DerbyMad: I’m sure I only echo fans feelings when I say that it is good to have you back. How are you feeling?
Mo Konjic: I feel good. I feel good, because to feel brilliant you just like to go and perform well. At the moment I don’t wan to make any mistakes. So far I haven’t had enough time to make many mistakes. But I am glad that I don’t seem to have made any yet and it is great to be back with the team and training. Playing is something completely different and I am so glad that I have the chance to be part of the last two games. It is important for me because it is completely different. When you come on you don’t feel confident like you usually should. I feel that I should be in the side to help others but at the moment it is opposite. I need help from the others and the team has done that for me. Hopefully in the next game or two the #is feeling and confidence will come back. And I can do my usual job trying to help the youngsters and try to build from there.
DM: It’s match fitness rather than physical fitness isn’t it?
MK: Yes and everything associated with it. Pace feeling for the ball, timing. All that stuff that you need in the game, It is completely different from training where you may not make a full-blooded challenge. The atmosphere is different; you need to be sharp. Without a game you can’t get that. In a normal game I would find things like challenges easier than Wednesday against Burnley. But I am just glad that I didn’t make any mistakes.
DM: How is the knee? Do you still feel any pain?
MK: Yes, even before the game. But during the game you forget about it. I still get pain after the game, but it is only a little pain now. Not like the strong pain I used to suffer when I would have to miss training because of it which is very good. You always have bad and good days, especially with this type of weather. I remember that on the day before a reserve game I couldn’t walk. Now I just need to be positive and have a little bit and move forward.
DM: You seem mentally happier than you were when first coming back from injury.
MK: Yes because everything has gone right. I didn’t expect that I would be playing this quickly because people have explained to me precisely what the injury meant. A couple of months ago I didn’t feel at all good. I felt weak and couldn’t even make a straight run without discomfort. Physically you need sharpness and that is really difficult to get without a game. So far I am really happy that I am involved. I will be happier when I have got back my sharpness but I feel good because I am not afraid to go in.
DM: Assuming that you play some part on Saturday it is a very big game for the supporters.
MK: It is a big game for the supporters and also for the players because everybody likes to be involved in a derby game. In that kind of game is everything that you want from a game of football. Expectation, pressure. It is an even bigger game than usual because we want the points for the playoff places and they need them for their fight against relegation and that guarantees a good game for fans. We are in good form away and hopefully we can put on a good display for our fans.
DM: How does this compare with other derby games that you have played in this country?
MK: Different. I play for Coventry against Birmingham and that is a massive game, but here when I saw the first game it was completely different. Because of the expectation. Supporters are prepared to forget the entire season for the result of his game – which is unusual. We need to go into this game looking for points to cement our playoff place. The target is the playoffs not just one game.
DM: You only get 3 points for a victory in this game the same as any other.
MK: Yes, but sometime in that kind of game the mental aspect is more important than anything. Look at Arsenal and how they were doing before the game against Manchester United and what happened to them afterwards. Some teams can be affected after a derby game and this is a major factor for us that win or loss we must not let it affect us. . This is a game like any other but more exciting and that is why everyone likes to play in them