But what do you make of the, the, the, the level of change?

We said in the summer d- when we did the, the, the preview show, it was f- [sighs] dis- dis- listen, dis- disappointing.

I think it...

We always knew it was gonna come, like, you need that PSR and everything.

Unfortunately, we've had our hand forced over a number of years now, as you, as you've seen, amongst others.

But, so it was always gonna happen at some point.

It probably wasn't...

So how are you feeling about this match in particular?

[laughs]

... there's more than what I thought.

Um, yeah, I mean, like McPhee's, you know, I mean, as I say, it's one of them, isn't it? You know, he's part of the staff, and you, you can look at the stats and, and debate whether, you know, he was at, you know, if he was the reason for all of the goals that we scored.

And I mean, for me, you know, I'm gonna go the other way and just say, listen, it's about quality of delivery as well, you know, and it's about the, the willingness to get on the end of a ball that gets put in the box, you know, in, in most cases.

So yes, it would be a lot.

However, I'm sure Unai can bring somebody else in, you know, just as equally as, as, as good at, you know, in knowing set plays in that respect.

So, you know, we'll move on from that one.

No.

But looking back to those early days, when you decided to take this leap, what was the primary goal or mission you were hoping to achieve?

So my primary goal was, I suppose, a little bit of self-preservation for me so I could navigate this journey.

But it was always focused around Harry, my amazing son, who was nine at the time.

It was focused around how can I make sure that I am I'm a present father I'm a role model and also I'm I'm there for whatever whatever journey that we go on emotionally and but also focused around Laura was and thank you for your kind words but if it wasn't for Laura and supporting me I would never be able to have stood up at her funeral and said words or that post that you said that you read on Facebook and other people have said that I just wrote that and posted it.

And that's kind of how I have always been.

I don't read things twice.

That's what came from my head.

What does it look like for you?

So h- how confident are you?

To, to be proven.

Not, not, not as much as what I was.

You know, again, you've got to take the first game into consider- and I said we, you know, seems to be so much gone on since then.

But, you know, for, for us it needs to be first tackle.

Cliche again, I get it.

But, you know, first header, first tackle, can we get an early goal, get the crowd on your side? How do you get the crowd on your side? Like I said to you, it, it...

That's what they said.

What kind of result is the one that you're thinking, "Yeah, that's all right and we can win the second leg"?

Well, we haven't, haven't won at the City Ground since 2019.

So our, our, our record obviously there is not, is not great.

So for me, I think you've got to come back...

It's a bit cliché, but you've got to come back having not lost the game and then hope that, you know, there's gonna be an incredible atmosphere at Villa Park, um, and we can then finish the job off.

I, I would probably say that, and it, it is more a bit of a mind game, you know, I think the pressure has to be on you first game.

Because ultimately, you know, you...

Mm