Category: Quotes

Some of the great and the good of the game have spoken to me over the years. Here’s their quotes from interviews in a raw format.

Quotes: Billy Davies 30th April 2005

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We played at a good pace, a good tempo and it’s all credit to both sets of players because they showed a lot of determination and worked extremely hard.

I think our preparation this week was good, we know exactly what we had to go and do, we knew the game would be difficult.

I thought they scored against the run of play, it was a disappointing goal to lose, nice to get back in it just before half time with a vintage Brian O’Neill goal, another one for the collection(!)

Overall, I’m delighted for everyone connected with the football club, the fans, the players, the staff, the board. For everyone connected with Preston North End I think it’s a very proud day to now be in the play-offs and three games to try to get into the Premiership…hopefully.

We’re now prepared for the next match, and try to finish fourth and try to do the job that we’ve been doing all season because these players deserve absolute wonderful credit.

The staff have been great, and one in particular, my assistant David Kelly who’s come into this club and has been absolutely first class. He’s a bit of an unsung hero but he’s been a wonderful signing for me.

I think, and I still genuinely believe that a top half finish in this league is a wonderful achievement for Preston North End, there’s not doubt about it. When you look at the teams here, the money that’s been spent, the fan base and the training facilities, and all these things that you can look at with very very big clubs in this division, then you have you say that we’re absolutely over the moon, we’re thrilled to bits, there’s no doubt about it. It’s a tremendous achievement and we’ll go and enjoy the occasion.

Quotes: Billy Davies 17th March 2005

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It is a very difficult place to go and get a victory but it is no more difficult a place than we have had over the last couple of months. It is another game and it is another game that we have got to go and again be as positive as we can and go in with confidence that we can try and take something.

The lads are very confident and very buoyant, the dressing room is a very great place to be at the moment, it is nice but at the same time too the job is not done and nothing is over till it is over, we have got to realise that, there is still eight games to go and we have got to go into this next match as if it is our first and really get at it and do the things that we are good at.

Paul McKenna is struggling a bit with this ankle injury, with the stitches and what have you, he never trained today, he’s probably unlikely to train tomorrow. We will have a look at him but he is a major concern for us this Saturday.

I don’t think we should be nervous, no matter what happens, as far as I am concerned it has been a very successful season. We are now in this position and we have got to go and enjoy it, we have got to go and give it the best we can and give it our best. I don’t think there is any reason for nerves or any of that tension stuff or pressure. I think it is nonsense to be honest with you, it is a game of football, you go out there and you give it your best, you work hard, we have got good players and let’s see what happens. Irrespective of what happens it is a very good season as far as I am concerned.

In relation to the teams that are in this league and the type of situation that they are in and the type of situation that we are in I would say to you that I genuinely believe that there are 12-14 teams bigger than Preston North End.

I have said this from day one, with regards, fan base, wage bill and training facilities that is a difficult thing to compete against but we have competed very well and I suppose when you look at that it is a good thing.

We are well organised, we are disciplined, we try to encourage the right things, we have got good players and throughout the club, every department in the club, we try to do the best we can. Not only on the pitch but also off the pitch we are very focused and conscientious about the way we do things, I just think that it is the guidelines and the structures that we put in place. Obviously the additions that we brought in and the people that we have already got at the club, that helps, but I certainly feel that there is not just one factor, I think there are many factors.

I think winning games gets you respect and I think that we know the situation in comparison to other clubs, we are what we are and we are more than happy to accept that. Clubs like West Ham, Wolves and Ipswich are huge clubs but we are getting respect because I think people are now understanding that we are not a bad side and on our day we can compete with most of them.

I don’t think it matters, I don’t think it matters at all, at the end of the day, no matter what the coverage is. We know what the situation is, all we can do is try and do the best we can with what we have, try to be as organised and as disciplined as we possibly can.

Anything is possible, it is not over till it is over and that applies not only to the top three but to most people fighting for the play-off places. We have got to be aware of that and very much aware of that, the job is not done yet and there are still a lot of games to go and a lot of things to be played for, let us not look too far ahead and concentrate on the game on Saturday and try and get that job done and then we can tick another game off the list.

We are looking forward to the break, it is important not only physically but also mentally. It is a good thing for us and I am sure that the players are looking forward to spending some time with their families and getting their legs recovered for the remaining games.

There is a nice holiday for four sitting there for somebody, we are drawing straws at the minute to see who can get that holiday.

I have been asked all week whether I am surprised but I am not surprised because of the calm head that he has got and the ability that he has got. His performances this season have been excellent, he is playing in a very difficult situation with regards us only playing two central midfield players, he has adapted and coped very well with that. All credit to him with the way he is living his life off the pitch and the way he goes about it on the pitch.

