What can we expect from our team under your management?

Rome wasn’t built in a day, so it’s a case of trying to put something in place that’s going to develop the players and develop our style of play.

Obviously, we need to win games as well, so hopefully we’ll have a winning style that’s going to be something the fans will be pleased to watch.

There’s no question that I want the team to entertain.

But you can’t just flick a switch and it happens, the players have to get used to me and I’ve got to get used to them. It’s not a short-term fix.

It takes time. I want to entertain, for sure, but I want to win games as well.

What do you plan on doing to turn around our form and stay in the top seven?

It’s a difficult question considering the run of form that we’re on.

It’s one win in nine and we haven’t picked up many points in that spell, which going into the final furlong is difficult.

If teams put a run together now it puts them into a very good position, whether if that’s going into the automatic places or the play-offs.

It’s about momentum and we have to turn that form around as quickly as we can, but we’re playing teams that are in and around us that are possibly more confident and in better form than us.

It won’t be for the want of trying, that’s for sure.

I’d like a break similar to the one Dagenham got against us last Saturday, because if that happens to us, all of a sudden that changes things.

Unfortunately, I think it summed up recent games.

Alfie Potter getting injured in the last kick of the warm-up and we have to change the team.

Then near enough the last kick of the game we concede a goal like that.

Can you put your finger on why a club like this, can again suffer a mid-season slump which threatens the play-off hopes? Many of the players are different, yet the story looks like unfolding again.

Nothing’s ever easy. You start the season and everybody has the same goal – to get into the play-offs or win promotion.

Only a handful of clubs achieve that in the country, at different levels.

We’re in the mix and we’ll give it a very good go to try and push on from where we are.

The results at present haven’t helped. We haven’t picked up enough points in the latter stages of the season to put us in a better position.

But teams will be nervous and looking over their shoulder.

What have we got to fear?

In my eyes we haven’t lost or won anything yet, so what is the fear?

So this isn’t an Oxford curse?

I don’t see it that way, they’re a good set of players and a good bunch of people.

The chairman and the staff are very good and from what I’ve seen of the fans they have been right behind the team and been very vocal.

They will get frustrated, no different to all of us and rightly so at times, but we’re all in it together.

What are your long-term aspirations at Oxford United? Is it about bringing through the development squad, or are you solely focusing on promotion?

We all want promotion, we all want young, homegrown players to come through the system and be part of your first-team group.

Getting a balance takes time.

Chris Wilder had a number of years here and has put together the group.

Someone else before him did that and now it’s in my hands to try and bring those homegrown players through the system.

In fairness to the club, they’ve got some very good, talented young players. But you have to have time to blood them as well to get the best out of them.

On top of that, you have to get results, so when you through all that in the mix it becomes a challenge, but it’s an exciting one.

You can’t be judged on two games, it’s over a period of time.

If you get the time to do it you can judge a manager or a coach that’s in charge.

After the heated confrontation after the Dagenham game last weekend how do you intend to address the perceived strained differences between players and fans?
Do you see it as a problem?

Both groups were frustrated and disappointed. Sometimes it happens in the heat of the moment when exchanges are made.

We’re all human beings but I thought it was dealt with in a very professional manner by the players to try and sort that situation out.

I also thought it was dealt with very well in the media, it wasn’t a big issue.
We’re all frustrated, make no mistake about that.
None more so than this group of players because of how hard they’ve worked this season and where they are in the league table.
We need to get over that finishing line, but we’re not going to get there by having a go at each other.
I’ve spoken to one or two of the players this week.
It’s hard because we conceded a goal in the 89th minute.
Emotions are high on and off the pitch and that happens, but I know the players fully respect the fans, they appreciate the support they get and that’s not going to change.
We’re all in it together.