Daniel Farke pre playoff final
Pretty focused and concentrated. We know it's a massive game. A final. Always more focused on such a game. Important to stay calm and find a good balance. Just football. Focus on the contents. Motivated, just like our opponent. Massive chance. 50-50 game. Anything can happen.
Bamford
Not available and won't be there. Definitely misses out. Minor issues this week, but it seems every player will be available, including Byram, who returned to team training yesterday. If he does not show any reaction he will be in the squad.
Russell Martin
Blessed when I had him. He was my captain. I was young in this league, inexperienced. Russell was in the later stages of his career. Captain. Lots of information because of him. Could tell he would become a manager.
A leader of men. How he interacted with the group as a leader. Many skills he showed to be a manager as a player. He knows his football. Great person. Proving me righ
Stick with what you have?
I would have preferred to have Bamford available. Important to face reality and the reality is he is not there. Find other solution. Trust my whole group and squad. No searching for excuses. Go with what we've got. Won't speak about the selection itself.
Can anyone live with you at that level?
Yes, of course. We are not the only top team in this league. Leicester, Ipswich and Southampton have proved you have to be spot on if you want to win against a team of this calibre. We know we have strengths to hurt every opponent and if we are at our best it is hard to beat us. We went to be there with our best.
What is about Southampton that is so strong?
One of the best sides. Many experienced players. Classy coach. Club is not nervous. Two decades spent more time in the PL than us. Quality of the players is on a good level in the Champ. Hard to beat them as the first two games showed. We have a really good side and have done well in the spotlight games. Performances and results. Leicester and Ipswich beaten twice. Would have preferred six against Southampton and we would already be up.
How has that Norwich win helped?
No replacement for this winning feeling. Big boost for the confidence and for our rhythm after difficult run-in. Important some of my injured players found their confidence. Soton will be big challenge compared to Norwich. Big help for our belief and confidence. Need to play with courage.
Something before kick-off? Final words?
Most of the work is done. Important session tomorrow. Last information. Work on our game against the ball and few details with the ball. One or two per cent are quite decisive in any game like this. Good nutrition, habits and prep. We want to be there in top-class shape.
Face all over Trinity centre?
Thank God I have not seen it. Most important topic is the players. It's a players game, not the coaches. Should be the faces of my players on there.
How difficult not to let the size of the game change your behaviour?
More difficult earlier in my career. Tendency to overdo things or get too excited. Never at Wembley before. My first time. No major news this is a spotlight game with a big crowd. For that, important to lead a young group and show what is capable with the right choices. Important to send the messages. Be focused on ourselves and believe in what we are doing
Your greatest achievement?
Every experience helps. Involved a few times in the title race and the processes of a title race, are more or less the same. Lower level or at the PL or UCL final, it's always the same. I don't like to compare achievements too much because it would not be respectful to my earlier career or previous clubs.
Let's talk about it after the game and are allowed to speak about the achievements. We can do this after if we have done it. Make sure we achieve it. I would rather praise us after we have won games.
Club's ready for the PL?
I signed a contract because I was full of belief the club belonged in the PL. So motivated to bring this club back as soon as possible. Believe me, nobody is more motivated than me.
It was not unfinished business at Norwich. It was difficult to take over there in the mid-table Championship, no money and when I left they were in the PL with a super training centre. I was a manager in the PL and was in the Bundesliga last season. My aim is to work at the top level. I want to be in the PL. Work there with an exciting club that is special in different ways.
Never too attracted by being one of many managers at big clubs to win lots of trophies. I want to create a legacy somewhere with trophies. I know there are many legends here. I a not near them, but in a few years hopefully I can go a small way to playing my part in this club's history.
Noticed higher focus from the players in these last few games with more time?
Play-off football is do or die. Always more special. Cannot make mistakes. In the season, you can repair poor games with other matches. These are cup games now. Special and the concentration level is very high. Have to make sure the players are not over-motivated. I like having this time to prepare. After this Norwich game you want to play four days later to keep the good feeling. This week was good, though. We were always at our best this season when we had time to work on habits and principles.
Rutter as striker at the start - how did you help him to show his best side?
In the beginning, communication was important. I listened to him too. That was key. Work with him and communicate about finding good solutions to sell your plan to the players. Then it's not about talking, it's acting. Comes down to hard work. I would never praise myself for developing a player. I will always praise the players. We can only bring them close to the door, they have to make the step through the door.
Georgi had a difficult start, but developed this way. Challenging spells due to injuries. Overall a fantastic season. All credit to him. Deseves all the praise.
Last message to the players?
Quite often it is spontaneous. When we prepare we are addicted to use different way. I have to calm myself down and not make it too complicated. Important to work analytically on the tactical terms. Moments before the game I remind them the key topics are the basics in football. Shift in the perfect way and structure, but if the opponent beats them the structure does not help.
When you get a gut feeling for what the players need it can be more emotional at the last minute.
Support of the city and pictures on a shopping centre
Would have been distracted by this when I was younger. In my job, there are two options: build a statue and put pictures on a shopping centre or throw tomatoes. Do not be driven by these emotions, stay as you are. Never dance on the table and not too down if some persons don't like what we did.
My young players want to invite everyone to be believers to create this atmosphere. So grateful our supporters have shown this. Atmosphere at ER in the last game was second to none. Some of the journalists come here for decades have said it's never been like this. Huge part in getting us back to our best. Hope there is a white wall heading to London to overtake the capital. White flags, white colours in London, so we can see these colours at Wembley.