Paul Thirlwell - Radio Cumbria Interview

Last updated : 30 November 2008 By Thetashkentterror

Blues midfielder Paul Thirlwell
United skipper Paul Thirlwell spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria on Sunday afternoon about the disappointing third round FA Cup draw away to Millwall, Thirlwell also talking about his own niggly injury problems :


" I suppose that the draw depends which way you look at it. I was sat there like everyone else watching the draw and it is the nature of the beast that you look for Man United or Arsenal to come out. Then when you see Millwall I'm sure that you think it is the bread and butter if you like, and I am sure that they thought the same thing. The flip side of that though is that it is a great opportunity if we are fortunate and play well enough to get through Wednesday, it is a great opportunity to get into the fourth round.

" We were very disappointed on Tuesday night, we felt that we had done enough to get a draw. When you are looking at the clock, 87/88 minutes, you think that we are going to hang on. Granted we did come under a bit of pressure in the second-half but there are not many teams going to go to the New Den and not find that. We have got a big game on Wednesday that we have to look to get through first before we even think about Millwall, but if we can get through Wednesday then we will have a very good chance of getting into the fourth round.

" I didn't play in the Grays game but I saw the initial draw at home, and to be honest they will be disappointed that they didn't win the game. We didn't start the game well and we had a little spell and managed to get the equaliser. They would have found themselves disappointed with not winning it though. Then in the second game they found themselves 1-0 up after 20 minutes and then it got called off, so they were probably thinking that they were never going to get through. Yesterday I think by all accounts the lads went there and did a professional job, and now we find ourselves in the second round.

" You like at Barrow and the Histon game today though and it just shows that the dream of the FA Cup is still alive for the non-league clubs. The way that Barrow and Histon have played there is no reason why they can't look to get Manchester United in the fourth round, because the way that they have played, if they can produce that again then they are going to give whoever they play a hell of game. That is what they have to be looking at going into the third round, we always look ahead and look at what might be but let's look at the next game and get through it, then who knows who you can get.

" We have been clocking up the miles but I think that the lads are used to it now, especially the lads that have been there a few years. There is no short journey anywhere when you play for Carlisle. I think that we just have to look at it when we have finished playing the games, the lead up to the next game, training and just looking after ourselves.

" Obviously we won't do as much as we would do had we had a run of home games. Greg (Abbott) and the staff will look at that though, they will put sessions on accordingly. You have got no excuses anyway when you are playing in the second and third round of the FA Cup, you are just out there on adrenaline as you are in league games. I think that once the whistle blows the lads just want to play football and that is what we aim to do.

" I am not injured by any stretch, I just had some tightness in the calf and I think that with obviously what happened last season in mind. When I came back I had a few games in quick succession and couldn't get back into the swing of things gradually. So it is just a kind of maintenance thing if you like, maybe have to miss a game here and there just so that I am there for the long haul until I get the full strength back. No problems or anything though, it was just a case of just leaving it for one game and hopefully I will back involved in the squad for Wednesday. "