Nottingham Forest boss Sean Dyche has been speaking to the media before Thursday’s Europa League game against Malmo at the City Ground (kick-off 20:00 GMT).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
-
Morgan Gibbs-White will not be available for Thursday’s match as they are “just settling an issue with him”, but so far it is “nothing too serious”. Ola Aina, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Dilane Bakwa are also still out.
-
Having been with the squad for a few weeks now, the Forest boss said he is “good with the general direction” they are going in but there is “still more to come from what we can do as a collective”. He added: “They’re taking in a lot of information with different managers and adapting to each different person as it comes. So far they’ve adapted to me and my staff, and they’ve been very accepting of the work that’s getting done.”
-
On if they can take confidence from Sunday’s win at Anfield: “It just furthers the belief in the group and each other, which is important, and hopefully in ourselves. I’ve shared with them openly – we can only guide in what we think is the right direction. It’s down to them and our trust in them to deliver. They’re certainly doing that on a daily basis and in the games, and I’ve been very happy with that.”
-
He added: “There was a real connection here. I think everyone knew that last season. When I got here it wasn’t broken – I just said it was stretched is all and sometimes that happens. But I think there’s a reconnection, and of course results help that massively.”
-
Asked about balancing the Premier League and Europe, Dyche said it was “tougher” because it is the first year back, adding: “The beginning of this season should have been a reminder of how challenging it is [in the top flight]. The Premier League is still massively important to this football club, without a doubt. When you look at the Europa League just from the point of being in Europe again, it’s brilliant for the history of the club and revisiting the history.”
-
Despite noise around the club this season, Dyche feels “most Forest fans underneath that know the work that’s been done by the ownership group since they came” and “you can’t forget the whole journey” because of one difficult period.
-
On what his memory is of Forest’s famous night against Malmo in 1979, when they won the European Cup: “I remember the goal – everyone remembers that one. My parents having it on TV and me watching it… But I think the club are doing proud – both sides are – for a remembrance of a big day for both clubs.”
Hear more from Dyche on BBC Sounds
