Greg Abbott On The Morecambe Match

Last updated : 01 September 2009 By Thetashkentterror

Blues boss Greg Abbott
United boss Greg Abbott (GA) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips (JP) after Carlisle's 2-2 draw away to Morecambe and resultant 4-2 penalty shootout victory in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy tonight, Abbott conceding that it was a tough game against the Shrimps :



JP

You are a happy manager, your side have gone through to the second round of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy.

GA

We are happy we are through, it is a toughie, tough game for us. Morecambe have done very, very well and at the end of it we are happy that we have progressed.

JP

There will be points in the evening and particularly the second goal that it gives you an opportunity to look at players, but there will be things that you are not so happy about

GA

You find out about players and we found out about a few of the players who are telling me that they should be in the first team, and they are working hard in their training. Possibly some of them haven't done themselves as much as they could have done to persuade me to change my mind too much. That is what we are disappointed about, but I am not disappointed for myself. I am disappointed for those players who have worked so hard, waited, have been given a bit of pitch time and really not pushed hard enough to make me consider too many problems in terms of selection.

JP

What does it show about the spirit of the side, they were pegged back and once again another late equaliser for the guys, they did work hard to get that in the closing stages.

GA

Listen, they have got character, they have got bottle and they have got determination. But it is all about the way you start games, the way you work through games, the way you do your work when we haven't got the ball and close people down and do the ugly side of the game. At times in the first-half we were too slow in our play, there was no tempo, not enough bite, not enough determination in our play. It is hard once you start like that to just turn it round and switch it on and off and that was disappointing for me.




JP

(Graham) Kavanagh with two goals, the first one just an excellent individual effort, the second one though a really nice team goal and a lot of composure from a number of players. In particular Gary Madine to head it back across the face of goal when he might have nodded one on goal himself.

GA

Well I don't think he could have probably scored from where it was, I think it was the right decision to head it back and Kav has timed his run brilliantly and he has got power on the header. So for me all he can do is head back across the goal and he did that. It was a nice goal and it set up for quite an exciting finish. We are pleased with that, we have got through and we have given pitch time to some of the players that needed some time and we have found out about some of the players along the way.

JP

You obviously had a look at quite a few of your other players within your squad tonight. I know you are obliged in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy to play so many of the players that played on Saturday, but of those who came in, who impressed you and who might be knocking on the door now.

GA

As a team the performance was a little bit disjointed, without picking yes's and no's and stuff like that. As a team I thought that a lot of the performance was disjointed but at the end of it we have battled away, we have scrapped together. The lads who have been playing and the lads who haven't been playing have all managed to fight their way back to get a point and then win the thing on penalties.

JP

Peter Murphy, we will talk more about the penalties in a minute, Peter Murphy, the disappointment of the penalty whether it was or wasn't at the weekend, but he was in the centre of defence for you tonight. How do you think he got on aside from that miss in the first-half?

GA

Well, Peter is Peter. He is a composed sort of player, I want him to be a little more determined with his defending and sometimes not look as pretty but be more effective but that is the way he plays the game. But what we have said is play the game the right way whichever team we are playing, whether it be Johnstone's Paint Cup, League Cup, league games, cup games.

I have told him to have more determination in his defending, not as pretty but more tough. Peter is trying to do that but it doesn't come natural to him, but obviously he is judged on the goals conceded and tonight it is two goals gone in and we are not over happy with that. But it is not down to Peter, that is down to the whole team, we concede as a team, I have said that to you before, but that is what I want from Peter.




JP

Adam Collin looks pretty culpable it is fair to say for the second goal, but in the penalty shootout becomes the hero again.

GA

Yes, but that is the game isn't it. Adam has had his first spell at it, he will have been a little bit nervous and a bit edgy. He has been waiting for his chance, he has had some pitch time, he got it wrong with the second goal, I wish keepers would stay at home and leave it to the defenders to sort out, but they make life easy at times. But we are not going to beat people up about mistakes because people make them all the time, but as a goalkeeper if you make them then you generally get punished and that is what happened with Adam tonight.

JP

When it comes down to the penalty shootout how did you find it as a manager? How do you select the players to go and take those kicks?

GA

They pick themselves, Evan Horwood said that he was first and I made him last, but he was the only one that didn't get all his own way. But the rest of it though, we have got some pretty good penalty takers by the look of that. Ian Harte has come on as sub and he was a little bit stiff and he said that he needs a day off after his efforts tonight, he has done a 12-yard run and a 20-yard run back. But no, they took their penalties well and the dressing-room is a bit happier because at least we have got a positive result out of it.

JP

Just on one of the penalties, I must admit that my eyebrows went out a bit when Tony Kane ran up to take his but it was an absolutely outstanding penalty.

GA

Technically Tony Kane is a very, very good player. His passing generally is very, very good, his striking of the ball is absolutely excellent. He really has got first class technique.




JP

What do you learn then ahead of your game, a big game for you at home to Tranmere, you will want to try to take advantage of them and get that first win at Brunton Park.

GA

Well what we want to do is we want to bring our away form to Brunton Park really. Our fans deserve to see us play as well as we have done on our travels. It would be great if we could get a result, a good performance and send everyone home happy and they can share the optimism that I have got seeing the way that we have performed on our travels. But they are due a good performance at home and we are desperately trying hard to make that happen.

JP

You will be relieved that the transfer window has closed now, are you happy with the squad that you have got because a little birdie tells me that the loan window opens shortly.

GA

Well that will be good news for you, at least it gives you something to talk about.

JP

And just finally on the squad itself, how have you come out of the game, have you got any nicks and knocks?

GA

I don't know yet, I have just left them with a little bit of an ear bashing, some of the things I was disappointed about. But I have told them about some things I was happy about as well. So it has been a mixed bag tonight, pleased with some of it, not so pleased with others, but we are through to the next round.

JP

And just on that injury front, (Richard) Keogh I think is unlikely still for the weekend isn't he yet, but Marc Bridge-Wilkinson may be back in the frame?

GA

You have just answered your question, ask the questions and answer them yourself. Richard is not going to be quite there I think, little Bridgey is going to back in full training on Thursday.