United boss Greg Abbott (GA) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips (JP) after Carlisle's 5-1 pre-season victory away to Kendal, Abbott saying that the work ethic of the Blues was terrific in the game :
JP
You will be happy with the workout tonight?
GA
Yeah, two good halves, two full teams that played different halves and I thought the work ethic was terrific, the fitness levels are good. We have not got any injuries and we have scored a few goals and we have looked comfortable for most of the game, so it is a decent start for us.
JP
I know in the most part you don't like to focus on individuals, but the fan will be keen to hear what you made of your new guys out there, what did you make of (Jon-Paul) McGovern, (Stephen) O'Halloran and (Andy) Welsh?
GA
I think they are decent players, they have backed up exactly what I thought. They have all done really well, I think probably on the night Andy shone as much as anybody, J-P is busy, industrious, O'Halloran looks tough, wants to head it, he looks composed on the ball. So, all three I think are going to add some quality and some depth to the squad, I am delighted with them.
JP
Some fans obviously talk about the injury situation with Stephen O'Halloran and they will say that is one side of the gamble, but what you get is what he had at the back there, all first touch, one-touch passing out of the back, it is Championship/Premier League quality?
GA
Well, he started off at Aston Villa and he did all his work at Aston Villa and he had a good upbringing. He has been at top, top quality clubs, he went to Leeds on loan, then went to Coventry, so he had had a level of football higher than us and it showed tonight, and if we can keep him fit and keep him on the pitch all season then he is going to make a contribution, I would be sure he is going to make a contribution of some size. But, you have certainly seen his quality and he is a tough defender as well, which is the key.
JP
Two 45 minutes for two seperate teams, Josh Todd came in as well actually and had a bit of action in the second-half there as well. So, you have managed to get through 23 players if my maths is correct there, not my strong point, happy to get them all that sort of early run-out?
GA
Yeah, the key was to get 45 minutes, get them a good workout, make sure nobody got injured. I think we have achieved that, I'll have a look at everybody and we have achieved that. Look at some of the strengths we have got in the team, we have seen that, and look at again some of the weaknesses we have got as well, so it has been a good workout for us.
JP
A similar approach in your next friendly now or do you look to try to step the level up a touch?
GA
No, one more at two 45s and then we will start looking at 70s and 20s and then the other games we have got to give everybody else their pitch-time as well. But, certainly Gateshead I think will be similar to what we have done tonight.
JP
You had a bit of a discussion with the two Danish trialists (Michael Brodersen and Lasse Merring-Mikkelsen) as well after the match, the lads from Silkeborg, did you deliver any news to them at this stage?
GA
Yeah, I mean we will let you know, Andy (Hall) our media officer is here so he will have to understand this as well, it is going out live. One we are going to take with us to Newcastle, that is Lasse, the midfield player, I thought he did ever so well, I don't think Michael is ready yet for League One football so he is going to go back home and continue his work in Denmark and see how he does there. We can monitor that for sure, but I don't think he is as good as the players that we have already got. Lasse looked very comfortable and we are going to have another look at him over next week.
JP
You had that extra depth of course for a spell last season with Marco Gbarssin, do you see Lasse coming in and giving you that extra cover potentially, I mean I am not getting ahead of myself yet, but he did look very composed there?
GA
Yeah, I mean we have only had him two days so it is early, but he did ever so well tonight. He was sort of in the Paul Thirlwell mould, he broke things up, he was good in the air, his one-touch passing and two-touch passing was excellent, I don't think he gave the ball away all night. So, he has certainly shown us enough ability to look at him for a further week.
JP
And we know from following our twitter pages tonight that their agent James Riise is actually listening tonight, so good news and bad news for him and the boys?
GA
Yeah, I mean he did describe them as Graeme Souness and Michael Owen, I don't think they are that type of player and we have to be careful with these agents. They have got a selling job to do, but be fair it is not very often you get a Graeme Souness and a Michael Owen, so maybe I need to calm him down a little bit and not lead our supporters up the garden path. They certainly weren't that but in merit they both did well, but I think Lasse did probably better than Michael on the night.
JP
I am sure you have enjoyed that, best of luck in the next friendly and the next stage of pre-season, has it been all a week of running for the players essentially or have you got on to a bit of shape etc. this week?
GA
Yeah, we have touched on the ball work, we have touched on shape, we have done physical. So, next week is a really big week for us and we are going to lock ourselves away, we are going to work considerably hard, harder than we have, on both sides of the game, the physical and the shape work and the football. Find out about the players as well as characters when we stick together and we live together and we are all in it for five days solid, and then we finish off with the game at Gateshead. So, that is where we do a lot of bonding, a lot of togetherness, a lot of unity and that is what will set us up for what we hope is going to be another successful season.
Meanwhile, Cumbrians media officer Andy Hall confirmed the situation with Carlisle's third trialist on the evening, Stuart Green.
AH
Just to confirm that Stu Green, talking to the gaffer there, he had a word with Stu Green, Stu had a fantastic game as I think you saw. The goal was fantastic, he has been invited along as well to the training camp next week. So, he will stay with us as well.
JP
More than just training with Carlisle then?
AH
Absolutely.
JP
Absolutely, yeah, he did have a good game didn't he?
AH
He did, I thought he was superb you know, he has got that kind of head on him hasn't he in midfield. So, good luck to him for next week as well.
JP
Have you enjoyed that as well tonight?
AH
Oh, yes.