POST MATCH PRESS CONFERENCE: Alexander on Rochdale Carabao Cup fixture

Well, Graeme, in into round two, would would you say that was a pretty much a dramafree afternoon in terms of potentially what it could have been? >> Um, I think we well, we had to work exceptionally hard to to win that game. I thought the first half, um, we were a little bit off bits and pieces. I thought we were lulled into a a slower game than we would like, you know, cuz they they gave us time in possession in in in the back line and uh but we had to use that time to to hurt people, to hurt the opposition and and play at a tempo that that's good for us. Um and they're a good team. They've got a lot of good players. They play in a certain way that cause you problems if you two yards off, three yards off. So, I was delighted to get the goal just before Halime. Um but we still had to correct a few things at Halime to make sure the second half was um I would say comfortable but a little bit more in our control in in creating opportunities in defending our goal and I thought we did that apart from I think they had a a one header where the striker obviously should have done better with that. that's something that we we need to correct. But apart from that, I thought we created a lot of chances in the second half, brought on some um when we made changes the the the changes, maintain the level of of performance and um we deserve to win the game. Could have scored um maybe one or two more, but delighted with the clean sheet as well. >> I was going to say the first goal, Will Swan, anticipating the back pass, you know, and he's >> he's had a good good run of goals during preseason, and it's good to see see that you can see that confidence in his play, can't you? Yeah, I think you know it's um you know when we're picking teams you know you sort of you know obviously he's playing on the left of the front three today and obviously that's where Bobby's been playing and Bobb's done nothing nothing wrong preseason he could have started the game today and and um but Swan's been in goal scoring form and I have to reward end product the the performance without shadow doubt for us to be the team that we want to be over that next 10 months and um I think we've got real good players in those positions, multiple players in those positions that can score goals. We see it through training, we see it in the games and um Swan, he has been in in really good form and uh I thought he he could have been better in his performance before that to be fair. Um I thought we had some real good moments. Um but he deserved it because his work ethic was really good and and it's something we we talk about is putting pressure on um defenders and goalkeepers and everything like that. So he got his rewards from that. So I think that's the the second goal he's got or created in fact he's got from you know pressing the center half and the goalkeepers this in preseason >> and and the second goal must be delighted to see one from a from a set piece as well straight away. >> Yeah. Listen however we score is great. I think um you know other people are more fixated on them than me but look they're part of the game and we want to improve our output. I think our xG was pretty good last year but we obviously have have to you know get the ball over the line that's it. So, it was a great delivery. I think Callum's got a great delivery. I think it was a a fantastic header from Aiden. Um, but it's something we do have to, you know, we didn't score enough goals for how good we were last season. I felt, you know, and how creative we were. Um, so if we can, I think we've done well in preseason to be fair. We've scored lots of goals. Um, and if we can continue that into the season, it was a good start today. >> You mentioned Callum Connelly. I thought, you know, the defense all performed, played their part. I thought Callum, you know, he won the ball back a lot and he just he just looked >> looked the part in center midfield there, didn't he? >> Yeah, he's look all his attributes, you know, you know, his his intelligence, his movements, his his um reading of the game, his defensive qualities, and um his in possession stuff that all leads to that position for me. I think he's I think he wants to play it. He enjoys it. Um, I think underneath everything, I think he's adaptable and he can play in different different roles, but I think if you just give him a free free start, I think he'd choose center mid. And um, I think he dove tales really well with with Sass, you know, Sass wants to bomb forward, get in the box, create chances, score goals, and Callum wants to be the the guy behind the ball, you know, being in possession, making the right pass at the right time. I thought his his uh passing range was excellent today. And um, yeah, we just need to get him up to speed now. been able to churn out the games because he's had a broken record sort of thing in the last 12 months or so. Um but we've seen his quality already in preseason. He's a great guy as well and um I think he's fit in really well as have the others >> and and John McCrack and a clean sheet. I know you had to wait I think it was a 74th minute for the first shot on target. Good save at the end again. It's good test of concentration. Yeah, look, I think look, I think we we were we're a team that didn't give up a lot of chances last season, I thought, with the press and how we defend, I think, um, so we we're delighted with