Aldershot manager and lifelong West Ham fan Dean Holdsworth told tonight's post-match press conference that any praise for Town's shock 2-1 win at the Boleyn Gound should be directed towards his players...
Dean: how does that feel?I'm delighted for the players, for the fans and the club because we've played extremely well in the last three games and not got our rewards for that. Tonight we got our rewards for keeping the faith in what I'm asking them to do. Passing the ball - and we got our rewards for that. So I'm delighted with the result, I'm delighted with the occasion and I think we gave a good account of ourselves.
You said it was a patience thing, you've played well. You kept to your beliefs and it's worked tonight?
It's trust. You have to trust each other with the ball and trust each other in that we want to pass the ball. We've got our rewards against a very good side and I'm pleased that West Ham put out a very strong side against us. That means a lot to me because it gives us the respect that I think my players earned tonight.
How does it feel being a West Ham fan coming back and winning here?
Ah... [laughs all round] It feels fantastic, it feels like I've done my job - that's the most important thing. Look - I love coming back here, I don't need an excuse to come back here. But it gives me no greater pleasure beating Sam than winning a game of football. I think the world of him; I've got much admiration and great respect for him. It was about my team tonight and I can only manage the managables and ask them to do what I ask every player to do - and that is trust me, get as fit as you possibly can and pass the ball the best you can.
How does winning a game like that compare to scoring a goal as a player?
It's up there, it's definitely up there. I mean, I think it's the best feeling I've had since I've been a manager. That means a lot because I've had a Manager of the Year trophy and a Champions side. It's the best moment of my managerial career, it makes me want more of it and it spurs me on because these sort of stadiums, these places, are special. To come here is special and it's important we bank the memory, do the professional thing tomorrow and look forward to Saturday.
What have you learnt about your players tonight?
That they've got some steel in them. Because we played well in those three games - 65 per cent possession on Saturday without a goal. Tonight they've passed the ball, made angles, how we trained. So I've learnt that they can score goals!
Have you had a chance to speak to Sam [Allardyce] yet?
Not yet, no. I'll see him in a second.
What did you think of West Ham?
It's West Ham. It's the Academy of football. [laughs] I've got rose-coloured spectacles [on] when it comes to West Ham I'm afraid. So tonight it was about my team and that was all I was focused on. Every game we go into we have to have that belief that we can score and win a game of football. I wasn't concentrating on West Ham, the surroundings, it didn't mean anything to me tonight as I was just focused on my job. Tomorrow we'll reflect on a great victory for this football club and the fans who deserved it. They can bank it but they can't dwell on it because we've got another game on Saturday.
It's a special night for the fans; when the club started 20 years ago they were playing clubs like Hornchurch and Collier Row - to come here and win is a special night for the club?
Four years ago I was managing Redbridge Football Club. No disrespect to Jim Chapman, my old Chairman, who was here tonight, but progression - you can't stand still, you've got to carry on. That's my belief. We all aim for excellence and it's a special night for the football club because it'll mean so much to them. Financially we need it and we need to go into the next round, it's a big bonus for us. But at the end of the day it's a football match and it's about the football players - and they deserve all the credit tonight.
What were your thoughts when you went one-nil down?
I thought the referee should have had a yellow card for blocking our lad! [laughs] I thought that it was a fantastic goal that we conceded. Two seconds later, one square pass, one turn and a block from the referee and it's in the back of the net. That shows you how ruthless it is at this level, I thought it was a fantastic goal. But I wanted them to carry on with their belief and I was glad when we got to half time at one-nil, we were under a bit of pressure. We went back out with a swagger again which I'm asking them to play with, a bit of confidence and I felt we done that fantastically well second half.
How do you get the players back in the right frame of mind and not to dwell on this?
They're in tomorrow. They're in, they'll do the right things and we'll all reflect a bit but we've got to prepare now. The most important thing is making sure that Aldershot Town is a [Football] League club so it's important that we go to Oxford refreshed. We'll see what the players' moods are like, I'm sure it'll be good tomorrow. Then we'll get ready for Saturday and that's the most important game now.
What does it mean financially?
You'll have to ask my Chairman that! Hopefully it means a lot, so he might help me! But we were delighted to get West Ham in this round because it would mean a bit of financial help for the club. Now we're in the next round we'll hope to get some more out of it!
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