Greg Abbott - Radio Cumbria Interview

Last updated : 08 March 2010 By Thetashkentterror

Blues boss Greg Abbott
United boss Greg Abbott (GA) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips (JP) at Monday morning's press conference for the local media, Abbott first talking about how he is feeling after the dour 0-0 draw at Wycombe on Saturday :


I am delighted now, it is a better point now than it was on Saturday, because I have forgotten the game and just taken the bonus out of it that there is a point there and it is a point nearer to where we want to be. So it gives us the fact that we have got another clean sheet and we are away from home and we haven't been beaten, so there are positives there and we put the game to bed now and we concentrate on tomorrow night.

JP

What did you learn from Saturday's game for future games against a team who just don't want to be broken down though?

GA

Well you don't know anything different, you just know that they are going to be scraps. Everybody that goes there now is going to be faced with a horrible pitch with a horrible match and you have to fight, scrap and make sure you don't get beat. We did that, so we move on from it now.

JP

What is the situation with Darryl Duffy? He went off with a bit of a problem.

GA

Yeah, he is going to get a scan, hopefully today but more likely to be tomorrow so he is not going to be involved tomorrow.

JP

That leaves, if my maths is right, only two fit strikers that you call your main forward strikers, is that a bit of a concern going into another game?

GA

Erm, everything is a concern to me when I have not got people available but we will deal with it and we will crack on with it.





JP

Any indication, or do you just have to wait on the scan then on Darryl Duffy?

GA

Yeah, you have to wait for the scan, that is why he is going for one.

JP

No early indication then, fine, what about your hopes of bringing somebody in? Is there any chance before Tuesday or is that looking like being ahead of the Colchester game maybe?

GA

We will just deal with what we deal with, if there is somebody in, there is somebody in. At the minute we have got a group that we are going to work with and until that changes then that is the group we are working with. You know me better than to start pre-judging anything but we have got a group and we have to work with that until anything changes.

JP

If you were looking to bring somebody in, I am not looking for a name out of you, what sort of striker might you be looking for to compliment what you have got at the moment? And what you have got fit as well?

GA

We are not even thinking about that, we are concentrating on the game that we have got tomorrow. We have got a group of players who we have got to get ready and prepared for a game and we will deal with all the rest of it around the back of that.





JP

The game tomorrow then, Millwall, never an easy opponent, always up for the scrap, what do you expect from them?

GA

What you have just said, a team that don't accept defeat too kindly, work their socks off, a really hard working team, got some exceptional individuals but I think their key is the way that they unite and group together. But they generally come unstuck up here, they don't like coming up here, we have had some good results against them, to be fair home and away.

So we are ready for that challenge and if we are up for that challenge and we can work as hard as them and pass the ball better than we did do on Saturday and then get the ball into the right areas we would hope to think that we could cause them some problems. But it will be a tough game and they are desperate for points to consolidate their play-off position and I expect a really, really tough game tomorrow night.

JP

It was one of the more famous showings of a Greg Abbott team against Millwall at Brunton Park last season. Not quite the need for a result like that but I am sure you would like to see that sort of performance again?

GA

I think there is a need for that, I think there is a need for that result. We want to win the game as importantly as we did last season, obviously there was more at stake last year but there is no less reason for us not wanting to win the game, I can assure you of that.

JP

How do you think they have changed as a team over the year? What do you expect from them in terms of their different qualities?

GA

There won't be any difference, they will be exactly the same, they were desperate for points last season to try to get the right game in the play-offs and we managed to beat them. The situation is now that they are desperate for points to keep the teams below them out of range and consolidate their play-off place. So they will be fighting like they always do and we have to be right on top of our game.





JP

A decent run of home games for you coming up as well before the trip to Southend in a few weeks time. Is it important to pick up points, as many as you can at Brunton Park?

GA

Well I believe our home form has not been bad, take the Huddersfield game out of it and the home form has been much improved and we are delighted at that. Obviously if we can maintain that, maintain the good form we are showing at home, then yeah, we can get some results that will make the end of the season a lot better and a lot rosier for us.

JP

And beyond the Millwall game on Tuesday, Colchester and Yeovil, a couple of teams that you may well feel that you owe one to, in particular Colchester after the way that at least a point was taken away from you there?

