Every word Dean Holden said at the post-Stoke City press conference: Bristol City win, Bakinson Bristol City head coach on great start to the season A lot of managers seem to be complaining about a lack of pre-season but you've had no problem coping with it? What have you done over the summer and how do you keep it going? Good question. It is what it is. COVID has changed the world - and we've got to adapt to that. Part of the message to the players is that when the s*** hits the fan - excuse my French - we find a solution to the problem. You're going to get problems every day at the training environment and match days - we've got to be smart and find solutions to that. The important thing is we've got a good group of players, it's a new group and a new group of staff so again despite COVID you're not able to get together and have these social gatherings so we've had to find different ways to get a good spirit going, and to build on the culture that's been at the club previously. It's all about our performance and we focus on our performance. The result at the end of it you can't always control but what we can control is how we want to play with the ball. And when we've not got the ball how we're going to go about it. You saw that today in the performance. What pleased you most about the performance today apart from the result? Some of our play with the ball was outstanding. For the first 15 minutes we took the game by the scruff of the neck and created two big chances and maybe another half chance with Andi Weimann. I said to the players before the game that you can't come to this place and not have to scrap at times. And that's the pleasing thing in all the results so far this season. When we've had the ball we've moved it well but it's not just a case of having possession but it's what you do with in games. We're clinical when we get the chances and we're managing to keep our goal relatively quiet. I can't remember Stoke really having a chance on our goal today against Dan Bentley today. Every performance for me has to have a bit of everything. You've got to scrap at times, you've got to put your body on the line, you've got to pass the ball with belief to your teammates. And it was all there today in different parts of the game. What are your feelings for the season? Bristol City have always threatened the top six. There must be a target for that to go that step further? I'll repeat the message I'll say when I got the job. This club is aiming to be at the top end of the Championship. We've got good belief in that. We've had a brilliant start: four wins from four is outstanding but that's all it is, a start. We're nowhere near where we want to get to - at the end but we're building every day. The spirit is growing and the confidence and belief is growing and we've got some good young players out there at the moment, Zak Vyner and Tyreeq Bakinson and Antoine Semenyo when he comes on. They're all getting opportunities with first team now and they're all performing really well. And that's another pleasing thing. Does that performance send out a message? It was a complete 90 minute performance. We had control of the game. To be honest I'm not interested in sending out a message to anyone. It's about us gaining momentum at the start of the season. I'm sure our supporters sat at home will have really enjoyed that performance. Again, something else I said was that we'll try and put some pride in our performances for the supporters to enjoy while they're not here. And that's the one downside. You come to Stoke away, a place where you're thinking about being a manager in the future, a place that you always look to as a club with a fantastic atmosphere and the away support and that's not there at the moment. So we've got to do our bit until we can get our fans back in the ground. Hopefully they're enjoying it, obviously it's just a start but we move on to the next one. How have you been able to persuade the likes of Chris Brunt and Chris Martin to join when there may have been others in for them? Honesty. I like to meet every player face to face as much as you can through COVID before you sign them and you do the character references to see if they still have that hunger. And everyone I met, I was really impressed with the signings that we made and their character - and their ambition. And equally with the two coaches I've brought to the club in Keith [Downing] and Paul Simpson, they're not going to leave the FA that is just going to try and be a team in mediocrity. They've had options before to leave, and I think it's a real coup for the club, the players and the staff that they've chosen Bristol City as their next step. Again, we're all new together and we're building every day. The players have bought into the ideas and welcomed them in and we're a work in progress. You managed to thwart Stoke today but what did you see as their biggest threat today? I think they're an outstanding group of players - Michael O'Neill is a manager I hold in the highest regard. He's a top international manager. Without a pre-season under our belt we knew it was going to be difficult today. With the way that they play they put you under pressure. They get the ball forward into players like Vokes. Gregory we weren't sure - I went up to Molineux on Thursday night and watched them and weren't quite sure which partnership they would go with. With Campbell and Brown. They've all got individual attributes. Nick Powell and Sam Clucas are top performers. If you allow them time and space they can hurt you. Most of the work we do is on us - we want our players to believe in the way that we play but we touch on a few little things such as set-pieces. Michael has been renowned for excellent set-piece production and we had to be mindful of that today, when the ball got thrown into our box we defended it mindfully. https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/every-word-dean-holden-said-4533407
I like the way he says 'The important thing is we've got a good group of players, it's a new group and a new group of staff' , a new start, a fresh approach,different ideas and faces, no empire builders and legacies, no family connections, evolution not revolution, no useless gizmos and techo's. I've used all of the cliches purposely to be boring, it's all about football and that's what we all honestly love, it's nice to be back.
What the heck is going on here with statements I can understand and agree with and to confound me the football seems to be in good hands. I am very pleased for Dean because, let's face it, he was the easy cheap option and right now he seems to have a grasp on the team squad and tactics would appear to be right on the mark. I truly thought it might be difficult for him and the inheritance that came with the job, but if he can do one thing over the next little while for me it would be to bring the players to a point where they are proud of the shirt. Togetherness and the desire to compete at their top level should be the order of the day and although it's still early days I am starting to believe that Dean and his crew are up for the job.
Holden staying grounded after 'outstanding' football https://www.bcfc.co.uk/news/holden-staying-grounded-after-outstanding-football/
'Staying grounded' - and so he should. It is very early days. Interesting to know, as No2, why Bakinson didn't get a chance over Massengo earlier, or has he become 'brilliant' overnight.
A most encouraging start and long may it continue ! And whilst I don't mean to be a harbinger of doom, it will be interesting to see how the squad reacts when we lose a game.
I think a lot of us know that our previous boss was somewhat shy of giving some of the young ones a chance and it seems that DH has a different approach which seems to work well. There is nothing better than seeing a young unheralded player getting their chance to prove their worth especially when it comes at the expense of an over-hyped over paid so called star. Carry on and mind the gap.
Exactly only thought that yesterday-but have to say they look a completely different proposition under DH at present.
It's a great start, a different attituude, positive intent, leadership from with in and not above, I'll still sit on the fence until we have played 10 Championship games but I do like and thouroughly enjoy the current experience, this new coaching set up looks good.
I’m more inclined to think that Massengo looks better in training, but can’t replicate it in a competitive game (nerves maybe?), whereas Bakinson can.
Or possibly some were blinded : Massengo comes from Champions League Monaco with a price tag and Bakinson comes from within.
Or perhaps they already knew about his talent but rather than chuck him in the deep end, loaned him out to develop more. A bit like 99% of other clubs do. Similar to Bobby Reid, Joe Bryan etc etc
Massengo started his first couple of games like a world beater as has Bakinson, lets give Bakinson a few more games before we start elevating him to messiah status. Massengo was found out after a few games when clubs realised how to play against him the same could happen to Bakinson. Massengo is also 2 years younger than Bakinson so there is still plenty of development potential to come. A loan may be in order for him. But we haven't paid that up front have we? Its dependent on his (and ours) progression
