John Ward - Radio Cumbria Interview

Last updated : 26 December 2007 By Thetashkentterror

John Ward
United boss John Ward spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's Derek Lacey on Christmas Eve morning, Ward commenting on the upcoming game Boxing Day game against Tranmere at Prenton Park :


" They have good players and people tell you that form is temporary but quality is always there. So we've got to expect them to play well and if those good players find their form on the day against us then they will be really difficult opponents. They have already won here at Brunton Park this season so we know the quality that is in that side and it's not anything we can take lightly at all.

" They have probably not had the run that they wanted, but people will be looking at Carlisle and saying that we are due a blip as well, we are due to slip up. So it's a funny way about football, it's why people keep going and why people are there, there is an unexpected element about a football match that people are not sure about. So that's why they go, they want to see what is going to happen.

" Say for instance you go and see Rod Stewart in concert you know what you are going to get, he's going to be pretty good. You are going to go because you are a fan but when you go and watch a football match you are never quite sure how the afternoon is going to pan out.

" I think that is the beauty of the game so we've got to be ready. They'll be smarting after losing on Saturday at Luton and they'll be looking forward to being back home for their couple of matches. We've got to make sure that we make it awkward for them.

" I'm sure that our supporters will be like our players, they'll be chomping at the bit. We've missed a game on Saturday here which we expected a bumper crowd for and a big game and everything against Swansea and suddenly it goes away from us. There was a real on void in the afternoon on Saturday, certainly for me.

" I was thinking that everyone was playing and it wasn't as if there was a lot of games off. There were just a couple and we were one of them so we missed out on a game of football here at Brunton Park. If the players are still smarting after that then Tranmere is the one to take it out on. If we can take those large numbers of fans with us then hopefully we can all have a really, really good day together.



" The winners of us and Swansea would have been number one and been in that position but we've both been there before. There is a new one now, I think Nottingham Forest are there for the first time, we haven't lost loads of ground in terms of missing out on the game. We are only a point behind the league leaders even though we are sat in fourth. Sometimes it's not bad to be in that little position where you are hiding away and you are not really in the element.

" I read the Sunday papers and Nottingham Forest and Leeds have got all the headlines, fine, I'm sure that will probably suit Swansea and ourselves a little bit. We've got to stick with it though and we've got to work hard, these two away games now are not going to be easy by any means. So if we are going to be contenders for a top six finish then these are games where we have got to work hard and get some success out of.

" Chris Shuker is back in the Tranmere side, he played on Saturday. Gareth Taylor, who was a player with me at Bristol Rovers is a good goalscorer and of course (Chris) Greenacre is always going to get you goals. He is always going to finish up very close to 20 goals a season. You hope that when you play against people like Greenacre that it is his day off and he doesn't get himself in the box too much.

" We managed to do that against (Adam) Boyd of Leyton Orient and we've got to work hard to do it again with someone like Greenacre. If you can get hold of the supply, which I thought that we did quite well against Orient, then you negate the opportunities for those goalscorers to get their chances.

" We didn't play Tranmere this season when I was with Cheltenham, we played them last year and we drew 2-2 away at them last year. Actually we played very well on that night as well, we went 2-0 up but it was a bit typical of our season that we then finished up at 2-2, so it was a good point but it's not when you're 2-0 up is it.

" I'd just like to thank everybody for supporting the football club, like everyone supporting Carlisle United we all want the same thing. So it makes sense to try to support the same thing, the players on the pitch and the people off the pitch, and if we stick together, as I keep saying, we can hopefully enjoy a few more good times."