Crawley Town parted ways with Rob Elliot this week and his assistant Louie Storey has been made interim head coach. We caught up with Louie ahead of this Saturday's match with Bristol Rovers at the Broadfield Stadium.
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00:00Lily, thank you for joining us. You obviously join us here in sort of difficult circumstances,
00:06but you've had a fabulous day. Firstly, after your first day of training, how was the squad
00:12and how's the preparation for the weekend?
00:14I think the preparation today, the atmosphere with the group was good.
00:19It was difficult circumstances, a lot of change, a lot of people from the industry
00:26sometimes brought a little bit of confusion, a lot of repeated messages,
00:32quite a bit of insecurity, but I must say that the group were very professional today.
00:39Took on the information, spoke about the situation with Rob first thing this morning
00:44and then we made clear that we had to draw a line under that and focus on today's training
00:49being the best it could be, working into the preparation for Bristol.
00:52So, yeah, mindset, atmosphere is as good as it can be. I know that there's a large percentage
01:02of the boys that are disappointed that Rob's gone because they backed him and were all in
01:09on how he wanted to play and what the project was here, but we've had that reaction.
01:13The preparation went well today and we're building towards Bristol.
01:18Yeah, it's just how we do. To a certain extent, have to draw a line under the circumstances,
01:22but obviously, just a line of wrong from yourself. You've worked with him since he arrived here
01:28and you've obviously worked with him before that as well. He was someone who gave his all
01:31for this football club and it's a shame that things didn't work out, but as you touched on there,
01:34that's football and we have to move on. It may not have gone his way in the period that he was here,
01:40but it was certainly not through the want of trying, as he would always say.
01:43Yeah, for sure. Rob's played at the very highest level for a very long time and he knows how ruthless
01:52and how football is in the professional game. He's a fantastic human being, someone who always
02:01looked for the best in people, always tried to live up to people's strengths and to play on their strengths
02:07instead of wasting energy and time on focusing on weaknesses. He was all in on this football club
02:14and I think his lasting legacy will be that togetherness that he brought for the group.
02:22The improvements that we did make on the pitch in terms of how we effected the goal more,
02:27how we tried to be adaptable in our approach towards games. We focused on ourselves as much as possible
02:36as well as respecting the opponent. All we can do now is to focus on the next game, be professional
02:44because that's what Rob would have wanted and to stick together because that culture that he tosses
02:49is massive for Rob and it's a fundamental part of how he wants to be a football manager.
02:54I'm sure he'll keep on doing more successful things.
02:57This is your first experience on the coaching side of things and you've taken the role as interim head coach.
03:04In the meantime, do you think it would almost help considering that even towards the start of this season
03:08you weren't involved in the playing squad, you know the emotions that these players will be going through.
03:13Is that going to be a big factor in the coming days as we approach some tough games?
03:16Yes, I'd like to think so. Similar to Rob and the rest of the coaching staff, I'd like to build relationships
03:25and connections with the players to get to know what drives them, to make them feel comfortable in their own skin
03:31so that ultimately they can be the best version of themselves on the football pitch for Crawley Town.
03:35So that experience of not being a player not too long ago at Gateshead and then obviously stepping into
03:43the assistant manager's role here at Crawley with Rob but continuing that philosophy, it'll be fundamental
03:50going forward because the key situation now is that we get a reaction out of the players
03:59and that we go and get the best version of the starting XI, the players on the bench, the guys that are training
04:05and supporting outside the squad, that we get the best version of them because we need to show a reaction from
04:10not just Rob Departon but ultimately where the performance is and the results have been over the last
04:15three to four games. We know we're capable of a lot more so that message will be drilled home in terms of
04:23A. We need more, B. We expect more and we've got to really dig deep to show that desire, show that character
04:30and take real pride and represent this football club in each and every remaining game of this league campaign.
04:37Yeah, as you say, we've still got games of this league campaign coming up and ultimately nothing's been decided yet,
04:43we're not mathematically out of things so for the meantime we'll just be focusing on getting as many wins on the board
04:47as possible and trying to do something special towards the end of the season.
04:51Yeah, for sure. We are going to take every game as it comes. The message and the question I give to the players today is
05:00game by game, do they believe that they're good enough to win games of football at this level?
05:07Do they believe that individually and collectively they are good enough to compete at this level?
05:11And the answer is yes. Where we fell short is probably, not probably, sorry, it is consistency.
05:17We've played some big teams and matched them, maybe not got the result, we've played some big teams, played well and got a result
05:24so it's about showing that consistency and there's an opportunity collectively to represent the football club
05:32but then obviously individual pride and progression of their careers to show that they can not only operate but succeed at this level.