If he is looking for somebody to go and calm things down and keep the ball moving then Brian O’Neil is his man. He is a very calm customer as we know, he doesn’t get too excited about things, he has got the experience, he has played all over the world and on performances this season he would do a wonderful job as far as I am concerned.

It is a great honour, it is a great trip to look forward to, to play in that type of game as a professional he will be delighted. It is a great game to look forward to, a great game to be involved in and it is a great honour to go back and play for his country.

We are on course for what I think we need, the Wolves game was slightly disappointing because I think we could have got all three points, but it was still a very good point against a very good side. To go to Sheffield and pick up a point under the circumstances, I think Neil Warnock was talking about his weakened team, well if you look at the squad I don’t think it was very weak, it was a great point for us.

Another wonderful goal for Richard Cresswell, an excellent goal, a great finish and it keeps things going for Cressy, that’s 18 goals this season which is a great return for a striker.

We have made Eddie another offer and we are now just waiting to see what Eddie has got to say, we have spoken to his agent as well and we will see what happens from there.

The conversation that I am having with Eddie, I can say that I am feeling very confident because of what he was been saying to us, how much he is enjoying it and how much he wants to be here. Going on the conversations I would say that it looks pretty good, we have made him another offer and we are now hoping that that one can be accepted and we can get Eddie on board.

I don’t think it is one thing like money or length of contract, we now know where we are coming from in terms of what Eddie is looking for and what we are trying to offer. We are getting there, the conversations have been good and the response from Eddie as far as I am led to believe has been excellent.

Quotes: Billy Davies 3rd March 2005

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We have got Gavin Ward back in training and he has been looking well on course which is great news. At the moment we are only looking at the suspension of Dickson Etuhu which is obviously coming up in the next couple of weeks.

To be fair I don’t think he is quite ready for that yet. He has had a good week’s training but that is about it, there is still more work to be done. We have got to back to the specialist again and make sure that everything is ok. It is good to have him back, he has been doing jogging, he has obviously been doing the handling and the goalkeeping work which is required but we are still a little bit early I think.

We train him, we get him back to the specialist, we get the ok and then we go from there.

At one point it looked quite serious, with regards the injury and the swelling and the information that was given to us. It was very much a concern at the beginning but thankfully he has come over that, he has come through it unscathed and I think he is a very lucky man. I am just delighted to have him back playing again.

He is an experienced player and he is mixing great with the players, as is typical of goalkeepers he is not the shyest bloke in the world which is good, he is a bit loud and noisy in the dressing room which is nice. He has come in and settled in very well, he has handled himself very well I think.

For me it is another difficult match, we are playing against a team who are very capable of being in the play-offs, very capable of going up for promotion because of the size of club and the fanbase and the wage structure and everything else. They have got a lot of good players and they are a very big club as we know so that in itself makes life difficult but we have got to go there and we have got to face these teams, we have got to face these teams with confidence, with belief that we can go there and we can cause one or two problems and hopefully come away with something.

They have picked up over the last few weeks, they have got some decent results and they were very unfortunate against Leeds United not to get something. They are side that is on the up and they are a side who can genuinely get to the play-offs and if not that even automatic promotion. They are very much a dangerous animal this week and with the club that we are playing against and the tradition that they have, and the support that they have got, we know it is a difficult one. But it is no more difficult than many of the other games that we have faced, we have got to go there again and do what is required, work hard and try and get one or two breaks on the day to hopefully get three points.

For me it is looking ahead, I don’t believe that we should be looking at past results and the history of what has took place. Saturday is a different situation altogether, we have got to forget what has taken place in the past and we have got to forget all about what has happened in London. This will be a very difficult game because both teams are fighting for the same thing, they know that, we know that and I would expect them to be playing this game at a very high pace, a high tempo and trying to upset our game a little bit. We have got to be ready for that, we have got to be prepared for this battle because that is what it is going to be.

He is available for the West Ham game and he will be available for the Wolves game, after that we lose him for four matches. I have not really had a discussion with him, we came into training on Wednesday and that is the first time I have seen the lads and I will be having one or two meetings because of what took place, and I have had a chance to sit down and speak to the people that I have to see. I need to speak to one or two guys, Dickson being one of them.

My thoughts are the same as they were earlier in the week. It was totally unnecessary and there is no excuse for it.

They know themselves and there is a nice feeling there, they came back in yesterday very fresh and very energetic which was good. They are on course, we can ask no more of these players, they are a great bunch of lads to work with and they are very responsive to what we are trying to do.

They are very conscientious off the pitch which is very important and that is nice to see. Hopefully we need that little bit of luck to keep things moving along.

I can’t fine anybody for being overweight, that’s the problem. I keep getting these scales out twice a week but I can’t seem to get anybody, there’s not too many going to McDonalds or Burger King and from that point of view it is good.

