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After training today, Nick Montgomery and Chris Morgan spent some time answering a few questions about the current situation at the lane and the effect of a good Blades backing, here's how it went...
Nick, how was the mood after the Ipswich game?
Monty - Yeah, mostly disappointed. We started the game well the first half an hour and we felt we should have gone in front. Obviously then, one free kick and we go a goal down. The position we’re in, to go a goal down is a massive blow and it gave Ipswich a massive lift and it was an uphill task from then on.
It must be a long journey coming back from Ipswich after a defeat like that?
Monty - It doesn’t matter where, any defeat, whether it’s here or just down the road, it’s always a long way back because you’ve just lost a game. We don’t play football to lose games and we’ve had a good record here of winning games but it’s just been a difficult season!
Like I said, the first half an hour at Ipswich, anyone that was there, we were the better team and we should have gone in front. Goals change games and obviously we’re more disappointed but there is no way we are feeling sorry for ourselves now, that games gone and we’ve got two home games to look forward to.
Chris, how difficult is it for you, watching football, specifically now?
Morgs - Yes, it’s very difficult. It’s one of those things, when you are injured, used to playing football and being out training with the lads on the training pitch, you feel isolated. You feel on your own at times.
Where do you watch the game from?
Morgs - We’ve actually got two rows of seats behind the away team dugout, so the lads that aren’t playing sit there. It’s difficult, especially at the minute when we aren’t doing so well and results aren’t going our way, you want to be out there with your mates!
You’ve got to behave yourself and not shout too much as well I suppose?
Morgs - Well yeah, the Mrs said to me, she thinks I’m more frustrated when I’m not playing and she’s seen a difference. It is frustrating, you miss it because you want to be out there with your mates, especially when results aren’t going well, you want to be able to give the club what you’ve got. It’s a difficult situation for me, but like Monty’s just said, since I’ve been injured you sort of take a step back from things and you’re not in the middle of what’s going off and you see things.
I’ve seen the attitude of the lads and the spirit the lads have got. I watch them in training through the window when I’m doing my bits and bobs in the gym. They are doing everything they can and I genuinely believe, you can say what you want about little bits of luck, but nothing seems to be going our way at the minute.
So we’re going into four games now, two home and two away and they are going to be big games for us. From what I’ve seen of the lads, they are giving it everything they’ve got. Monty’s just said, down there at Ipswich, I listened to the commentary first half on the radio, for twenty to twenty five minutes everything was looking good, all the reports said we looked well organised, we’d set off well, then Ipswich go one nil up and it’s difficult. When you are near the bottom, you’ve just got to keep believing in yourselves and just keep going. I think results will turn for us, but obviously results have got to turn sooner rather than later.
What does the support mean to you at Bramall Lane? What part do they play, what part can they play on Saturday against Millwall?
Monty - At Bramall Lane when the volume is up and the fans are behind the team, it’s very difficult for the Away side. I think they can be a massive plus for us, the last couple of games they’ve been outstanding. They’ve seen the effort we’ve put in, the last two home games we should have beaten Leicester and Norwich but you know defensive errors and sloppiness has cost us again. That’s been a big thing over this season, but we’ve kept going right till the end and it’s nice when the fans are behind you.
The Sheffield United fans for as long as me and Morgs have been here, as long as we’re putting the effort in and trying, they get behind the lads. We know for the rest of the season that it’s vital, because we know that we can turn Bramall Lane back into a fortress, that’s what we need to do and pick up points away from home. We need everybody behind us, the supporters and the lads. Like Morgs said then, we’re one hundred percent behind the gaffer, he’s come in, he’s got us playing at a higher tempo and I think it’s showing out there on a Saturday.
You say we’ve had no luck, some of the decisions we’ve had over the season against us have been outrageous. We’re not using that as an excuse; but we just need to keep doing what we are doing.
We need the kop behind us and shouting for every decision and getting behind the cause?
Morgs - Listen, we’ve got good enough players to win games without relying on referees. You do get frustrated when decisions don’t go your way and we have had some iffy decisions especially over the last few games. Everybody always says that those decisions even themselves out, so we’ll have a few coming our way soon!
There are rumours, and there always are when a club finds itself at this end of the table, of a bit of unrest in the camp. Is that true? How are we? Are we all together?
Morgs - Obviously Monts is out there training with the lads, but you know, sometimes you notice more when you aren’t involved in it, so I’m probably better off commenting than Monty as he’s right in the thick of things. There’s not one bit of problem between the lads, the lads are good as gold, they are all pulling in the right way and have all responded since the gaffer has come in. The gaffer has asked them to do certain things and the lads are trying to do that. At the end of the day, incidents happen on the training pitch, tempers flare and things are said. I’d feel more worried if that wasn’t happening and the lads weren’t at each other throats when you are in a situation like this.
The lads are frustrated and as long as that frustration doesn’t boil over into something that can’t be handled, things happen on the training pitch and it’s only like any other workplace. Arguments happen, people fall out but you get on with it, we’re all mates. You have rows, over the years me and Monty have had them over different stuff, but as soon as you’re back in that dressing room, that’s it. That’s what happens in football. Anyone that can tell me they’ve got to work and never had a row with anyone else, I think they are telling porky pies.
We’re famed for our never say die attitude at Bramall Lane, is it possible to be actually looking forward to these next four games?
Monty - I think we’ve got to, because like you’ve said about our attitude, the next two home games especially, we can show what we are made of. We just need that little bit of fortune for the ball to go in the back of the net, it’s not like we aren’t creating chances, because we are. You’ve got to look forward to these next four games as a pivotal part of our season and turning our fortunes around!
