commit to it because if if we don't think like that, then we're doing ourselves a disservice. We're disrespecting the opposition and we're putting ourselves on the back foot. That will never happen with us at this club. We have to respect everybody. the draw, everything. And um but we've we got a couple of league games in in front of us in before that, but uh we want to try and win all our games and that'll be no different. >> It's early days, but it has been a really good start and I guess confidence must be flowing. >> Yeah, I think so. I think you could see that from the players. Look, we we've had two extremely difficult challenges in the last two games especially. Um, but you've you've seen the attitude of the players, the the resilience of the players where it could have been games where it goes away from us, you know, but we stick in there. We some of the defending tonight was magnificent. The the work ethic out of possession was was unbelievable. And um and they just play with that attitude which I love and uh you know, you get your rewards over the long term if if you like that, but not every single time. But uh yeah, we've had a positive start and hopefully we can build on it. Let's see. Graham, another another championship team seen off. I mean, this this this side seems to love that challenge. >> Yeah. Well, look, we we we talk about an approach where, you know, we we look at ourselves, we value ourselves, we value our game, how we train. Um if you're going to go into a game and then sort of take a backward step or look at the opponent in a different way that in a in a sort of inferiority complex way, then that's not going to be any good. So that's why I've mentioned the attitude and I said it to the players after the game that you have to have a personality, a character and an attitude if you want to be a successful either as an individual but certainly as a group as a team. And I think we've you're right. I think we've shown it not just last season but the season before when we're a League 2 team playing teams from League One and beating them in in cup competitions. Um, I like that side of our our our team and I think the the supporters love that side of our team that we go and we feel good about being Bradford City and um and we fly the flag for everybody in in in our city. >> There was a there was a real feel about tonight's game was that, you know, you wouldn't think it was an early round of the competition. You know, the place was absolutely bouncing. >> Yeah. No, look, I think I think obviously Ryan when he told me about the the ticket offer, I thought it was a great idea to to encourage more people to come. you know, obviously the Burnley fans, you know, just under 5,000, I think, coming coming across, it's a short journey, but back in their team, so certainly I could hear it and changing before the game, you know, when the players are warming up, I could hear it building and building in that sort of half hour spelt. Um, but sort of, you know, when the game kicks off and the atmosphere at the kickoff and then in different moments and even when we're under the kosh, the the fans are so good with us and and get behind the players and obviously the scenes at the end is um, you know, is what we do it all for. It's it's it's a brilliant feeling. you were saying saying before the game about, you know, the importance of the spirit within the squad where you're using different players and they can all feel part of of how far this club's going at the moment, you know, and again that's going to increase as you say, you made what, five changes this time players starting for the first time and they've contributed to a to another great night. >> Yeah. You know, last year we felt the value of that. The year before when we got to the EFL trophy semi-finals and we're constantly changing the team. It keeps the squad alive. It keeps them together. it keeps keeps them all feeling valuable because it's difficult to to consistently make people valuable if they haven't played for three or four months. It's really difficult, you know, and uh and you you try to you try to treat everyone with respect, but you know, they're footballers, they want to compete. So, certainly in the first part of the season, the longer we can go in cup competitions and and keep the squad, you know, um motivated and playing and and feeling valuable, I think it's a it's always a positive for us. So, it's why we're always strong in our cup competitions. regard us, we take them all seriously every single game because the more games we have, the better it is for the squad. Um, I know it stretches us, you know, physically and and probably financially with the journeys and stuff like that, but um, we're in the game to win. And, uh, I want all my players to have that feeling that they all got tonight. >> As you say, you know, we'll stretch you, but these players have shown they can come in and perform. Yeah, >> because you know the extra games now, the extra cramming them in, especially being away trips, it's it's going to take its >> toll. It is, but you know, that's why we we work so hard with everybody. It's why when the there's um players that don't play, you know, from one Saturday to the next that we work them exceptionally hard in the training, you know, and we talk to them all the time about you're preparing for when you get the opportunity. So, we want you to play well. We want you to to do well, you know, and uh and show your value to the team. And uh you know it's important that they take that on and they do you know they there's they don't sherk that work. Um and that's when you get your your value from what you do week week in week out. How you look after yourself at home how dedicated you are to your to your career to your teammates which is really important. Um you can only you can only win games like that if you've got that attitude. >> No Aiden bowl win tonight. >> No yeah he's uh he didn't train yesterday. He's picked something up. So it's um I don't think it's too serious. I think he's um maybe a little bit fatigued after the first few games. So, it's something that we have