Speaking to the press prior to Saturdays final day clash against Rochdale at The Valley, Lee Bowyer gave an insight into managing players in the play-offs, what he makes of the other teams and also gave us an update on his contract negotiations.
The full press conference will be available on Valley Pass this afternoon. Valley Pass costs just £6.50 per month.
On managing in the play-offs...
"The emotion will be high, and the adrenaline will be pumping so my job will be to try and keep them as level headed as possible and to just try and treat it as a normal game. Because it is at the end of the day – it's 90 minutes of football. But emotions obviously get involved and you can’t deny that so for me it’s encouraging them to play the natural game that we do on most Saturdays.
"We’ve been able to rotate when we’ve needed to, and the lads deserve all the credit because they’ve been outstanding. We’re in a good place and when we’ve got a full squad, we’re a very good team. I believe that what we have is something unique and I’ve said that from day one. Nothing’s changed we’ve worked hard, and we’ve got halfway to where we want to be."
On teams around the play-off places…
"I think Portsmouth will finish third, I went to their game the other night. Crazy game. They should have won it really, they had a goal disallowed for offside and they shouldn’t really have been in that situation, they should have won the game. Obviously, Peterborough came out on top and they’ll be pushing for the last playoff spot.
"Whoever we get, it’s going to be difficult because it’s going to be against the four sides that are good enough to be in the play-offs. But, like I’ve said before I believe we can beat anybody, and we’ve shown that before this season. We just have to concentrate on what we’re doing and makes sure that the players are ready."
On Charlton’s confidence…
"Going into the play-off’s maybe they (Portsmouth and Sunderland) have an advantage on us, they’ve already played at Wembley. We’re in a good place. Toe to toe we’re as good as anybody and there’s nothing that I’m afraid of…
"I wouldn’t want to play us. we’ve got everything. We fight and compete. Our work rate is exceptional. We have people willing to run in out forward. We have forwards that can score. We defend with six clean sheets out of eight. We can pass the ball. So yeah, I wouldn’t want to play us.
"But the other teams that are in the play-offs are also good. Every teams got strengths, every team’s got weaknesses, were no different. If we turn up on the day, we’re capable of winning."
On his contract negotiations…
"No update. I had a positive conversation end of last week but now things have gotten a bit stuck at the moment. That’s where we are. Nothing’s changed, I haven’t signed.
"As I’ve said before, it’s not my biggest worry and it still isn’t.
"I’m not a greedy person. What I’m asking for is fair and it’s what I think that I’ve earned. So, I’m sure that we’ll get there in the end, but my concentration is on the matches. The only time I think about the contract is when people mention it. But that’s the least of my worries and my full focus is on getting promotion and that won’t change until the end of the season whether I sign the contract or not.
"Maybe it’ll be done before the first ball is kicked (in the play-offs) but not before the end of the season because that’s in two days’ time."
