Chris Wood Burnley
Posted in2021-2022-Season Daily News

#PLStories- Burnley interim boss Mike Jackson looks ahead to Watford clash in relegation battle do or die #BURNLEYFC #WATFORDFC

April 29, 2022
BURNLEY interim boss Mike Jackson insists he hasn’t thought about his own managerial ambitions despite an impressive start to life in the hotseat at Turf Moor. The Clarets have picked up seven points from their last three matches since Jackson stepped up from the Under-23 side. But the former Tranmere boss insists he is only focused on the short term and helping Burnley maintain their top-flight status. “I’ve not had a chance to think about that," he said. "It’s not in the front of my mind at this moment in time. “The total focus has been can we get this team ready and making sure we keep trying to improve them. “I've had regular contact (with Alan Pace). We spoke about a couple of things, he’s given us his backing and we’re just going to go one game at a time. "He’s happy with where we are and we think the best for everybody is the way we’ve been doing it so everyone’s on the same page.” Burnley face another huge game on Saturday when they take on 19th-placed Watford, and victory at Vicarage Road would not just be a big leap towards safety but would also effectively relegate both Watford and Norwich. “I wouldn’t be disrespectful to the two teams like that,” he added. “I didn’t even know that. For me it’s just us focusing on us. “They’re fighting for their lives, two really good managers. A Roy Hodgson team’s not going to think about that. “There are loads of permutations. I can’t read into the future. We stay in the now. That’s the best way to play football.” Burnley can pile more pressure on Everton below them and Leeds ahead of them, with both teams playing after the Clarets and facing what appear significantly more difficult fixtures. A third of Burnley’s Premier League victories this campaign have come under Jackson, and he is determined to keep things simple. The former defender said: “It has been good but it’s just been about focusing on this next game, learning what we’ve done from the last game, what went well in the previous games. “The biggest thing I keep saying to them is, ‘Can we improve?’ There are certain things that we know we need to get right. “This group, with what has happened, have really rallied round each other and we’ve got to keep that - the players, the fans and the staff right at the heart of it, nothing comes inside that.” Jackson could have Maxwel Cornet and Jay Rodriguez available, but Erik Pieters, Ben Mee, Johann Berg Gudmundsson and Ashley Westwood remain sidelined.
Roy Hodgson
Posted in2021-2022-Season Daily News

#PLStories- Ralph Hasenhuttl believes Roy Hodgson is addicted to football #WATFORDFC #SaintsFC

March 13, 2022
RALPH Hasenhuttl has labelled Watford manager Roy Hodgson as “addicted to football” ahead of facing the experienced boss at his 17th club. The 74-year-old was appointed as the Hornet’s manager following Claudio Ranieri’s sacking in January. He has held over 20 jobs in management during a career which started back in 1976, and included a four-year spell at the helm of England. Hodgson only departed Crystal Palace at the end of the 2020-21 season, and did not confirm then if he was retiring from the job or not. At the time, he said: "I've seen so many people retire with all the fanfare blazing, only to surface again somewhere in a fairly short period of time. I'd prefer not to do that.” Now, his side prepare to travel to St Mary’s and face Saints on Sunday, March 13, with Premier League relegation looming over. Asked if he was surprised to see Hodgson back, Hasenhuttl responded: “No, because he’s addicted to football and that is the reason why he is back again. “He’s an unbelievable person, fantastic character and hopefully we see a good game.” Asked about the test Watford present, he added: “If you ask me tomorrow, I can tell you more. “It’s tough for me to speak about Watford at the moment. They are more stabilised now and have had some good results on the road I think, it will be a tough game. “Two teams are meeting each other who haven’t been the most successful during the week so it will be important to find better answers for the weekend.”
Kyle Walker Peters
Posted in2021-2022-Season Daily News

#PLStories- Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl gives update on Kyle Walker-Peters and crucial Watford game #SAINTSFC #WatfordFC

March 10, 2022
RALPH Hasenhuttl has confirmed he’s happy that defender Kyle Walker-Peters is “absolutely okay”, after the enigma was only introduced as a substitute in the Aston Villa defeat. The 24-year-old had picked up a minor hamstring injury during the FA Cup fifth round victory over West Ham last week. It meant he was left on the bench for Villa at the weekend, which was the first time he had not completed 90 minutes in a Premier League match since he had COVID in mid-January. Mohammed Salisu, who also had a hamstring injury, was absent from the squad altogether and is still waiting assessment for Newcastle United at St Mary’s on Thursday. Mohammed Salisu could make a return versus Newcastle (Pic: PA) However, the Austrian boss confirmed that Walker-Peters is “absolutely okay”, and can come in from the start versus the Magpies if selected. "Yes, he's okay,” Hasenhuttl said. “The good thing is that we have a few alternatives in this position and we don't need to risk anything. "This is the reason why I left him out at first (against Villa), but he is a fantastic player and we want him to be on the pitch, normally. “Especially because he can play different positions and I am happy that he is absolutely ok." Walker-Peters has operated in both right-back and left-back regularly this season, as well as deputising in wing-back and even right-midfield as Hasenhuttl has required. Kyle Walker-Peters scored his second goal of the season in the FA Cup clash with Coventry City (Pic: Stuart Martin) With Tino Livramento on the right of defence and Romain Perraud as the left-sided option, Hasenhuttl is not short of quality full-backs. Saints do not have much recovery time before their next match, when Watford also visit St Mary’s on Sunday. However, the boss revealed his focus is not yet on the potential XI he might field in that. "I don't have in my mind the Watford game at the moment, to be honest,” he continued. "Yes, I know it is only two days later, but the focus is on the reaction we want to show now on Thursday against a good opponent and we want to have an answer for some of the things that happened last weekend, and I am sure we will give this answer. "I don't want to tell you what was said, it stays in the dressing room. I also wouldn't want them to tell what I told them, so leave it with us.” Former Saints star Danny Ings scored the fourth at Villa Park (Pic: PA) Hasenhuttl added: "It is not always necessary to speak after the game, it is much more important what follows as a reaction on the pitch. This is what I like much more. “You hear about the discussions in the dressing room, but to be honest, the truth is on the pitch and when you show on the pitch the qualities that you have that helps you, definitely, much more. "Our job is to set them up to know exactly what they have to do on the pitch and there is no more discussion needed, this is my job that I have to do. "If I don't do this perfectly, then they are lost, and maybe also I didn't help them massively in this Villa game. But I think if we fail at all, we always fail everybody, or nobody. And the goal (against Newcastle) is to show a better performance, all of us."