to uh look into and address with him, you know, cuz it's third year on the trot that he's missed a bit of preseason. Um missed a chunk and I think it hurts him going into the season, you know, because the way we play. So, it's something we have to look to address going forward if we can. >> Matt Pennington wearing the armbands. I think he he wasn't one of the seven who did in preseason, was he? I think he's >> No, no, that's right. >> So, I thought I thought, you know, defensively the team were very good. I thought we thought Matt Pennington was excellent tonight. >> He's been magn He's been the standout consistent performer for me as from day one of preseason. I just said before that, you know, in the summer, he probably didn't come into my head as as one of the the potential captains. Um but after a couple of weeks of preseason, we were like, he's pushing himself forward here. he's taken more of a uh a senior role and um we know how respected he is by everybody because of how he is in and out the team in or out of the team I should say. He's the same person motivated every day. Great guy and um but his performances are superb and he he he epitomizes everything we want from from footballers. He's uh he's a winner and uh I I was delighted to to be able to give him the armband tonight. Um, and I'm delighted that he got the clean sheet and the win to go with it. And um, if you ask any player in that squad, any staff member, they'll all sing Peno's praises. He's an absolute diamond. >> Talking of defenders, I ask you, obviously there's speculation about George Pratt from Blackburn coming on. Can you say anything about that? >> No, I think it's I think it's important when, you know, if we have something um concrete and um, and done that we have to then we announce it properly. I don't if I start commun sorry commenting on individual names you know the amount of names that get thrown about if I start talking about one I'm going to have to talk about 20 and I don't think it's right but it's obviously a position we're trying to um improve our our strength and depth in in in the back line and um you know hopefully before the weekend we'll have uh one potentially two in um in in the squad to to come in. So, we don't really want to leave our uh what we need to do until deadline day because we've got a game on that day. Um so, we're working exceptionally hard behind the scenes to to make things happen. >> One of the key things tonight was when Burnley did get through, the concentration levels were there, someone to fling themselves, their body in front of the ball. >> Yeah, I thought we were really disciplined. I thought um you know, it's easy to dive in and and sort of give a penalty away or give free kick away in a dangerous position. So I thought our discipline in not diving in at times was really good until right at the last moment where a shot coming in and you have to just do whatever it does and and and block the shot and then if it did go through John was really good behind us. But I I saw players at set pieces the forwards getting back and making headers and blocks. It happened against Sheffield Wednesday as well. Um we defend and attack as a team. So it's um sometimes you know you you deser deserve the win through through your game play through how how dominant you are and others it's just through attitude and and um and then left side never say die uh mentality and I thought we had that tonight >> and the penalties all very very well taken no luck in them at all they were all >> No look I don't believe in luck I know people talk about it being a lottery and effort but it's not it's a game of skill it's uh I I think it I It's a it's a difficult u way to lose because I've been there myself as a player and as manager um but I think it's a a pure test of football's ability um and um and uh sort of how he handles the pressure and um all the players both teams handled the pressure had to handle the pressure because even though it's in front of our home end there's still pressure on us to to score but I thought the technique was was magnificent and um and then obviously John makes a really important save to to go through. So, it's um yeah, it was atmospheric. It was exciting and we're delighted to be on top. >> It's nice for you, Graeme, on your bucket list. A good cup sort of evening at Valley Parade and and a good crowd and getting through as well. Some good nights away, haven't you? >> Yeah, we have. We've had some fantastic nights away from home certainly last season in this competition. So, you know, one thing I said when I was asked um you know, what would I like like a big team at home? So, we got that tonight and I think um you could see why I wanted that. The atmosphere was fantastic. My team really stepped up to the plate. We were stretched in loads of different ways, but we we stayed in there and we created our own opportunities. So, um yeah, these are the nights that we we love to be a part of and uh hopefully it'll be a few more. >> Yeah, there were a few had Dave who's likes, you know, Welsh's sort of first competitive start >> and cartright as well. It's good for their development nights like this, he feel more part. they've all they all have an opportunity to help us win and play games. So, a delight for those young boys, you know, coming in, you know, the the atmosphere, the intensity that we play at anyway. So, to be able to pick that up so quickly, um, you know, since they come in the summer, I've been delighted with both of them and I think they we've got some real good young players at this club. Um, we've already developed people and and they they've gone on to a higher level. I think, uh, there's there's a couple more in our squad that can do the same thing. And um yeah, it's I think the the biggest thing for me is the experienced boys help the young ones learn the game, but the young ones then have to stand up and compete in in an atmosphere like that and they're not letting anyone down. So, um we've got a good sort of feel around our squad at the moment and uh hopefully that'll maintain maintain its course all the way through the season.