Greg Abbott - Radio Cumbria Interview Part One

Last updated : 23 February 2009 By Thetashkentterror

Greg Abbott
In part one of an extensive interview United manager Greg Abbott spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's Derek Lacey on Tuesday morning about Carlisle's 1-1 draw at Swindon at the weekend, Abbott also speaking about the current injury situation at Brunton Park :


" It was a terrific point in the end I think, if you look back our last point in the league was Leyton Orient away. In the last few away games we have not looked like getting anything out of the games so we were really pleased with a point. We were really pleased with the way that we defended, the way we competed and the amount of possession that we had in the game.

" What we have got to try to do now is transfer that possession into cutting edge and try to create a few more chances at the other end. We are getting some things right though in terms of determination and our defensive shape and the way that we are controlling the game for long periods. We just want a little bit more going forward in that last final third and back to the training ground and that is what we will be working on.

" We had to make sure that we weren't out of games, if you look back at recent away games we have conceded early goals and put ourselves on the back-foot. We have not really given ourselves the chance to compete and get a foothold in a game. So if we get a good base and a good firm foothold in the game, and try to control the game for periods, especially early on in games. With what we have got as attacking options we will end up causing teams a lot of problems. I thought that on Saturday we did most of that right and there are other parts where we are looking to improve on.

" At times we fell down on our final ball, Jeff (Smith) and Cleve (Cleveland Taylor) got a hell of a lot of ball and actually went past their full-backs quite a few times. They just couldn't deliver that pass though, that cross that cut out the defender and goalkeeper and gave Danny (Graham) a chance to get on the end of, which he is very good at. He gets across the near-post as we have seen a lot of times, but it is not just down to that. "



" There were a couple of sloppy passes from the midfield areas as well that went astray and Danny's service at times was a little bit untidy. The good thing was though that we had loads of possession, we got the ball into some really good areas, quite often, especially in the first-half, to really cause Swindon problems. The fact that we didn't is down to something that we need to improve on.

" I don't know if the adrenaline drained out of me on Saturday night, I am a little bit like that anyway. I really care about what goes on at the football club and we work hard all week for 90 minutes. It is like the build-up to an occasion and then once that occasion goes you do have a comedown period. You look back then on the Sunday of the week and see what you could have done better and what you could have done differently and if we were OK with the work that we did.

" We are OK at the minute and the work that we are doing I think is OK. After the game on Saturday, in a sense with it being your first game it is like making your debut again. I spoke to the League Managers guy yesterday, Terry Dolan, who is actually an ex-manager of mine. I said that it is like making your debut a lot of years ago, if you get off to four or five good games then you are off and running.

" If you don't then people tend to hang a bit of pressure over you. The game is full of pressures though, everybody feels that pressure, whether you are a player, a young player, apprentice, whether you are a manager, a coach, a senior player or whether you are running a football club. It is a results based industry so we all find it at certain times. "



" I would like to think that in time, the structure that I have got in place and have given to the board would include another coach. Dennis (Booth) does his bits and pieces on the training field, Dennis is a knowledge man, he has got a wonderful knowledge, wonderful contacts in the game, terrific evaluations of opposition players and the way that they play and tactics. He is not an out-and-out coach, he is on the training ground and Dennis would be the first to admit it.

" So that is an area where at the minute Dennis is doing a lot of the evaluating, a lot of the pre-match stuff and I do a lot of the coaching, which works well. I think that ultimately though with certain things coming up during the season in terms of players' contracts, the January transfer window and press. You would eventually need somebody to give you an assistance on the training ground, it is something that has gone into the board and that they are really comfortable with.

" I think that we have near enough got, apart from poor Chris Lumsdon who I feel really sorry for, he has worked hard to get back into the squad and then he has got his injury in the reserve game. Peter Murphy obviously came through and we are nursing Peter along a little bit. Paul Thirlwell has come through on the game on Saturday, we are nursing Paul along a little bit.

" Michael Bridges is coming back to full fitness after the niggling injuries, rather than a major one, his niggling injuries, and he looked a lot sharper on Saturday. We have got Marc Bridge-Wilkinson after his toe injury, he is finding his feet a little bit. We are not bad in terms of selection, obviously Danny (Livesey) has had his little problem with his nose sorted out so he will be around again on Saturday."



" So I might have a few people knocking on my door wondering why they are not playing but there are only eleven places in the team. I am going to upset a few I think on Saturday but that is the job and that is the different side of it from being the coach. You have to deal with players' feelings and they are going to vent them with me I have no doubt, but I will pick the team honestly and fairly and one that I think will cause a big problem to Leicester.

" Simon (Hackney) trained yesterday so he looked quite sharp. Simon is a sharp sort of player, he is lively and he is one that will increase attacking options. So we have got him on the training ground yesterday and we will have to see how he progresses during the week. Again it is always the day after and the day after that with the calf injuries that he has had that is a problem.

" We will see how he goes though and if we think that he is right then we will throw him in. I was pleased with Jeff Smith though, the contribution that he made and it is good that we have now got a battle on our hands for that left-hand side position. Where three to four weeks ago it was all Simon, which has got to be good for selection.

" He (Kevin Gall) is in training, he is only training with us to keep fit because he can't play any games until the 1st of January. Then we have to have a chat with Kevin to see what he feels is what he wants to do. He is with us training though and we will see how fares up to Christmas, or the end of Christmas and then we will have to speak to Kev and see what he wants to do. "