United boss Greg Abbott (GA) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's Paul Newton (PN) this week, Abbott first talking about the latest situation with Carlisle's five out of contract players, in James Berrett, Lubomir Michalik, Peter Murphy, Frank Simek and Tom Taiwo :
GA
There is some good news, there is some indifferent news and there is some that we are still patient. But, I think that over last weekend Danny Livesey has agreed to renew his contract and come with us, so that is fantastic because he finished the season really strong. We are hoping we have got the bones of the team put together as quickly as we can and he is hopefully going to play an important part next season, so he is a good one.
The rest, there has not been any definite yes's and definite no's, so again it is a little bit of patience, but I am now actively looking at players to bring in. Because, I think they have had long enough now, and I think they have had long enough to say no or yes. Sometimes you are second guessing but I have a fair idea in my head on who is going to be taking up the options and how might try their luck elsewhere.
So, unfortunately I can't give everybody an absolute black or white answer, but hopefully by Monday or Tuesday, I think I have got some really positive news on a couple of players coming in. They are away at the moment, we have actually got as far as agreeing medicals so I think that is terrific, and I think the two lads coming in are going to be really important for us to take us forward and make us stronger. I think they are important that should we lose any of the out of contract players.
All I am going to try to say to you is what I usually say at this time of year which is come the first game of the season we have got a strong squad, and these two will make us............ I think will be decent players and give us that strength and that end result that I am looking for.
The homework I do with the players and the conversations I have with them would give me obviously the inside track on where we are. But, until somebody says yes or no it is a second guessing and I am telling, well I am not telling untruths, I am not actually telling people a final outcome. We are just assuming and presuming, so I think until I get a final yes or no I just keep all that information to myself.
PN
Are you aware at this stage that there is interest from other clubs in some of those out of contract players of yours?
GA
I would be staggered if there was no interest in some of the boys because they have done really, really well. We had a team that was very, very close to being in the top six, we had a squad that lost one game in twenty at home, the last twenty games at home we lost one game. I would be staggered if there was no interest in that type of quality of player because we gathered together a nice little football team that was doing really, really well.
It is obvious that bigger clubs will come looking for those types of players, you are sometimes a victim of your own success. But, what we have done in the past, this has happened before, Gary Madine, Danny Graham, Ian Harte, Richard Keogh, Keiren Westwood, Joe Garner, people like that, they have all gone out of contract, Karl Hawley, there is a quite a few of them.
We have always managed in my tenure to come back and rebuild and have a squad that is capable of improving and going again. So, that is the message of absolute optimism that we can come back whatever the outcomes of these contracts negotiations, and we find a squad that is going to go out there and yet again compete and yet again cause people problems.
PN
And they have got their final offers now? There won't be any more room for negotiation?
GA
I am not saying there won't be any more room for negotiation, because if I really felt that by touching a contract in a certain way would get it over the line to somebody that we thought would be value to do that then I would ask the question. But, until the players come back and say that is what they want to do then that situation hasn't arisen. But, I would never shut the door and never say no until a player has signed for somebody else or looked me in the eyes and said he doesn't want to play for Carlisle United next season.
PN
And I know you don't want to talk about these potential signings in terms of names, but are you able to say what kind of level they have been playing their football at?
GA
At a good level, a good level, they have both got bags of experience which I think is what we need. We are trying to marry youth and experience so they have played plenty of football. The fans will recognise them and I think they will give us that depth and that experience that at times we sometimes lack. But, they are just going to be part of what I hope is going to be another strong squad.