The Martin Q&A: Piroe, play-offs ... and how it’s all coming together
SWANSEA manager Russell Martin met the press ahead of today’s Championship clash with Barnsley. Here’s what he had to say’
QUESTION: WHAT’S THE LATEST TEAM NEWS?
Russell Martin: Really good. Pretty much all available. There’s not too much change in terms of personnel. We’re in a really good place physically and mentally. It’s been a good few days of preparation. It was a brilliant week for us.
Q: WHAT ABOUT FLYNN DOWNES?
RM: He’s training. Whether we decide to use him for both games or one game. It’s a chat we’ve had this afternoon.
Q: IT’S BEEN A GOOD RUN
RM: It’s been a really good run. The players deserve so much credit for what they’re giving us. Now it’s just about them being relentless with each other and making sure that no one gets comfortable with where we’re at. It’s really important we finish as strong as possible. The players seem to be really focused and ready.
Q: ARE PERFORMANCES THE RESULT OF WORK FROM THE START?
RM: It’s so similar, the way it’s played out, to what it was at MK. It takes a while. You have to go through a bit of pain to get to where you want to get to. We got to that point maybe quicker than I thought, but maybe then we weren’t ready to face different problems.
I think the guys are really ready for what they face now. I think they really believe, and that’s the most difficult bit, convincing players that they can do certain things. It’s been brilliant to see. When I look at it and the amount of challenges we’ve had this season, I’m really proud of them with how far they’ve come.
Q: ARE THE PLAY-OFFS A TARGET?
RM: I think we’re just paying for a slow start. It’s always difficult when you’re trying to build something long term and to develop young men in particular. We just take each game and day as it comes. The rest will take care of itself. We’ll see where we end up. I’m just excited about the end of the season because pretty much every team has everything to play for. When we were struggling in terms of results but were happy with performances, it’s tough because people don’t see Monday to Friday. We still have a lot of work to do. I didn’t get overly emotional or concerned when results weren’t great and now I’m not getting overly giddy either.
Q: ARE YOU FRUSTRATED ABOUT LACK OF CONSISTENCY EARLIER ON?
RM: I’d love there to be five more games in the season but it is what it is. We’re just preparing for next season better. It takes a lot of time and the most important thing for me is that we improve and progress. We have to put ourselves in a really good position come the end of the season for the start of next season.
Q: KYLE NAUGHTON HAS SIGNED A NEW DEAL. CAN HE COPE WITH THER RELENTLESS NATURE OF THE LEAGUE?
RM: We’ve put him in a role that means he can play for quite a while. As long as we are here there’ll always be a place for Kyle Naughton. We wouldn’t want to be here without him. He looks great physically. He plays with a real intensity and churns out great numbers. I love Kyle, we love working with him, we all do. No ego, unassuming and just a brilliant person. It’s really positive for us.
Q: CONTRACTS ELSEWHERE ANY NEWS?
RM: They know where they stand. Some accept that because of the position they play we have to wait a bit longer. Some accept that they might have to look elsewhere in the summer. Everyone knows where they’re at. The rest we’ll just have to wait a bit longer. We had conversations with those players and they’re comfortable with where they’re at.
Q: IS INTEREST IN JOEL PIROE LIKELY?
RM: My answer is going to be the same all the time. He’s here, we love working with him. He’s a fantastic young man. He has a lot left to give. It’s his first season in one of the toughest leagues in the world. He’s our player. He enjoys being here. The rest is just noise. I tell the players all the time. We won’t be paying any attention to it. It’s not going to distract him, that’s for sure.
Q: WHAT CHALLENGES WILL BARNSLEY POSE?
RM: A lot to play for. That’s what makes it so interesting. We played against them when the manager took over in his first game, since then, they’ve developed a clear way of doing things. We need to turn the game into a game we want it to be. We need the right intensity and mentality. I hope everyone turns up to the stadium knowing it’s a big game. They’re fighting for their lives. We’re in a good place but we have to make sure we put it on to the pitch tomorrow.