Yeovil Town manager Terry Skiverton spoke to local journalist Chris Spittles after the 1-0 win against Milton Keynes Dons on January 3rd 2011.
CS: You talked before the game about the pride and the battling and the fight that you wanted, and you got exactly that from your side today.
TS: Yes, I said that I felt that we needed to get back to the basics, and turning them. I think that on my sort of part, I'm trying to make a name for myself in the game. I want to do all the right things and play the right way, and play attractive football, and get the fans in and put performances in. I think it's just taken me until recently to talk to a couple of more experienced managers - and winning is important as well.
Whatever it takes to get there, and whatever formula that you do have, it's got to equate to trying to win games. We keep conceding and we've been dropping deep, and not taking chances. Today I felt that it was one of those games where again we created quite a few chances but we looked a lot stronger.
We conceded a lot of possession in the second half, but it seems that a lot of teams do that especially at this level. We had to sit back because we couldn't keep retention of the ball. Then I had to change it, but then to be fair the sending off actually worked for us, because then it slowed their tempo up a bit and everything was a bit more direct. But I'm pleased with the attitude and the commitment and the desire that we did in defending.
For me, that was excellent today. We've been defending as individuals, and I would say that today, and since Colchester, then Plymouth and today, we've been defending as a team and we've been throwing bodies on the line. Luke Ayling got a broken nose today. I've been crying out for someone to get a cut eye. Unfortunately for him it's a broken nose, but that's what it takes to win games. I had that as a player and my players have got to be aware that that is what it takes.
With the additions to the squad, I think Max Ehmer again today was excellent. Paul Wotton was very experienced. He knew when to foul, and when to break play up. Also I though Andy Williams was a real handful for them today.
CS: As an ex-central defender I would imagine that three successive clean sheets is very pleasing for you.
TS: Yes, and another bit for this momentum that I'm talking about, to reel in another one. Again the mindset is different. We're in one of these cross-country runs. We found ourselves at the back, for whatever reason. And now it's that one where you latch onto the next one, then you latch onto the next one. That's where we are looking at (Bristol) Rovers and teams that are above us and can we pass them now?
We've had a little bit of a rest. The things that I've spoken about before, about how we've got to this stage, and where we were bottom of the league. But we're not a bottom of the league club where everything off the field is doom'n'gloom. We're not a club that is going into administration. We're not a club where nobody is turning up, or everybody is having a go at us and having a go at the way we're playing. We're not a club like that.
We're a club where things have conspired against us. Results haven't gone for us, and we haven't taken chances, and there's been missed opportunities that we needed to take. Today we took an opportunity and that's the way that we're going to move on. Everybody says he's over-positive when we're getting beat, but I see my team day-in, day-out and I believe that we can get out of this. I said that it may take us until the last game of the season. In the last two seasons it's taken us until the second from last game. I'm willing, and I'm not going to walk away. This is the biggest challenge of my life and it's one that I am welcoming with both arms and I'm ready to step through any door for this football club, and so are my players.
CS: If there was a concern today, is it in the chances that were missed? You had some very good ones, with two one-on-ones in particular?
TS: Again if you're bottom of the league and you're not creating any chances and you're getting beat, then there's problems. But we are creating chances. Andy Williams is one and Sam Williams is one. Sam is going through a bit of a tough time with the penalty miss and that sort of thing, but he is still giving me everything. He is still putting his body on the line and he is still putting challenges in. And if things are not going for people who are putting in that workrate, then that's still good enough for me.
CS: You said on Saturday that you were still looking to bring in a striker and someone who can take the weight off some of those lads up front.
TS: That's right. If you look around on the bench, we've got real youngsters there like Craig Calver. Billy Gibson has come on and Ed Upson has been involved. We didn't have a lot of subs today, but that's why we need to bring in more people, because we need to make sure that the squad is fighting, and if there is any injuries or suspensions like we've now got, then we've got people who can step in.
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