Obviously, there were some comings and goings this summer. He’s not played for so long, are you still happy that he has a big future at this football club?
“Well, again, like I’ve just said, I think we’re talking about the summer and beyond. I think it’s difficult for me to sit here and make judgements and comment on that. We just want him to get back fit. I think, as any footballer, to be out and missing football matches and not being able to train is a difficult time. It’s probably one of the toughest times that you go through as a professional. Obviously, we’re helping him through that, supporting him through that, and trying to get them back as quickly as we can.”
I believe Jim [Ratcliffe] was in at Carrington this week. Did you had a chance to talk to him at all? There is plenty to discuss at the moment…
“Yeah, he came in. We had a chat. We had a cup of tea. Casual chat to be honest, it was nice to see him showing his support, obviously. Yeah, that was it. It was quite informal, but it was nice to see him.”
It feels like a good thing to have an owner who is across what the current situation is at Carrington…
“Yeah, I think, as a football club, we’re hugely connected all the way through. I think it’s a big part and I’m really conscious of that’s how it should be, and I am trying to do my part with that, as well as is everybody else. So, I’ve felt that since I’ve been here since January, for sure.”
Just, how important is it for a club like this to be in the Champions League every season? Not just financially but also the prestige. Is this the sort of club that should be in the Champions League most, if not all seasons?
“It’s certainly where want to be. We’ve had some success in the competition. We’ve had some great occasions and great nights in the competition, and it’s, without doubt, where want to be. I think you can never take it for granted and just assume that’s where you should be. It’s part of football and performance where you need to earn it. Simple as that, you need to earn it. At the moment, we’re in a decent position. There’s, hopefully, more to come as well, and we want to keep pushing, but it just shows you how difficult it can be to be at the top, to stay at the top, to live at the top. Champions League’s definitely where we want to be.”
You’ve said in the past that you are kind of involved in discussions about the summer, whatever your future may hold. Presumably, are there two sort of sets of plans dictated by the finance of whether or not you are in the Champions League?
“I think, like anything, planning and moving forward of what it could look like, you have to be ahead of the game and not be caught by surprise or reactive. What those plans look like, obviously some of the discussions I’ve been part of, some of them I am sure are going on to make plans and make the best of whatever happens next season, whatever happens in the summer.”