United defender Danny Livesey (DL) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips (JP) following Carlisle's 1-0 Capital One Cup win at home to Accrington, Livesey saying that pre-season has perhaps been a little misleading for the Blues:
JP
The season underway, how did you find that?
DL
It was a tough game, it is always going to be like that the first game of the season. You think pre-season is a little bit misleading, you are doing so well and then a game like that comes along and it is just probably what we needed really going into the first game of the season.
JP
Accrington kept working hard didn’t they, you never quite got them out of sight, another goal would probably have killed them off and you had the chances, but while it was one as it remained for the game they kept going at you?
DL
Yeah, of course, they had something to hang onto, they only needed to throw it in the box and get on the end of something or a ricochet or something like that, a bit of luck, and they were right back in the game. So, we really needed that second goal but unfortunately it didn’t happen and the lads have done really well all across the team really defending the 1-0.
JP
Greg Abbott has been talking about I think probably more my words, but in his way of looking at it his big hard back line with the four of you in there with Alessio (Bugno) at left-back and Brad (Potts) who is massive for a teenager at right-back, it is a pretty sturdy looking back four with you all?
DL
Yeah, you know, we have worked hard all pre-season, even with Murph (Peter Murphy) in there, Matty Robson in there, Frank (Simek) in there and everyone knows their job, which is key really. We all know that, we need to keep clean sheets, we need to be better than we were last season and that is what we have got to try to do this season.
JP
Was it nice to have got the nod in there to be in the starting partnership today because there have been times when I guess with all of the bodies fit you have at times been the fall guy for Carlisle. Was it nice to get that pat on the back to say that you are the main man?
DL
Yeah, it was, it gives you that little bit of confidence, I thought I ended the season quite strong which is nice, and it is all about getting in and staying in and just making that position your own, and that is all I want to do.
JP
Next week the league action starts and how it starts with that match against Stevenage?
DL
Yeah, of course you know you have got to snap out of that pre-season friendly mode, that it was a little bit easy and that is what you need to make sure that you don’t go into Stevenage like that because we will get beat. No disrespect to Accrington but Stevenage will be a tougher game, it will be more physical, they will be in your face, it is how they play. They might have changed a little bit this year but I doubt they have changed that much. We know that we need to go there and we need to be right and we need to be tougher, we need to keep the ball better. We know everything, we have got to work all week on it and then hopefully we go there and we look a different team.
JP
What have you made of the youngsters all getting the opportunities as well for Carlisle and coming in and really knocking on the door, not just being people right on the fringe but lads who like Brad Potts can actually come in and start for you today?
DL
Yeah, they have done really well, that is what it is about, we have got a small squad, we haven’t got much money, we need these lads coming through. We need them to come in and do a job and hopefully if they do the job and they go on and they move on it is what the club is about, it is what we need to do to keep it going. Fair play to them, they have looked brilliant since they have gone in.
JP
And with this changing face of League One, we have seen someone like Crewe who have only just come up out of League Two and have beaten Hartlepool 5-0 in the cup today, I don’t know how much you can read into that at this stage, but one team who have changed a lot are Stevenage. A lot of the (Graham) Westley sort of hard and quite ugly side of their game has changed, so what sort of match do you expect from them in a week’s time?
DL
You know, I have absolutely no idea because you could go down there and they could go back to how they were last season and be physical because it has not been working for them, or they could be there and try to play it. But, the pitch is very, very tight, it is very small, so I can’t really see them playing that much when they are at home. I think it will be a physical game and I think you are talking about Crewe there, they are a typical football team, they will come and they will try to pass it and they will put a good few goals past some teams this season.
JP
I must just ask you finally, it was like crèche Brunton Park last summer with all of the new arrivals coming into the Carlisle United family, quite literally the family, how has it been a year on as a Dad around the place?
DL
It would be nice to get some sleep occasionally.
JP
Are you still not getting any?
DL
No, they are still not sleeping through, we have had the little boy who doesn’t seem to want to sleep for us. He sleeps all day just as I go out to training and he wakes up just as I get back and he is up all night. But, I think the lads are just starting to get a bit of sleep now and the banter is coming back because the lads aren’t that tired anymore.
JP
And the younger lads coming in and seeing all of these Dads going around with kids and milk bottles and car seats and that sort of thing are giving you guys a hard time?
DL
That is it you know, I can’t get anyone in the car for car seats and toys so we can’t do anything, I can’t give anyone a lift, it is nice though because I can jump in with everyone else.