Pre-Match Thoughts: Warne Previews Saturday's Return To Pride Park Against Fleetwood

Derby County Head Coach Paul Warne knows a tough task awaits his side when Fleetwood Town visit Pride Park Stadium in Sky Bet League One on Saturday (3pm kick-off).

The Rams drew 0-0 with the Fishermen in the reverse fixture earlier this season prior to Warne’s appointment and will be looking to turn that one point into three this weekend.

Warne sat down with RamsTV on Thursday morning to preview the return to League One action.

On the last week...

We've had a couple of days away from the training ground to get ready for the last sprint. I've watched some live games and all the other staff have been watching matches as well.

It's given us a bit more time to prepare for the game this weekend against Fleetwood and we're looking forward to it.

On looking at other results...

I try to follow everything, especially when we aren't playing.

You're constantly trying to look after your own team and the mentality of your group but everyone plays everyone and each fixture has an outcome on your season one way or another.

I don't believe that there's any manager out there that says they don't look at the league.

I don't get obsessed with it but I just worry about the specific group we're in.

You try and live in the moment. I don't look at every fixture and every connotation, I'm not that guy.

On Tony Springett after he made his first start in the win at Oxford...

His attitude has been spot on and unfortunately that's just how football is (that he hasn’t got more minutes). Sometimes it's not because you're doing something wrong, it's just because people ahead of you are doing things right.

We've got very good wingers here; Lewis Dobbin is very good, Tom Barkhuizen is very good, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing is very good and out of the four Tony has had the least minutes, I know that, and out of the four he's also the least experienced.

He trains really well. He comes in every day determined and if you ever watch training, he's a can of Dr Pepper in training - he gets around all over the place.

I try and give people minutes but also it's not a charity. I'm not here to try and make everyone feel great about themselves, I'm here to win games.

It's difficult but his head has never wavered. He trains really well, his attitude is spot on and you don't get in the team if your attitude isn't. There's always a competition for places here. We've got 20 outfield players fit with no injuries so there's problems all the time.

Tony is a brilliant kid, trains really hard, lives right and wants to do things well. He deserved his game at Oxford last Saturday but Fleetwood is a different game and we now have to pick the team we feel can win that one.

On his honest approach with players...

There's just no point in lying to them because sooner or later it will catch up with you.

If you're going to come and play for Derby County, you're going to have to be prepared for disappointment in terms of not playing because this is a good team full of good players who all want to play and I'm not guaranteeing anyone a minute.

If I've chosen you to come to the club, that should be a compliment enough for you to come and I'm backing you to play in the team because there's no point in me signing people to come and get in however you have to be at this level of performance and if you're not then you won't play.

I try and talk players out of coming in a way because I think if they still choose to come then they've got the fire in their belly to play, train, to be great and for me and my staff and everybody in the building to enjoy being around them.

On Fleetwood Town...

We played against Scott Brown's team in pre-season when we were at Rotherham, we were at the same training camp back in July and I really liked him and his staff. I know some of their players really well and they are a really good League One team.

On their day they can beat anyone, but as can we. I think teams in League One go away trying to win but trying not to lose - I think that's the nicest way I can put it but I do know Fleetwood will ask a lot of questions of us.

We need to concentrate on what we can do but we always have to have an awareness of what they can do. I know it will be a tough game and I appreciate it was 0-0 at their place earlier in the season so every game in this league is tough.