"Two weeks from Bournemouth and we are on track.  I'm never happy but I think we are going all right at the moment.  Training has been ok but I think we could do with some more players, we are trying our best to get them, there are plenty being thrown at us but they are not what we are looking for."

"We haven't done too badly with injuries during pre-season.  We have had a flu virus going around, a few had that.  Andy Bishop is in hospital today (Friday) for a hernia operation.  He will be missing for three weeks.  It's not good but I suppose the fact that Andy Morrell is coming back has kind of cushioned the blow, plus we have Danny Carlton and Ryan Lowe to choose from as well.  If you're going to lose one, you just hope that you have cover and we are pretty well covered."

"Andy has done a lot of work during the summer, ironically though all that work he has done may have brought on this hernia.  You just don't know.  Obviously it's a big blow for Andy because he was expecting to play this season pain free, but he hasn't been able to train pain free since he came back.  It's a big blow for him and the club but the good news is that its only three weeks before he starts running, that's three weeks before he is back with the first team, then a week of fitness.  We hope it won't be as long as six weeks, we are hoping for a month at the most."

"Also, the fact that he has done so much work over the summer will help his recovery.  When the lads came back, Andy was in as good a shape as I have seen him.  He has consciously worked a lot harder through the summer; it's just unfortunate that these things happen.  The sooner he gets over it, the better it is for everybody."

"Andy Morrell should really have been back training with us but he has just been feeling a little bit tight.  We think it may just be scar tissue but he is seeing somebody about it and we hope that they tell us too just play through it and it will eventually clear up, but we could do with him back.  It's a case of déjà vu for Andy because he hasn't done a pre-season with us.  He's done plenty of work with the physio, but nothing with the first team yet."

"We will leave decisions on trialists until after the game with Sheffield United, then let them know, they've all done pretty well and they've all had a chance, but we will make a decision after the game, the decisions are more or less done but they have been good whilst they have been with us.  We've also had Tom Newey in this week as well.  He came in to train with us, he's not got a club at the moment.  He will give us cover at full back but unfortunately got injured and went over on his ankle on the first day; he's out for three weeks.  Obviously it's not what he wanted and not what we wanted."

"Saturday's game with Sheffield United will be a test for us.They were one game away form being premier league and I expect a real test.  It was a good game last year and will hopefully be the same this year, though I want to see a bit more urgency throughout the game.  More players will also get 90 minutes in for this game as well."

"It's a busy weekend for me, we have the Sheffield United on Saturday and then I am managing the African All Star Team on Sunday and I am expecting absolutely nothing from the game.  It's just good for football.  It's good football and obviously the Sodje family are a good family.  At first I was supposed to be Ron Atkinson's assistant but now he can't make it so I've been promoted to manager.  I had a meeting with Efe & Stephen Sodje on Sunday about the game and what my role is so they've put me in the picture about how to do it."

"Two weeks away and I quite like it; it's different for us this year.  Last year we were not expected to be anywhere and we finish fourth.  Now people expect us to be promoted, I kind of like that.  There is a good vibe coming out of the dressing room, they've all come back fit and motivated.  It's pretty simple for them, if they perform they stay in the team, if they don't perform then they don't stay in the team.  Even though I do drive them, they are pretty well self motivated.  I expect them to push themselves to be better.  I just want the season to start now, its boring this.  You want to get going, have a look at the team and see where you are and improve."