Luis Melville of Westside Community Radio 89.6FM caught up with Bees Manager Andy Scott at the Training Ground on Thursday, ahead of Saturday's match at Darlington.
Luis Melville: Andy once again you've been honest about the team's performance against Dagenham but I think everything has to be kept in perspective. I think there's probably 23 teams in this division who would love to swap places with you right at this moment.
Andy Scott: Yes, definitely. John Still (Dagenham manager) said to us after the game that was their best performance since he has been manager. They won the Conference last season and they did very well at the beginning of the season and now they are in the play offs picture so that is some statement to make.He's probably said that as well because he was playing against us and they've beaten some good sides by big margins so to put it into perspective. We didn't start very well, we didn't compete as well as we wanted to in the first 20-30 minutes but after that it was a reasonably even game with two sides going for it and giving it everything they could.It was just one of those days you when we didn't start well enough and got punished and they were on form and we weren't.It hasn't happened many times this season and hopefully it won't happen again.
LM: You're allowed the odd bad day at the office?
AS: Like I said earlier this week, we've lost seven games this season. If anyone had said to us with two games to go you would be top of the league by two points, I don't think there's any person involved at Brentford Football Club that wouldn't have taken it. We're not panicking, we've got two games left and we've performed well enough this season that we believe that we can get the points to go up and hopefully we can get over the line as quickly as possible.
LM: Looking straight ahead to the Darlington game, again a slightly tricky one there because mathematically they could still qualify for the play offs so it's not going to be an easy game but you mentioned in your press conference about 'sticking to the game plan'. Between now and Saturday is that where you are going to focus on in training?
AS: No. We've picked up a hell of a lot of knocks and I think getting players fit is our primary concern. The last six weeks have been horrific in terms of injuries that we've picked up so it's just a matter of getting through training and making sure no one gets injured.Mentally, the lads were focused straight away on this Saturday's game and we can't be too down on ourselves as we look towards the Darlington game. We need to make sure we stick to what we've done so far this season and if we do we will be okay. I think the good thing about it is that there seemed to be a level of expectation amongst people around us and the fans that there was going to be a party on Tuesday night.Dagenham away was always going to be a tough game especially at this stage of the season.We never thought that it was going to be a case of turning up and getting three points and not expect a serious game from Dagenham. We didn't play well and it wasn't for lack of preparation or anything like that but I think it gives a reality check to the fans and maybe other people around us that the job is not done yet. We are still trying to prepare for every game as if it's the first game of the season and you I think if the fans and everybody else has that attitude we can be more realistic about it and take every game for what it is.
LM: You've had a gruelling season with injuries and you've had to bring in a lot of loan players as well - and it takes time to bed them in; you've got some young players, although you've also got some experienced players - it's just trying to blend that altogether and you're learning the job as well?
AS: The team is unrecognisable from the beginning of the season because of the injuries we've had and that's just life. We've been very unfortunate with the injuries we've had to key players at crucial times of the season but we have got young players and we're top of the league but we're getting players booed at Dagenham - and I think the fans have got to have a reality check on what they're doing. They're not supporting the players by booing and I don't want them booing my players. I'd rather them just not turn up to be honest and they're called fans because they're fanatical about their team; but to be fanatical about a side, you support them and you do everything you can to make sure they can do the best they can. We had players being booed on Tuesday and I don't want a part of it. I don't want people or anything about this club to be negative and that is negative and it doesn't help anyone. All it does is to serve to put them under more pressure and make them a little bit nervous and to question what they are doing. Everyone has a bad game and I'm sure these people that are booing have a bad day at work but no-one boos them because that's not the nature of it. So don't turn up unless you're going to support us. That's the message.
LM: Do you expect Darlington to adopt Dagenham's tactics and come out of the traps at you and try and unsettle you from the start?
AS: Darlington have shown that they are a good side and without the ten point deduction they would be in the play-offs comfortably and maybe pushing towards an automatic promotion place. We know that they started off very well last week against Rochdale and got an early goal and that settled them down - they were comfortable after that. It's not an easy place to go to and we're not taking them for granted. We know they're going to come at us and they don't want us getting something at their place and they want to prove that they are one of the better sides in this league. We're well aware that any game at this stage of the season is going to be tough because of all the expectation and you know everyone else is looking at what you're doing. I think we've handled it pretty well and I'm confident we can continue with that.
