Greg Abbott - Radio Cumbria Interview

Last updated : 30 January 2007 By Thetashkentterror

Greg Abbott
United assistant manager Greg Abbott spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's Derek Lacey this morning as he gave his thoughts on the Brentford game last weekend and the home match against high-flying Nottingham Forest tomorrow evening :


" It was obviously a point gained on Saturday because it's a point more than we had before the start of the game. These statements that people come out with, they baffle me, but if you say to me – do you think we could have won the game? – then I'll tell you that we could have won the game. You've got to look at it on a positive which we always have done, it's another point and it takes us to 40 points, that's another landmark as far as the season goes. We've got to 40, now we get to 50 as quickly as we can and see where it takes us.

" Every point in this league is a good point because if you remember back to the Brentford game at home, they were terrific. They worked their socks off and made life very difficult for us up until we scored the first goal. Tranmere have gone there and drawn, Bournemouth have been there and drawn, they've been beaten by the odd goal late on in their last two or three games. They are scrapping for their lives and I complimented Scott Fitzgerald on that, he's a got team there that obviously lack a little bit of ability because they are bottom of the league. They are giving everything they have got though and until the final nail is in their coffin they'll keep doing that week in, week out.

" Because of the level we are at, if teams are absolutely giving their all and working their socks for each other then they'll get their rewards along the way. Whether it will be enough to keep them up or get them into mid-table or promoted who knows, you need that little bit of quality to go with it. Teams down at the bottom there aren't going to let go of the division easily, it hurts a player when they get relegated and they fight harder. If we could have played Brentford in maybe four or five weeks time when it's all done and dusted it might have been a different kettle of fish. They might have thought they were down and it would have been a tad easier, there are no easy games in this league though.

" I think they (Nottingham Forest) will be disappointed with their performance at Chelsea, it was Chelsea but I think they might have got after them a little bit more. Closed them down, pressed them and caused them a few more problems getting the ball forward into the front men a bit earlier. If we approach the game like Brentford approached the game with us, and I don't think Forest were better than us at their ground anyway. "



" If we play anywhere near what we can though then Forest are very beatable, I'm not saying we're going to go out and win the game but all the teams have proved in this league that they are beatable. Oldham have had real good hidings, Forest have had two real good hidings and Scunthorpe have been beaten heavily so you've got to approach every game thinking that the team against you is beatable. You have to play to your strengths though, you have to give everything that you've got, and work to the shape and the format that you've worked on all week.

" I don't know the extent of Chris Lumsdon's injury but the other two (Jeff Smith and Paul Murray) are going to join in and see how they feel today so we're pretty hopeful. We need one of them at least to come through because of the strength of the squad and hopefully there will be two of them so we've only got Lummy that looks like he is going to miss out. That's part of the game though, you've got to get on with it, you play the hand that are you dealt. You can harp on about injuries, but whoever plays, if we approach the game right then we'll give a good account of ourselves.

" We're out all the time, I'm out at a game tonight, the gaffer (Neil McDonald) was at a game on Sunday, Colin (Suggett) was out last night and he'll be out again tonight. It's an ongoing process, we're trying like mad to bring in people that will make us better. They are not always available though, sometimes they don't want to come, there can be host of reasons or the transfer fee is too much. We are out there putting irons in the fire, I think Tony Pulis (Stoke City manager) made a good statement when he said that he enquires about 30 players every day. I think we talk about 30 players every day but it's got to be right for the football club and everything has got to fit to get them up here and playing.

" Playing under the lights, the night-time game, the zip on the pitch, it just seems to get you going a little bit. It's no different really though, it's just little things that egg players on a bit. It should be a decent sized crowd, I think Forest will bring a fair few, perhaps not as many as if it had been on a Saturday, so that might go in our advantage. Our fans will be up for it to see if we can pitch ourselves in against a team that is right up at the top of the league. I think it will be an interesting game, hopefully it's exciting and hopefully we come out on top in the end. "