Nick, how was the mood after the Ipswich game?
Monty - Yeah, mostly disappointed. We started the game well the first half an hour and we felt we should have gone in front. Obviously then, one free kick and we go a goal down. The position we’re in, to go a goal down is a massive blow and it gave Ipswich a massive lift and it was an uphill task from then on.
It must be a long journey coming back from Ipswich after a defeat like that?
Monty - It doesn’t matter where, any defeat, whether it’s here or just down the road, it’s always a long way back because you’ve just lost a game. We don’t play football to lose games and we’ve had a good record here of winning games but it’s just been a difficult season!
Like I said, the first half an hour at Ipswich, anyone that was there, we were the better team and we should have gone in front. Goals change games and obviously we’re more disappointed but there is no way we are feeling sorry for ourselves now, that games gone and we’ve got two home games to look forward to.
Chris, how difficult is it for you, watching football, specifically now?
Morgs - Yes, it’s very difficult. It’s one of those things, when you are injured, used to playing football and being out training with the lads on the training pitch, you feel isolated. You feel on your own at times.
Where do you watch the game from?
Morgs - We’ve actually got two rows of seats behind the away team dugout, so the lads that aren’t playing sit there. It’s difficult, especially at the minute when we aren’t doing so well and results aren’t going our way, you want to be out there with your mates!
You’ve got to behave yourself and not shout too much as well I suppose?
Morgs - Well yeah, the Mrs said to me, she thinks I’m more frustrated when I’m not playing and she’s seen a difference. It is frustrating, you miss it because you want to be out there with your mates, especially when results aren’t going well, you want to be able to give the club what you’ve got. It’s a difficult situation for me, but like Monty’s just said, since I’ve been injured you sort of take a step back from things and you’re not in the middle of what’s going off and you see things.
I’ve seen the attitude of the lads and the spirit the lads have got. I watch them in training through the window when I’m doing my bits and bobs in the gym. They are doing everything they can and I genuinely believe, you can say what you want about little bits of luck, but nothing seems to be going our way at the minute.
So we’re going into four games now, two home and two away and they are going to be big games for us. From what I’ve seen of the lads, they are giving it everything they’ve got. Monty’s just said, down there at Ipswich, I listened to the commentary first half on the radio, for twenty to twenty five minutes everything was looking good, all the reports said we looked well organised, we’d set off well, then Ipswich go one nil up and it’s difficult. When you are near the bottom, you’ve just got to keep believing in yourselves and just keep going. I think results will turn for us, but obviously results have got to turn sooner rather than later.
What does the support mean to you at Bramall Lane? What part do they play, what part can they play on Saturday against Millwall?
Monty - At Bramall Lane when the volume is up and the fans are behind the team, it’s very difficult for the Away side. I think they can be a massive plus for us, the last couple of games they’ve been outstanding. They’ve seen the effort we’ve put in, the last two home games we should have beaten Leicester and Norwich but you know defensive errors and sloppiness has cost us again. That’s been a big thing over this season, but we’ve kept going right till the end and it’s nice when the fans are behind you.
The Sheffield United fans for as long as me and Morgs have been here, as long as we’re putting the effort in and trying, they get behind the lads. We know for the rest of the season that it’s vital, because we know that we can turn Bramall Lane back into a fortress, that’s what we need to do and pick up points away from home. We need everybody behind us, the supporters and the lads. Like Morgs said then, we’re one hundred percent behind the gaffer, he’s come in, he’s got us playing at a higher tempo and I think it’s showing out there on a Saturday.
You say we’ve had no luck, some of the decisions we’ve had over the season against us have been outrageous. We’re not using that as an excuse; but we just need to keep doing what we are doing.
We need the kop behind us and shouting for every decision and getting behind the cause?
Morgs - Listen, we’ve got good enough players to win games without relying on referees. You do get frustrated when decisions don’t go your way and we have had some iffy decisions especially over the last few games. Everybody always says that those decisions even themselves out, so we’ll have a few coming our way soon!
There are rumours, and there always are when a club finds itself at this end of the table, of a bit of unrest in the camp. Is that true? How are we? Are we all together?
Morgs - Obviously Monts is out there training with the lads, but you know, sometimes you notice more when you aren’t involved in it, so I’m probably better off commenting than Monty as he’s right in the thick of things. There’s not one bit of problem between the lads, the lads are good as gold, they are all pulling in the right way and have all responded since the gaffer has come in. The gaffer has asked them to do certain things and the lads are trying to do that. At the end of the day, incidents happen on the training pitch, tempers flare and things are said. I’d feel more worried if that wasn’t happening and the lads weren’t at each other throats when you are in a situation like this.
The lads are frustrated and as long as that frustration doesn’t boil over into something that can’t be handled, things happen on the training pitch and it’s only like any other workplace. Arguments happen, people fall out but you get on with it, we’re all mates. You have rows, over the years me and Monty have had them over different stuff, but as soon as you’re back in that dressing room, that’s it. That’s what happens in football. Anyone that can tell me they’ve got to work and never had a row with anyone else, I think they are telling porky pies.
We’re famed for our never say die attitude at Bramall Lane, is it possible to be actually looking forward to these next four games?
Monty - I think we’ve got to, because like you’ve said about our attitude, the next two home games especially, we can show what we are made of. We just need that little bit of fortune for the ball to go in the back of the net, it’s not like we aren’t creating chances, because we are. You’ve got to look forward to these next four games as a pivotal part of our season and turning our fortunes around!