that and we want to continue that how we play. I think I said a week ago or or or before that we don't want to do any anything different. We just want to be better at it. And um, I think it was a relatively comfortable day for John, but it will be a confidence boost to make your debut first game of the season. keep a clean sheet, win through to the next round. But there was others, you know, bees and and people like that. And McCauley coming in, he's he's been off for, you know, a little period of time, missed missed a bit of uh fitness work and stuff, and I think he's just getting back up to speed to where he needs to be. So, I'm I'm glad we got 90 minutes into him as well. And uh you know, it was a a big step forward for a few of the players physically today. And um so delighted with it. And obviously I was asking Henry Kartwright was suspended because of the Scottish cup for the Was that something you're aware of from the start? Was that something that you became aware of? >> No, it was Mark Harrison um picked it up. Uh unfortunately we didn't we weren't notified by about it. So um yeah Mark in his his diligence he picked it up a few days ago. So um thankfully >> strange one is it because it was literally the game was four months ago I think. >> Yeah I just don't get it. you know, it's it's cross border, it's cross season, it's cross competition. >> Yeah, it still counts, you know, and you see things going on in the World Cup. So, um, but look, it is what it is. It was probably disappointing for Henry as much as it was for us because I think he he could have got an opportunity today to to make his debut, but he's just going to have to wait for a little bit longer. And um um yeah, but it was a little bit of a a surprise and not a nice one. >> No, Steven Humphre in the squad today. Yeah, he's been off ill this week. He say um he reported in on Monday and we didn't want to bring him in Monday, Tuesday contagious reasons and going into the um the start of the week. So, he's been doing fitness work. He should be in backing on Monday and crack on from there. >> Obviously, you know, I don't know what how much you can say, but Sam Walker, >> was it on the bench today? Yeah. >> Being linked with Watford. >> Yeah, there's um there's a little bit in that. So, um the Sam came to speak to me the other day. Um, I think it was Wednesday, late on Wednesday, and we had a real good chat about things. Um, he's, uh, I've got the weekend to sort of think everything through. Um, but, um, you know, he's lived away from home now. You know, his family lived down south and he's got two young children. He's been away with us for two and a half years, but he was actually away for a year and a half before that as well. So, it's a big chunk of time. he has an opportunity um or potential opportunity and uh he just wanted to get my thoughts on it. So I just needed a couple of days and we'll take it from there. But um yeah, so it was um I hadn't actually uh sat down and picked the team at that moment, but obviously I think that made mind clear on what it had to be today. Um we'll see what the weekend brings. I need to, you know, just think things through and uh and obviously speak to Sam again and take it from there. But um yeah, we'll just see what happens. And presumably there is a backup plan in place regards obviously should Sam be allowed to leave. >> Yeah. Well, we were looking at goalkeepers a lot, you know, to to obviously um before we actually signed John. So obviously we we've got a bank of player players goalkeepers that we thought were good enough for for to play for us. But um obviously some of those have moved on and signed clubs now. So we have to revisit that sort of thing and we have to get our thinking caps on. But um if Sam's still here and John's still here, obviously John will still be here, but if Sam's still here on the day one of the season, as in after the window, I'll be delighted. Um because Sam has been nothing but magnificent for this club for two and a half years. An absolute diamond of a guy and and goalkeeper, but um you know, sometimes things can change in in in players care. Well, they always change to be honest. Not sometimes, they always change. and uh we have to do what's right for Bradford first and foremost, but I always take into account the the players personal um feelings on it as well. So, we'll um we'll see how the weekend goes, but obviously we would need to bring in another goalkeeper if if Sam was to move on. >> Anything else happening in in outwise? >> No, because you know because obviously I spoke to you guys on Wednesday and from that point on we're we're focusing on the game today because it was a big game for us. We wanted a win obviously the start of the season. So I'll pick those things up on uh Sunday and Monday and Tuesday w with um you know Ryan and David and Genty um and see where things look. But [clears throat] uh yeah, so the Sam one was just a obviously after I'd spoke to you guys on Wednesday. That was after that and it was sort of a googly as you call it in cricket. It come from nowhere. So um we'll uh yeah we'll see. Obviously, we've got three weeks. I don't think anyone's got their full squad in place right now in the whole division or in in the football league. Um, so we're no different to other clubs and we're we're working exceptionally hard to to see where we can get the players in that that help our squad. It seemed that the first 10 or so minutes of each