Greg Abbott - Radio Cumbria Interview

Last updated : 24 April 2009 By Thetashkentterror

Blues boss Greg Abbott
United boss Greg Abbott spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria this evening ahead of Carlisle's crunch relegation six-pointer at Cheltenham tomorrow, Abbott suggesting that the Blues need to show the same guts and determination that they did against Swindon in the 1-1 draw at Brunton Park last week :


" The scenario of being relegated tomorrow is not on my mind. I think that what is on my mind is just making sure that we get points tomorrow to keep our chances alive. If we win the game then you look round at other teams and generally someone will drop some points somewhere, and then the last game will be in our own hands. If we don't get a result tomorrow then what usually happens is that the other teams around you have got positive results and that makes your job all that much harder.

" What we have been saying to the players is train and prepare like we did for last week's game. We thought that we were obviously very, very close to winning the game last week, the dressing-room was very good last week, the training was very good last week. The attitude of the players was excellent, the fans were tremendous and I think that we are trying to mirror that and go with the same determination that we did.

" In the Swindon game maybe we can count ourselves a tad unfortunate at the way that we conceded the late equaliser and not get the three points. It is much more of the same though in terms of courage and guts and determination and togetherness tomorrow. Hopefully we can get that three points that then gives us a chance to take the game and the fight to the last game against Millwall.

" You never know, we have got to aim for six points and I think that we are capable of doing that. We have to believe that we are capable of doing that, if we drew tomorrow and we needed to win against Millwall then we would have to go into that and achieve that. I would think that at the minute though I would be looking for six, four might save us, you don't know, we haven't got the crystal ball to find out in terms of what other teams are going to do. What we need to do though is get a result tomorrow to make sure that we put pressure on the other teams around us.

" I don't think that the players need reminding of the significance of tomorrow, they are professional players, they know the significance of the result and the importance of the game tomorrow. I think that without me drumming that down their throat they are fully aware of that, what I am asking for tomorrow is the same courage, the same guts, the same determination as we got this week. If we do that then we give ourselves a fighting chance of getting a positive result, which is what we need first and foremost tomorrow. "



" I don't think that it is all about ability tomorrow, I think that it is about guts and mental toughness. We have got to try to put the situation behind us, put it out of sight for 90 minutes and just go and out and play and fight as hard as we can for the cause, and get that result that everybody knows we need at the moment. Sometimes ability goes out of the window and sheer courage comes into the fore, and if we can do that then we have a chance.

" Scott (Dobie) is going to be OK, he has recovered well this week and he has taken a fair bit of bruising and swelling round his ankle. I think that Scott though, he is a Carlisle boy through and through, the situation will be hurting him and he just wants to throw his weight into the cause and have a right go for us tomorrow. That is the message I got from him today.

" Joe (Anyinsah) has trained today, he has put himself in contention and I think that Joe is probably going to start on the bench tomorrow. He is a handy one to have around with his pace and power to come on should we need to throw more attacking options on, such is the game if we need that.

" The dressing-room is absolutely united, that is one thing that is not in question. The players are disappointed with the way that the season has panned out, we are all disappointed with the situation of where we are in the table. We have always had a good dressing-room though and you have seen by their comments and their reaction and their performances.

" The performances to be honest haven't been brutally bad, we have just had a tad of bad luck, we have conceded a couple of late goals, and one or two things go our way and we could be sitting here with seven or eight points more. That is four or five games quite easily and we would be out of this situation, that hasn't happened, they are not excuses, but the dressing-room is fighting for its life. It is one thing that I would say and can guarantee everybody, there is absolutely a complete united-ness from where we are coming from. "



" It is tough for me, without a doubt it is tough but it is making me stronger and it is a part of management that you have to go through at some point. With me it is earlier than I would have liked, the job when I took it over the first time round was a lot easier than it is now. We inherited a team that was one point in ten games and really down on their luck. We managed to turn that around immediately and then we have dropped into a bit of a slump. Then this last seven or eight games the luck of the draw has slightly gone against us.

" We don't think that there is a lot wrong, we know that we need to change one or two things. With a little bit of luck though and a bit more clinical-ness in front of goal, and obviously keeping those clean sheets instead of conceding late goals then we would have been out of the situation. So we have to be positive and we have to look at that and try to deal with it, but for me I am trying to take the pressure and responsibility like any manager would, and I will do that until anybody tells me any different.

" I think that worrying about other results is a dangerous game to play. I think that we have got to be focused on our game and get three points, then when we have got the three points we can then look at the television and find out what has gone on elsewhere. I think that at the end of the day if we lose we are going to be in trouble.

" If we start waiting for other teams' results to come through then what do I shout on if teams are losing. It is impossible to get that message across to the players and absolutely massively dangerous to do that. So we have just got to focus on getting the three point thing tomorrow and the rest of the results will take care of themselves. We can have a look at that in the dressing-room after the game but first and foremost we need to do our own work and get a victory.

" I would just say to the supporters to have the optimism and the hope that we have got. I hope that the supporters, I am sure that the supporters who are going tomorrow will give us that encouragement that they always do on the road. They have been absolutely fantastic on their travels again this year, I think that we had one of the largest away followings last year, probably similar this year. At the minute when you are looking for every bit of help and encouragement that you can, our supporters are top drawer. "