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ICC CHAMPIONS TROPHYJune 9, 2017Eoin MorganEdgbaston, Birmingham Q. Eoin, England against Australia, always special games, but the fact that you have the chance to eliminate them from the competition, does that give you an extra layer of motivation going into this one? EOIN MORGAN: I think they're always big games, regardless of what's on the line. Also, the fortunes that they've had with the weather probably adds a bit to it. Like you said, if – like their tournament is on the line in this game whereas we're already through. But from our perspective, if we're looking to win this tournament and go beyond and win the World Cup, we need to be beating the best sides in the world, and Australia at the moment are one of them. Q. How important is it that the players don't subconsciously take their foot off the gas and lose momentum ahead of the semifinal? EOIN MORGAN: I think it's important. I think from our side of things we emphasise the positive game in which we play. Sometimes that can look a little bit reckless at times. Yeah, I suppose it can put us in some sticky situations, but we're in a position where we have nothing to lose. We're pretty confident at the moment, and I think the game that we've got, if we produce somewhere near our best, we'll certainly contend. Q. You've been fully supportive of Jason Roy over the last few weeks and the continuity in the team, but is he someone that you've had to put your arm around? Have you given him any advice in this current sticky spell? EOIN MORGAN: I think advice always floats around when you're going through a bad stage. It's whether it actually registers or not. Jason speaks to everybody. He understands that everybody goes through bad patches. The thing that we emphasise is that we believe his score is around the corner. Let's hope it's tomorrow, yeah. Q. Do the games against Australia get the team's juices flowing a little bit more than other teams? EOIN MORGAN: I think they do. I think anybody that's been there and played against them before, when you win against Australia, you know you're beating one of the better sides in the world. Like I was mentioned earlier, there's always something more on it. I've been in a position where I haven't played in Ashes cricket, and certainly there are other guys like that down in the change room. So from that side of thing, if you never get to play in an Ashes game, it's the closest you will ever get to beating an Australia team. Q. It would be ridiculous to think, wouldn't it, that tomorrow's game, if you win, would have any sort of early psychological advantage or boost before the Ashes? EOIN MORGAN: No, none whatsoever. Leave that up to Joe (Root). He's the captain and the best player – no. Q. Eoin, obviously, there's been a lot of talk at the Australia camp, Dave Warner suggesting that Cricket Australia is trying to derail their campaign and not be supportive. With this big MOU dispute, they could be unemployed in a couple of weeks’ time if they don't get a deal. Do you have any sympathy or empathy for the players? EOIN MORGAN: We'll have a whip round (laughter). I don't think Dave will be short (laughter). I don't think it is a distraction. Obviously, guys have been talking about it a lot during this tournament, but it's been ongoing for a very long time now. It is a difficult position for players to be in. As a player, you'd rather things were sorted out. Q. Was Brendon McCullum – is Brendon McCullum – a big influence, inspiration to you and the way that that New Zealand team played in the World Cup, an inspiration to the side? EOIN MORGAN: He's certainly been an inspiration for me. Three years at Calcutta (Kolkata Knight Riders) with him, in which we sort of grew pretty close together, and I learned a lot from him, watching him lead within a group and his sort of tactical cricket brain and how he goes about things. He always has an alternative view regardless of whether it's right or wrong, which makes things really interesting when you chat to him about cricket. But, yeah, he has been. Q. And it's fair to say that's pretty much a blueprint for this England side? EOIN MORGAN: I think – I always mention the top four teams that got to the semis in Australia and New Zealand, the brand of cricket they played was completely different to everybody else. They were aggressive. They could score 350 if needed, and they always went for an attacking bowling lineup. Nothing they ever did was a step backwards.p So that as a template, as opposed to just singling out New Zealand, I think, is more relevant, yeah. Q. Eoin, is it hard to get a gauge on how Australia's travelling given they haven't played at all? And has that hampered your prep -- your team's preparation at all when you haven't seen the batsmen bat at all? EOIN MORGAN: They've played a lot of cricket. They don't have any guys who have played single-figure games. And we just assume they're in good form. You don't take them lightly. Q. Paul Farbrace is very complimentary about your captaincy and your importance to the side. Have you ever felt more in control as a captain than you do at the moment? EOIN MORGAN: That's a difficult question because I don't think you're ever in total control. I don't think you should ever assume that you are. There are always things that arise that need to be either dealt with or future plans that need to be put in place. So I can't say I'm ever in complete control. But certainly, I think at the moment, people take my views a bit – with a bit more of a backing as opposed to maybe when I first started with no games under my belt, yeah. Q. Do you know -- do you get a sense of why that is? Or is it just winning games? EOIN MORGAN: I think it's building trust. You know, I say things in maybe selection meetings or meetings that we have as a team, and they might be a bit farfetched, but when we back them up as a side, they're not. I think that builds trust within a group. So if you can demonstrate what you're trying to say and achieve and you go and achieve that, I think it goes a long way within a side. Q. What's the most farfetched idea you've come up with recently? EOIN MORGAN: Recently – I don't know. That would probably be telling. I'll throw myself out there to you lads – ladies as well, sorry. But, yeah, there's a few things. Q. Eoin, does it help that this game is at Edgbaston, where the rock and roll crowd often brings the best out of England? You look at the Ashes Test match here in 2005 and the feast of runs against New Zealand a couple years ago, Champions Trophy against Australia in 2013, which I think you would have been a part of as well? EOIN MORGAN: Yeah. I think it will be completely different game tomorrow, but, yeah, this is a really good ground for us. It's a fantastic stadium. We love coming here. It's normally a beautiful wicket and a high-scoring ground, and that suits us. I think the atmosphere, particularly over that side of the ground, is always quite lively regardless of how the game is going. So, yeah, we always seem to get results here. That's part of home advantage. Q. Can you tell us why you've been singing the national anthem in this tournament? EOIN MORGAN: No. Q. You can't tell us? EOIN MORGAN: No, I don't want to. Q. But have you made a sort of conscious decision to begin … EOIN MORGAN: I just felt like it. CHECKED BY WISDEN INDIA APPROVED BY TIM FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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