half, >> you were a bit slow is probably the wrong word, but Rodale had more of the ball and then once you've got a grip on the game, you seem to dominate it. >> Yeah, look, I think Rodale got a way of playing it's very possessionheavy, you know, um, and they've been exceptionally good at it. Um, but I think, you know, when teams play like that, they they they sort of want to pass you into passiveness. So if if they keep the ball off you 5 10 minutes, a lot of teams will then drop off and allow them to dictate the game. But our biggest thing is maintaining the pressure is continuing to put pressure on the ball all the way through. I think that's why probably the first 10 minutes they wanted to maybe kill the tempo of us on our press and kept the ball well. I thought there was a few free kicks that went their way that relieves the pressure on them. Um but the biggest thing for us is we have to keep that intent all the way through and I think you show we showed that we got the goal late on in the first half and towards the end of the second half the last 15 20 minutes we we're in control of a the game and where it was being played. So there was um you know they made us work exceptionally hard for that win today. I'm glad that it was like that way that way and it wasn't anything I didn't expect because they're a good team. And does that lead into what you were saying on Wednesday about players needing that competitive edge and getting the the competition into their legs? >> Yeah, definitely. And I just think it slightly strange because it's first day of the first game of the season, usually you got bumper crowd and everything, but because it it wasn't a full crowd. So, was it a a full game or was it a preseason game? It was sort of in that sort of, you know, that bracket sort of thing. But we have to play, you know, we we train, you know, every day without a crowd, without points on the board in a really intense way. So why would we go into any game and and do anything different? So I think that we we have to and we will understand and we do understand because we did it in the second half that the difference between being three yards off someone and a yard off someone and how big a difference that that small difference makes. I think uh we turned the ball over so many times today in really good areas and we need to, you know, focus on that as well when we turn it over. Really being in clinical because I thought we could have scored more today. But um I'm glad we're creating lots of chances. I'm glad that we kept a clean sheet against a team that scored a lot of goals last year. And um you know, it sets us up nicely for the the the the league starting next next week, which obviously will be a tough game again. >> Cheers. >> All right, mate. must have been pleased in the second half. Graeme, how well the team took took control of the game really. >> Yeah, you know, with with possession and also I thought fitness as well really. >> Yeah. Look, the people think you only work hard if you if you're out of possession. But if you don't run when you've got the ball to make angles for each other and make it easy for your teammate, then you're going to turn the ball over. And I thought we did really well with that. I think we've got, you know, three players at the back that can all handle the ball. And you've got, you know, if he comes into it, Ree comes into it. They they can all pass the ball and comfortable on it >> and to relieve the pressure if you're under pressure in the middle of the pitch and, >> you know, you got Ken Connley who's really composed um sure on the ball as well. So I think we've got lots of good quality players throughout the the squad and the team >> to play the the right game at the right time. So >> when we want to be the aggressor, we want to be proactive. We have to play in a fast way. But then when you tune it up and it's 10 15 minutes go, then you have to manage that result out. And there's different ways of doing that. >> We always want to press the the opponent, but sometimes they're they're better than um turning the ball over. But I thought the way we controlled the last 15 minutes was really good. And even though Rodale began brightly and had a lot of possession, they didn't, you know, the team defended well against them, didn't he? Created hardly any chances. And >> as Slim was saying, you know, John John McCracken didn't have a shot to save until >> Yeah. >> last quarter of the game really. >> Yeah. But I mean, but they did have a couple of opportunities before that, but they didn't hit the target with it. So there there's still moments in in that game where we could have potentially conceded. So it's not just about >> the shots on target. There's other moments in the game where >> um they broke through or we could have done better. So there's there's things we have to look at, but you know, I think we're a team that's like that quite regularly that we don't give a lot of chances away. We're quite we're quite good at that. >> So the focus and discipline in the moments um has to be really spot on and I think it was today. I think it was a good uh little boost for for John to get his first sort of real taste of Valley Parade because obviously Sam played against Press North End >> to keep a clean sheet on your debut. It's a it's a good marker and but I thought the the defensive structure and the the work that team in front of him put put in place was was absolutely top notch.