GA

If that is the way you want to put it then that is the way you put it, but we just want to beat everybody. If we had beaten them at their ground I would still have thought we owed them one, I think we owe them a lot, I think we everybody a lot. But in terms of revenge and worrying about what has gone on before, you don't do that. You just want to win games and we want to start that by winning tomorrow and then we will look at the next one after that.

JP

Was the amount of chances you created on Saturday a bit of a concern in terms of trying to break down a team who didn't want breaking down? Would you have liked to have seen your forwards, but also the rest of the team supply them with a bit more?

GA

We always want to create chances, we would like to create chances in as many games as we can. But if you look at the table there are seven teams in the division (ten - ed), that is all, that have scored more goals than us, so we are doing that as well.





JP

What is the broader injury situation? Any other knocks coming out of the weekend's game?

GA

Just the ball, the ball is in hospital, it is getting treatment, it is going to be OK for Tuesday I think but apart from that our lads are fine.

JP

I heard a manager a couple of weeks ago describe a game as like pulling teeth, when you are involved in one of those games that is perhaps not the most brilliant game as a spectacle, as you said on Saturday, what do you do as a manager? Do you try to change things or do you just hope it will come right?

GA

If you look at our division and look at Huddersfield Town for instance, who outplayed us and won the game comfortably here, and then you look at their next two games where they get beat 5-0 at Southampton and 2-0 at Gillingham, you realise this is the league we are in. If it was any different and any teams had any arguments to suggest they are any better, there is only Norwich really that can suggest that week in and week out they are consistently turning in performances.

That is the case with us so we are not going to make too many bones about Saturday, it was one game that wasn't particularly good but I think we have played and been involved with some really good games with a lot of goals and a lot of excitement. Saturday was one that wasn't, so I am not going to worry too much about that.





JP

But it did put you back in the top half of the table, psychologically does that change the mood at all when you are looking down on the bottom half of the division? Or is it just another little thing?

GA

I think you have hit the nail on the head. Our hard work on Saturday, take away the performance, this game is about results, you will get hammered if you don't get results. We have gone to a place which is always going to be difficult now because of the situation they are in and we have managed to move up a place in the table.

So enough said, that is the professional side of it. We would like to win and draw even better if you understand that statement. But on Saturday we had to grind it out, it wasn't great to watch the way they played, they got the ball forward quickly and over the midfield.

They didn't pass it too much because of the state of the pitch, it is just one of those things that happens and we are talking about a league which is an inconsistent league. So let's take the satisfaction that we have got a clean sheet, that we have moved up a place and another point on the board.

JP

And you revealed a short while ago that you were looking at maybe taking on the former (Nottingham) Forest full-back Joe Heath on a trial. Has anything developed with that one just yet?

GA

No.

JP

Is there any time when you are looking to get him in?

GA

Well we would do but with the amount of games we have had it is has been difficult, and he has had a spell at Exeter as well. So at the minute we are concentrating on what we have got in and if there was any different then I would let you know.





JP

For tomorrow night's game then, there may just be a few fans who have listened, or even watched the game on the Football League show and thought that it wasn't the most inspiring thing. What would you like to say to them to get them through? How important will they be for you against Millwall?

GA

They ought to be glad they didn't watch Fulham and Tottenham because that was just as bad and that is Premier League players. So we can't always produce the type of football we want, that was one situation where we haven't, but let's hope tomorrow night we can.

JP

But against a team like Millwall, Millwall thrive off their support, it will be very important to have a vocal home support for you and the team?

GA

Well we have earned that over the past few weeks because of the improved performance and the improved results, so I would think that would be the same. While the boys are giving everything they have got and 100% effort and determination then sometimes fans look beyond the result and they will applaud you for that.

So if we can provide that determination and that enthusiasm again then we will have that backing because results have been improving at Brunton Park and we are delighted with that.

JP

Just one question that a fan texted in with at the weekend, Febian Brandy who was at Gillingham on loan from Manchester United, he is back there now after turning down the chance to extend his spell with Gillingham. Is he the sort of player that you would be interested in if he were available?

GA

I am always interested in good players and to be fair to the fans I can rest them assured that we are looking at a number of players and lots of players come under the radar. This is a really tricky time to get players out but we are looking all the time.