Neil McDonald - Radio Cumbria Interview

Last updated : 23 February 2007 By Thetashkentterror
Blues manager Neil McDonald
United boss Neil McDonald spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips on Friday afternoon as he gave his thoughts on the recent form of his side and the current injury troubles at the club :


" It's not the best of news, he (Karl Hawley) is going to be out for six to eight weeks. We're going to see a specialist on Monday to see whether we can quicken that up by having an operation. If not then it is six to eight weeks rehabilitation, rest and then working on getting the ankle going again. He's damaged two of his tendons in the ankle, he took the whole weight of his body on it and twisted it, it's very sore and very swollen. The scans show that he has done a little bit of damage in there so we have just have patient with it - six to eight weeks but it might be a bit quicker if we have to operate on it.

" We've had Danny Graham in before and he played the two games then unfortunately he had a little bit of a knee injury. He's gone back and he is fully fit now, he played last night for Middlesbrough reserves against Manchester United, and he's been training with us today and will be in the squad for Saturday. Neale McDermott will be coming back into the squad, I think Chris (Lumsdon) had a little bit of a reaction off the reserve team game the other day so he is a little bit of a doubt.

" I got a phone call off Tommy (Cassidy - Workington Reds manager), they have picked up recently in the last few games and they know that we have got a goalkeeping coach that comes in on Monday and Tuesday. He just asked if he (Adam Collin) could come in and have a little bit, so we've gladly accepted that and he's come in to train with our goalkeepers. That'll do him the world of the good and it will do Workington the world of good as well. I haven't seen him play, Tommy just phoned me up and asked if there was any chance of him coming in for the two days on the goalkeeping coach to see if we could bring him on a touch. We're quite willing to help out, I've seen him this week, he's been training with the first team as well because of shooting and stuff like that and he looks decent enough.

" We want three points tomorrow obviously, we are going down there unbeaten in three games and full of confidence away from home - five points out of nine which is a vast improvement. We're looking to carry that on, I think we're looking more solid now even though we have conceded a few goals against Yeovil in the second-half which I put down to a blip. We're looking much more solid and, as I say, if we just have that little but of fine tuning, a little bit of luck, and somebody with a little bit more drive and a little bit more determination to get on the end of things then somebody will take a good beating and hopefully that will be on Saturday. "



" I think the frustration did show on Tuesday, I think it showed on some of the players that they were getting frustrated that they couldn't break Chesterfield down. We have to be patient, we have to make sure that we don't get caught napping or lose our concentration. That is all part and parcel of keeping your emotions intact and we work we very hard on that. Eventually, if the time comes, then you have to take a chance. Jeff (Smith) was through one-one-one, the keeper has made two fantastic saves, one on the line, we've hit the crossbar and we've scored an offside goal I suppose. We're still creating chances but at the same time Keiren Westwood is not having a lot to do which is fantastic.

" We're trying to win every single game that we possibly can, we're in a fantastic position for a newly-promoted team. We probably need a few more points to secure a place in the division, then we can not so much kick on, I think we've kicked on since the New Year. I think our points total is pleasing, it could be better - of course it could be, but we're playing against teams that are fighting for their life or fighting to get into a play-off place, so it's very, very difficult.

" The boys are certainly coping, they certainly haven't let themselves down, only in little blips I suppose even this season. Their form is good though and they are in good spirits, and we're really looking forward to the game on Saturday. It's a team below us and what we always say is - let's not be beaten by teams below us but at the same time we have to take three points off the teams below us. This is a game where we are going to try and take three points on Saturday.

" Paul Murray has got a little bit of a problem with his hamstring, we're quite concerned on that, so we're getting that scanned and getting all the results back on that. He may be out for the rest of the season but we'll wait and see how that comes back. We're missing two very important players in the team at the moment. We've got Simon Hackney on recovery but he's still probably going to be another couple of months. It gives everybody else a chance though, we've got a squad that are battling for their place and keeping competition for places very, very high. I think that is shown in the results in trying not to be beaten and trying to win games, and in the standard that we are trying to play. "