05:41So we're mathematically not relegated, that is not the mindset here with this group.
05:46We will fight at every point and in every game to ultimately put a string of performances and results together
05:55which are consistent, which takes pride in playing for this football club.
06:01Thanks. Louis, how much of a tough decision was it to stay on as interim head coach?
06:06Obviously you're close with Rob and now Rob's gone. Was it an easy decision for you?
06:10Being honest, it was difficult because ultimately Rob's been a long friend, a mentor and then also a manager.
06:20We did discuss it, obviously when the situation arised yesterday and Rob wants the best for me as his friend, as his assistant manager
06:30as well as the coaching team and Rob still also wants the best for this football club
06:34and at this moment in time, continuation, working with the group and trying to get the best out of the players
06:40from a group of staff that know them, that are well versed in how we play and operate at this level
06:47and the games that we've been involved with recently and how we can improve.
06:50That's key and fundamental and Rob knows that so that loyalty and allegiance is definitely there
06:58but also as well, I'm contracted to Crowley Football Club and the way that I see life and how I try to operate
07:05is whichever football club, football team, project I'm a part of, I'm all in.
07:10So at this moment in time, I was the assistant manager yesterday and now I'm an interim head coach
07:16and I'll give it all in that position and also I've got Rob's backing on that because he wants the team, the group, the club
07:23myself and the rest of the coaching team to try and kick on and to provide a positive reaction and to do the best that we can.
07:28Have the owners given you any indication how long this period might be? Will it be a quick appointment or do you know?
07:34There's no indication at this moment in time. Ultimately, the question was are you and the staff happy and comfortable
07:42taking over as interim for as short or as long as that needs to be and the answer was yes.
07:48That's pretty straightforward. Because of the nature of the turnaround before the game, I think myself, the coaching staff
07:55and the football club knew that once we got that decision, the next step is to focus for Bristol and the game on Saturday
08:03and probably just like the mentality that the group of players and staff will take will be reflected in the period going forward
08:12and the situation is we'll just take every game as it comes and that means giving everything in every training session,
08:19in all the preparations, in all the meetings, in every game, taking pride in representing this football club
08:25and trying to perform to a level that satisfies the fans and everyone associated with the football club
08:32and to try and win as many points as possible.
08:35And I'm assuming this is where your ambition lies, becoming a head coach of a league football team?
08:41Yeah, I think so. You know, 24 hours ago I was committed to being assistant manager of Crawley Town,
08:50to be in League One for as long as possible but 100% my aspirations are to operate at the highest level,
09:00whether that's as a coach, assistant manager, interim manager because I've got that desire to always push
09:08and to be outside my comfort zone and to operate at the highest level.
09:11So yeah, I think I am looking forward to this experience, this opportunity, this period of time,
09:21however short or long it is because ultimately I know I'll be better off for it and I'll give it my all.
09:26Yeah, so I'm looking forward to tomorrow and the game on Saturday.
09:30Yeah, just on a different note, Sam mentioned about your playing side, you stopped playing at the end when you joined Crawley.
09:36How much do you miss that?
09:37Yeah, I miss it a lot. I think any player that's then went into coaching or even any coach that has just committed to the journey
09:46in that career long term will probably admit that, or I'll say the large percentage will admit that there's nothing quite like playing out there.
09:55A reflection of the opportunity and how serious it was when Crawley came along was that was a sacrifice I was prepared to make
10:04to be at this football club, to operate at this level, to work with the players in the changing room.
10:10So yeah, difficult decision. I do from time to time join in training to just keep that step going in terms of the playing side
10:22but also you've seen that set up with a lot of Premier League teams where there's a player coach, whether it's the first team,
10:29I know there's a couple of teams even in League One who have a player coach at our level, or whether it's the 21s where there's a more experienced player
10:35that goes in to join in training to keep the standards, to work with the players individually from inside.
10:41So that's a benefit of that. But yeah, it's a sacrifice that was worthwhile to be here and to operate at this level
10:47and yeah, just looking forward to getting better each day.
10:50Yeah, and obviously a big match Saturday. What's your message to the fans going into Saturday's game?
10:55The message from the fans is I know that it's been difficult of recent. It's been a really testing season.
11:02We've stepped up to a new level, to the strongest League One campaign that probably ever has been.
11:08The players need the support more than ever. We're going to give everything.
11:13There will be desire and character from the group of players that represent this football club
11:18and we'll take real pride in playing in front of them and we just want them to be the 12th man to back us
11:23for every minute of that game, for every game between now and the end of the season
11:28to ultimately give the best account of Crawley Town in this League One campaign which remains
11:34and that comes from everyone.
11:36Good luck, thanks.
11:37Thanks very much.