Greg Abbott On The Cheltenham Win

Last updated : 22 November 2008 By Thetashkentterror

Greg Abbott
United caretaker manager Greg Abbott spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's Derek Lacey after Carlisle's 1-0 home win over Cheltenham, Abbott talking about two league victories in a row for the Blues :


" It's good, it's very good, it's a good dressing-room there at the moment, but we are working very, very hard to make sure that feeling continues. I didn't like the feeling in the dressing-room two to three weeks ago but I am starting to enjoy it now and the players are starting to enjoy it, and that is important.

" It was a grindout, they are a tough side to play against. I think that they were happy with a draw right from the off weren't they. The way that they set it out, they were spoiling the game, they were getting men behind the ball, good tactics, whatever it was, they had a good gameplan and they stuck to it.

" It did take us a long time to break it down, but I think that when we broke it down we were smashing that ball across the face of goal from side to side. With a bit better quality finishing we might have even come out more convincing winners. I do think that on the day we were very much justified in the victory and it keeps the roll going.

" He (Michael Liddle) is a good little player isn't he, I think that he is enjoying himself. He is getting tired because sometimes the adrenaline gets you through first and then things catch up with you. He has got a terrific appetite for the game though, you can see the enthusiasm in his play.

" He has got some ability as well, when the Sunderland people ring me up and ask me how he is doing then I will have to say that he is just doing OK. I'm sure that word will get out that he is doing a little bit better than that though. He is good and he is a smashing lad and I think that he is just enjoying his football, as our players seem to be at the moment.



" I think that you have seen that our defenders wear their heart on their sleeve, across the four of them they have been terrific. Richard (Keogh) has had his one little blip in the first-half, where I said that we don't need to be playing one-twos against the crossbar, it is easier just to head them away. They don't make life easy for us but I did say that I like to send people away with a smile on their face and I think that they have done.

" The boys rolled their sleeves up at the back though and gave us a base, and if we can have a base to work from then we are going to get results. Because we have got some exciting players going forward and we are just starting to see players open up a little bit and express themselves a little bit better, and I am pleased with that.

" I was bothered that we didn't kill them off when the game was on but I am not too bothered about it now because we killed them off 1-0. It makes the game never dull doesn't it, it is always tense and a little bit nervy.

" Simon (Hackney) has got the one at the far-post where he has smashed it and the only place that the goalkeeper (Scott Brown) could save it was where it hit him, and he hit it straight at him. It would be nice to wrap games up earlier but it is exciting, it keeps everyone on the edge of their seats, but the clean sheet was important.

" Obviously we are looking to improve all the time, we are not going to rest on this, we are not going to get carried away. We want to just make sure that we keep working hard and results and clean sheets will breed confidence. The dressing-room is brighter, it is happier and I think that if we can maintain the improvement that we are making then we could get ourselves, well I don't know where we are in the table at the moment but I am sure that we are going the right way. "



" Seeing the table tomorrow and not being in the bottom three or four breeds confidence and keeping clean sheets breeds confidence, and getting the amount of attacking options that we have had at the moment breeds confidence. So we are optimistic that we can get our season back on track soon.

" Dennis Booth and I are a partnership, we would like to think that we would be a good partnership. We know what we want, there are a lot of things going on that we are trying to plan for and improve. I think that the players are buying in to what we are trying to do.

" We are a good partnership, I think that between us the way we work, I like the way that we work. He is a good person to have alongside me and let's just hope that we can get the results that are required to see the thing through. We are pleased at the moment though, we are pleased, we are optimistic, we think that we are going on the right lines.

" Travelling long distances is our job, it is more difficult for supporters and you people. It is our job though, it is what we do and we have to do that. I knew where Carlisle was when I first came here, it is right at the top end of England isn't it, and Grays is near enough at the bottom. It is about nine inches on the map but about six hours on the coach, so we have to deal with it.

" What we want to do though is, for the supporters that go down this week, we want to make sure that we put on two terrific performances, starting with Tuesday and then on Saturday. It won't phase us though, we will get on with it, no excuses, I'd like to think that we are sitting here this time next week talking enthusiastically about the two performances and continue to move the thing forward. "