The non-definitive Ian Cameron interview
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| Photo Credit: Luke Martin Ian Cameron prepares for Tormenta practice on June 19. |
As you may recall, I'm heading to the beach for a vacation next week, but I couldn't leave without at least giving you all a One Knox preview. And what better way to do that than to go straight to the man himself, Torment Manager Ian Cameron. I caught up with him after practice on Thursday where we talked about where his team is now, Knoxville, tweaks to the style of play he's made and, of course, we close out by asking .... well, you'll see, but it's worth it to get to the end, I promise.
Is this the definitive Ian Cameron interview? Not even close. But in the history of interviews Cameron has done, this will certainly go down as one of them.
This interview has been edited for clarity. I'll blame Google for any typos as they transcribed it, but really, they're my fault. Sorry.
Stormwatch912
I'm just first off. I know you've had a chance to kind of review tape everything from last week. Well,Kind of your thoughts on that game and kind of. What did you see, good, bad, and otherwise?
Ian Cameron
I think we started the game terrifically.. You know, I think if I'd been watching that game as another coach, I'd have looked at that group and said, ‘okay, well, they've got more runs in behind, more mobility.’ When we last spoke, we spoke about not having enough cutting edge, enough pressure, not enough.
Opponent's, back lines, I don't think are coming off the field thinking they've had to do enough. They know we'll have a lot of the ball, but I don't think they've had to be influenced behind them in front of them around them. I don't think they've had to go through a war enough, so we spoke about that as a group, and I think on Saturday in the first half that was definitely there, challenging the second half felt like a home game where they dropped off, went really deep, and we didn't have the cutting edge to break them down.
But the territory, the chances, chance creation, in the first half was excellent. What was not excellent was, that should have been a game that we won. Statistically, everything suggests that we should have won that game, and we didn’t.
Two very weak goals we gave up. So those are mental endurance moments that we have to analyze, and just, you know, there's no other way of saying it like that can't happen. The simplicity in which the two goals went in, can't happen. Not for how many good things we did in the game. So that's where we are. Good performances, but not enough sugar. And we need a couple of wins in a row that will really give the group the real belief in who we need to be.
Stormwatch912
And then, how are you feeling about Knoxville on Saturday?
Ian Cameron
So big challenge. Very aggressive team. Very physical team. Mix up going direct and picking up second balls in a really productive way. Not a team that give up many chances. Not a high octane attacking group. But there are physicality impresses. So I think you'll be a step up in physicality, a step up in pressures from the Texoma game. But, they have not got massive cutting edge, so there's a real chance of getting a clean sheet away from home in this game. And if we keep the trajectory of the kind of offensive output that we had in the last game, then I think winning this game one nil or two, one in a tight, contested game, but getting over the edge, I think that can catapult us.
They'll have a big fan base. Great. A new facity that we're, you know, looking forward to visiting. Great. A team in the top half of their league. Okay. Can we put ourselves against one of the top teams again and showcase ourselves. It's an opportunity.
Stormwatch912
I know you saw the (Knoxville) game last week. The field conditions, what do you kind of expect? What kind of expectations or what impact, if any, will that have on you?
Ian Cameron
You wouldn't be doing your job if you don't see the goal post issue and the infield issue.
We have no doubt that the goal post issue (will be resoled). That's just one of those innocuous, miscellaneous things that could happen to anybody. Knoxville are a really well-run organization. Top people in the front office. Top people behind the scenes, so they'll get that sorted and they'll remain a flagship program for the league ambassadors.
The field Itself? Every baseball field is going to have challenges, so when you're building in the other side, it's going to be smoother running than building on that side. Then, on the flip, when you're depressing and defending that side, you've got to maybe kind of play the margins play the percentages a wee bit more.
So, if we go into the game, not acknowledging a third of the field is in really poor condition or dicey conditions, we'd be naive. So we'll be speaking about it. We'll be speaking about it pregame. There'll be an awareness of it and there'll be some tactical elements that need to be adjusted to take that into consideration.
You have your game model. You have your expectations up week to week, but every week there's considerations. Is there a massive crowd? Is there strange weather conditions? Is there field conditions? You always have to adapt to those considerations and the group will come Saturday.
Stormwatch912
We’re roughly near the halfway point of the season. What are you most pleased with? What are you most looking to see improvement going forward?
Ian Cameron
The biggest frustration is a lack of wins from the positions and games that we've been in. We should have more points on the board based on the performances. We shouldn't be in the position we are, but If we're still sitting (where we are) at the end of the season, then that's a problem. If we're still sitting that the end of the season, then you are where you should be. So, we've got to switch the gears and not feel sorry for ourselves and go and make the changes necessary.
More output on the offensive end and more stubbornness in the back third. The middle third of the field, last year, we were one of the better teams. This year, I think we’re definitely one of the best teams, maybe top two teams in terms of creativity and passage of play in the middle third, but we've either got to be dogs in that box or dogs in that box. Ideally both, but we've got to find one of them real quick, and there's been conversations about that and that's something that we're really focused in on.
Stormwatch912
And then, you mentioned a couple games ago, we talked about the style you wanted to play with possession and if that was the right style for this league. Have you been able to evaluate that and what are your thoughts as far as going forward with style of play and directness?
Ian Cameron
Yeah, so we, we certainly could be guilty of putting over emphasis on, always playing through and around, as opposed to, over, and the over aspect is a big piece that's missing.
What we’ve done is, we've looked at, we've analyzed as a group, across the country, specifically groups, like the Red Bulls, who are high octane, who really, really put your pressure over and around. And we've said okay, is that exhilarating or not? Can we merge our positional play and passage of play with a more dynamic movements on the front line?
How do we go and do that as a group? And last Saturday was probably the first dress rehearsal of what that could and should look like, and we were more productive on the offensive end across the board. So, what you do is you present it, you train it, you hope it comes to fruition.
It came to fruition on Saturday. Okay, now we've got to do it again this Saturday. And we're going to build and build a build up on that, and that is the slight tweaking the model to where we have to hurt teams behind them more than we're doing. Right now it's all in front of them, and we have to hurt them more behind and disrupt the game more in that manner. Everybody in the team is aware of that. We're putting building blocks in to do that.
Stormwatch912
One last question. An off the wall one. Several years ago, maybe 20 years ago, you gave an interview as Ian Cameron A to Z and you were asked the most embarrassing CD in your CD collection.(Note: I found this interview from Partick Thistle: A History on widkipedia a few months ago. Unfortunately, it appears the domain has expired and the interview isn’t there, which saddens me greatly. If anyone can find this, please let me know!) Do you remember this interview at all?
Ian Cameron
(laughing) No.
Stormwatch912:
You said Backstreet Boys was the most embarrassing CD in your collection. I want to know your favorite Backstreet Boys song?
Ian Cameron:
I’d say I’d be very proud of the Backstreet Boys now. I was probably just young and dumb and now they’re back.
I Want It That Way. (Singing)Tell me why… is that that one?
Stormwatch912:
Yeah,
Ian Cameron:
Yeah, that one. Brilliant.
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