Press news in...

Welcome to a very wet and dangerous ride up to Coolknee as Philippe Clement faces the media.
-----------------------------------------------------------------

PC on week of training - "Yes of course. It's been nice to have that. We've had players coming back during this time. Kenny McLean has been training a few times this week and he is the heartbeat of the team."

*Kenny McLean is available for tomorrow, but not for 90 minutes.*

*Vladan Kovacevic is back available tomorrow.*

PC on GK battle - "I have a tough decision tomorrow between two good goalkeepers."

PC - "It's now, and it's been the case for the last few months, about putting the training sessions into the game. Game management is part of that; we've missed that. It's about finding that balance and that is why I am delighted that Kenny is back. He decides the tempo of the game and has done for years."

PC on game management - "Experience is so important in football. Structures need to be clear against an opponent at all times. It's also about decisions: when do you shoot and when do you cross, etc. That was not the case in the Portsmouth game, maybe that was to do with the emotion and trying to give something for Delia."

PC on experience in the group - "Not yet. We know that in the club. Players are now stepping up and need to take responsibility. Kenny McLean was maybe too dominant last season on that front. Even having players like Emi Marcondes, who while he wasn't playing he was pushing players in the dressing room. But they are learning in a positive way."

PC on impact needed - "The voice is different. I have to say different things now than last season. The things to solve now are different to last season, when they didn't believe in themselves or each other. We had 12 injuries then, whereas we have four now."

*Papa Amadou Diallo is expected back in a few weeks.*

PC on the fans - "I understand the frustration. We expected more from the start of the season. There is lots of different stories along the way, and it's about getting the story back to a positive and taking points. The fans need to get that reward. The fans have seen that this team hasn't given up in the last few games; they are pushing and are close."

PC - "The team is working hard to get better results. It's now about learning when to make certain decisions, which is why I'm pleased to have some experience coming back."

PC on Andre Brooks - "Andre is working really hard. There is not one winger in the world who scores every game. He is doing everything offensively and defensively; he is getting better at that each game. He is still a young player, but he has shown he can be a game changer already."

PC on Mirko Topic - "He is doing well for the injury he had and how long he has been out. He will need time to get back to his rhythm."

PC on Ante Crnac - "He is not the player he was at the start of last season or when he signed here. But that is impossible after the injury he had. I can't promise him minutes with the first-team at the moment, especially when we aren't top of the league. But he will get some to help try to raise his levels."

PC on Nathan Jones - "I don't care how the opponents are playing. We need to be convinced about ourselves against every style and opponent to get three points."

PC on youth/experience balance - "I think Pelle and Jacob have done a really good job in the past weeks; they are gaining lots of experience to grow as leaders. They have a heart for the club. Kenny was not the player he is now in leadership terms at their age."

-------------------------------------------------------------

That's all from Philippe Clement this afternoon. A crucial game awaits tomorrow at the Valley!

Posted By: DrDublin on October 23rd 2026 at 14:04:18

Message Thread

Reply to Message

In order to add a post to the WotB Message Board you must be a registered WotB user.

If you are not yet registered then please visit the registration page. You should ensure that their browser is setup to accept cookies.

Log in


Forgotten password?