After three or four days what you normally find is that they will come back and they will be a couple of pounds over, but I can’t quite get these guys. I might have to change the rules a little bit.

So from that point of view I’m happy that they get the days off and they do what is necessary when they are off. That is what I say to them, they have to look after themselves and when they come back in they are back in right on the ball again.

They are very professional and to me that is so so important. We can look after them four hours a day but the serious side of the job is the other 20 hours when they go home, they have to really take care of themselves.

Always, every week, every day. Obviously if we pick up one or two injuries and suspensions then that is a different ball game. But if we can stay clear of injuries and suspension then there is no reason why this squad can’t carry on with what they have been doing over a long period of time.

I think it will be a case of needs must, if we lose players through injury or suspension we can get people in if we need to bring people in. I’m sure the club will sit down and look at it, when we lost our goalkeepers Gavin and Andy it was a case of us having to go and get a goalkeeper. We will take everything on its own merits with regards now and the end of the season.

I don’t know if the money would be there but we would have to look at the situation. It depends on what happens, it depends on the timing and the position and everything else, we have got good depth of cover at the moment but that can change very quickly as we have seen with the two goalkeepers. It is hopefully between now and the end of the season we can go without any suspensions and injuries and carry on with the squad that we have because the lads have done fantastically well, it is very difficult for some good good players in the 16 and even in the stand, to try and get in at the moment because of how well the players are doing.

It is important that they realise that there is a door opening here and that they are doing the right stuff on the training ground and making sure that they are doing the right things when they get the opportunities. It is a good time for other players and realise that sometimes these things happen and it is up to them to go and take it.

Omar is back, he has had a good couple of days, we have had lots of stories as you can imagine and he said he played like Pele when he was over there so that’s great news.

We have seen nothing, all we have seen is beachballs and things like that, it is all the holiday stuff, his amber solaire and things like that. He’s back, he’s fresh and he has had a good rest and he is now ready to come back in again.

It keeps him on course to go and do what is necessary and it is very important in Omar’s situation that he continues to play in these international games. He has to continue to go and play in some of these games, for the more experienced ones like Claude it is a different matter. For Omar it was a case of him needing to play one or two international games to make sure that everything is ok.

Quotes: Darren Bent 11th February 2005

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Ipswich Town striker Darren Bent was interviewed ahead of his game against Preston in February 2005.

It has all been going really well this season, I have managed to score a few goals and it has all been going downhill really.

 It has been good being top of the league and we have stayed there for a long period and the team has been playing.

 We seem to be more determined this season and more about where we want to go and where we want to be next season, so everyone has been a lot more determined.

 There are a few players who have done really well and we have been close up as a squad and it has been brilliant.

 This season we have managed to beat Wigan and Sunderland who have done well and we have sured up the back four we look more determined a lot more solid not to concede goals.

 There are more teams that are going to come into it and challenge for the top two but if we just keep winning our games and concentrate on our own form then there is no reason why we can’t get promoted.

 I want them to do well because when George Burley was here he was the one who gave me my first chance so if they got promoted as well as us that would be fantastic.

 I’m not too sure what the key is really. We are just playing well and being consistent and that’s all we can ask for really if you are consistent in this division and pick up points away from home there is no reason why you can’t be a big force in this division.

 It is about team spirit really you can’t really rely on one person to score the goals, it is about team spirit and everyone sticking together.

 He is brilliant, a lot of people criticise him but he is fantastic, some of the stuff that he does is brilliant. He works for the team, he does bits and bobs for the team and it is just a breath of fresh air to play with him. He never stops trying and I think that  is why everyone loves him.

 Me and Shefki play together all the time and we never talk about who has scored more goals or whatever, we play together and we just try and get Ipswich promoted as a pair.

 I’m hoping that I can get there, it is not going to be easy it is still going to be tough so if I just continue working hard then there is no reason why I can’t to twenty really.

 Obviously Dean Ashton scored a lot of goals when he was in this division and he was brilliant, hopefully now that he is gone I can score as many goals as I can and just get on with it really.

 Whenever you play for your country it is always fantastic, it is always brilliant to represent your country and there is nothing better playing at the top level, you don’t really want to be anywhere else.

I wouldn’t say that we know each other really well but it is interesting coming up against Lonners in training. He is a good keeper, he’s exciting, in fact I was giving him a bit of stick because he scored his goal from his own box. I expect to see him pushing on and doing well and I wish him all the best.

A lot of people said that I would be going but I am happy here, I have been here when I was young I have enjoyted all the time that I have been here and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else really.

Obviously we are not counting our chickens yet, there is still a long long way to go but as long as we keep going for ourselves and keep working for each other then there is no reason why we can’t go where we want to go.