MARLON PACK MEDIA INTERVIEW TODAY:
MARLON PACK:
Social media can be a curious place, do you feel you have a responsibility to engage now?
“Yeah… initially during lockdown I felt it a bit more. I’m not huge on it, but I took more notice and was a bit more interactive. Just the small things. It’s a minute of my day, but to a lot of people it’s a huge deal.
“Enjoy the highs but don’t get too carried away and let it affect you too much, just keep that middle ground throughout it all.”
Weather is turning, pitches become heavier, will that have an effect?
“It does like to rain in Cardiff!
“We had hailstones in training. That would make it a little bit harder.
“Players now will have to roll their sleeves up and get on with it. We are branded as pampered at times, but strip it all back and we are just fortunate to play football.
“In terms of support, the lads have felt it a bit more on social media.”
Surprised at the start Reading made?
“No, not at all.
“The lads touched that we played a few times last year and they showed the players they had and the football they like to play.
“You’re seeing a lot more now, teams taking a few more chances in possession, playing more high-risk football.
“It’s only two games in though so we can’t get too carried away.”
Are you getting used to it?
“What I will say is that I think the first lockdown, it was a shootout.
“We have probably had a tougher pre-season with little clarification.
“It is the same for everyone, we are just fortunate enough to go back to work and compete at a high level.”
How do you make CCS a fortress?
“If you win that’s going to help.
“If I’m going to be completely honest, the period after lockdown it helped us a bit.
“When you talk about expectation and pressure, it allowed us to relax a bit more.
“But then come the play-off games, the semi-final, we would have had a filled stadium and the atmosphere at our stadium is one of the best in the league.
“Now you are hearing more communication and more tactical instruction from the other manager.”
You owe Reading, played them a lot last year…
“Yeah, they ended up being a bogey team just because of how the results went.
“They have had a fantastic start to the season and are playing some good football.
“We try and put our own stamp on the game.
“Without any fans it’s a bit different but you want to build an atmosphere and intensity.”
How optimistic are you?
“It’s early days. You never get a true picture until December, January time.
“We want to be in the Premier League, we make no secret of that.
“It’s down to us to get things right and continue the process we have so far.
“Hopefully we will be there or thereabouts come the end of the season.
“It would be easy for me to bat it off, but inevitably the pressure at this club is something you have to live with.
“You have to embrace it.
“We were close last year, unfortunately we finished just before the last hurdle and we want to go one or two further.
“You get no easy games but it’s up to us to deliver what we want to achieve.”
He relies on others to create, doesn’t he?
“That’s our responsibility to play to his strengths.
“He works really hard, he’s not just a lump, he can play as well.
“But we want him in that penalty box, bashing defenders up and making himself a problem.”
What does it mean to rest of squad when new striker scores two?
“He was bought in for that reason.
“I have played against Kieffer numerous times and he has shown what a threat he is.
“Once he signed all the lads were pleased he was on board and on our team.
“Being home on Saturday, I’m sure he will want to get his first league goal.
“It’s up to us now to give him the service he deserves.”
After two defeats, was important to win…
“It’s not an ideal start to the season for anyone and we felt it a little more in those first two games, but you have to get on with it.
“You have to continue with that performance and get another results.”
Excellent win, just want to build now?
“Yeah definitely. Only being three games in, after two defeats, we feel a little bit of pressure to win.
“To build on that performance and win against a side who has brought in some good individuals is something for us to build on.”
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