Carlton Morris gave his thoughts prior to our meeting with Reading on Saturday.
ON IMPORTANCE OF READING GAME
“It’s a big game but, on the same side of things, it’s just another game that will have the same intense build-up, the same preparation and taking on details from the management staff, training hard and training well, and putting everything out there on the Saturday.
“But we’re not over-thinking things, we’re not getting too hyped up on ourselves to go and be blowing in the first 10 minutes and get too excited. We’re in a really calm place and the dressing room is a good place right now.”
ON READING GAME
“I’ve always been a one game at a time sort of guy, so I’m not thinking about the mathematics and the points and where it leaves us at, because it’s pointless doing that – you’ve always got to focus on the next game at hand, and that’s Reading.
“I think it’s a massive opportunity to play a team in the same battle as us at home; it’s only opportunity you could ask for in terms of having it in your hands – the proverbial six pointer, if you will. I don’t personally look at it like that – I know some people will – but it’s just about getting together collectively as a team and a staff and putting a display on out there.”
ON BELIEF
“I don’t think there’s a single person at this football club who thinks we’re going to go down at this point – I definitely don’t.
“I’ve been saying it for months – even at our lowest, I was sat here saying the same thing – that I wouldn’t bet against us, and I certainly wouldn’t now, especially with opportunities.
“As I said, it’s in our hands this weekend, and what more could you ask for, to have control over your fate? We can give ourselves a massive boost with victory on Saturday.”
ON HOME ADVANTAGE
“If we start well and come out of the traps well, which we’ve done recently at home, it won’t take much for the fans to get behind us. They’ve been excellent this season – at times, we haven’t given them much reason to get behind us, but when we have given them a glimmer of hope or a shine of brilliance like a Quina magic goal, they’ve responded tremendously.
“Even pushing them down and pressing them hard, that’s what the good people of Barnsley expect and it’s what we’ll deliver at an absolute minimum.”
ON PAST EXPERIENCE
“It’s always extremely helpful to draw on experience. I always gauge advice from people who have been through the thing I’m seeking advice for, and we’ve got some players that have been through similar sorts of things and they can share their knowledge on the situation and help spread it throughout the squad, and that’s a very helpful thing to have.”
