Reaction From Blues Midfielder Jon-Paul McGovern

Last updated : 22 August 2011 By Thetashkentterror

United midfielder Jon-Paul McGovern (J-PM) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips (JP) following Carlisle's 2-1 victory at home to Bournemouth, McGovern saying it was just nice to get the three points : 
 

JP

Nice to get that victory in front of the home fans for you today?

J-PM

Yeah, it was just nice to get a win, obviously we played some nice stuff, I thought first-half especially, just lacked a goal and we got it in the second-half.

 

 

JP

In terms of the work-rate for everyone though, it has been something that you have been trying very hard to get over the last few weeks?

J-PM

Yeah, we have worked really hard in pre-season and you have seen that in some of the results in the games, I think we have played against a few teams who have tired towards the end of the game and we have been stronger, and I thought it showed again today.

 

 

JP

Did you feel with the penalty, which of course you were in the midst of, that it was going to slip away from Carlisle today?

J-PM

I was a bit worried obviously giving the penalty away but I spoke to the boys and I spoke to the staff and I didn't think it was a penalty at all, and I said that to the referee (Jock Waugh). I thought I came in at the side of him (Steve Lovell) and got the ball but that is what happens, you get the decisions and luckily Craigy (Craig Curran) has come up with a goal in the end to save my life really.

 

 

JP

Have we had that? Has Craig said that? Because, we gave it immediately to him but everyone else in the media seems to think that it was an own goal, is he definitely claiming that one?

J-PM

Erm, I think he should, the fact that he has got in at the back-post there, he has been unlucky a few times and he has made some great runs today, and it shows you that if you keep going........... He gets a bit of stick sometimes from what I see, but his work-rate and what he does for the team and his hold-up play, his team-mates appreciate it and he knows that, and for me it is definitely his goal, if he is not at the back-post to try to get it across then the ball just goes out the other side.

 

 

JP

What is the mood like in the changing-room after that then? I guess with four unbeaten now and also climbing up to just right outside the play-offs in League One, albeit early days, I suppose everyone feels like you are making up for that opening day now?

J-PM

Yeah, it is early doors, after the first game of the season if we had won it we weren't going to get promotion and if we lost it we weren't going to get relegated. I thought today we showed a mature performance, we have got on the ball, I thought we were very brave in parts and we passed it when we should. Yeah, we are going to lose it, but we are going to keep trying, we are going to keep doing that and I think the mood in the camp can only be good, it can only be positive with the results we have got, yeah, march on, see what happens next week.

 

 

JP

In terms of yourself, how have you been enjoying getting a bit more of a run in the side than perhaps you got towards the end at Swindon?

J-PM

Yeah, to be honest I worked hard during the summer, I knew I was coming back to a fresh challenge. Obviously, I spoke to the manager (Greg Abbott) on how he wanted to play and stuff. As soon as I knew I was coming here my aim was to play every game, I think the season before last I managed to play every game bar one, and I would like to put myself forward and try to do that for Carlisle and play every game.

So, it is up to me to just try to keep playing away and hopefully the manager is happy. Sometimes you change positions, sometimes you are doing different things for the team, as long as the manager is happy with me everybody else doesn't really matter, you have got to please the one man that picks the team.

 

 

JP

And I do hope that Craig Curran does get credited with the goal and it is not going down with the dubious goals panel, not that there is one in the Football League, but it doesn't go down as the own goal. A lot of pressure on the strikers, is there a duty as well for the rest of the team to make sure they are laying on those chances for them in these games?

J-PM

I think there is a duty all over the pitch, you can see that, I think Bez (James Berrett) is more than capable of goals, we have got Nobs (Liam Noble) on the bench who can come on and score, Tom (Taiwo) has been getting in there, he has been unlucky a couple of times, hit the post last week. I have obviously got one and today I thought I was unlucky not to get another. I think there is an emphasis on all of us to get it, whether it be a set-piece, obviously the strikers are going to get the brunt of it and it seems to be quite a lot of chat of that we need to get a striker that does this and does this.

But, to be honest we go out on a Saturday, Craigy holds the ball up fantastic, makes great runs, Rory is very bright and intelligent in how he plays and his movement, and not a lot of people see that but we see it as players, and the goals will come if they keep doing that. Francois (Zoko) can do something out of the ordinary and that is his game, and we have just got to put up with that and hope that he can produce the goods more often for us.

 

 

JP

And just finally, I know that, I hope you don't mind me mentioning this, but I know where you are getting settled in with here, you are living with a few of the lads in the house and you told me on the way into the game today you are sort of the Dad of the house. Is that a role you were ready for when you moved up to Cumbria?

J-PM

Er, I am not sure about that, but I think I am starting to show my age, I am trying to hang about with the boys and go in Nando's and stuff like that and have actually some food and a kick about with the young boys. So, I am feeling young again, which is nice, the boys are giving me a bit of stick but no I enjoy it.

The manager when I came in, I knew it was going to be part of what I was doing, we have got some great lads in the house you know, Tom and Rory and Nobs, we have got a great bunch there so it is fantastic. We have got Paddy (Madden) as well coming back from injury so it is great, we have got a table tennis tournament set up and I am actually top of the leaderboard at the moment which is great, and obviously letting the boys know it comes with experience.

 

 

JP

Fantastic to hear about, just one final one, next weekend a different challenge for Carlisle, you go to Leyton Orient a side who have lost every one of their opening four games, under real pressure, and the sort of game where Carlisle need to go down there and be ruthless?

J-PM

Yeah, we need to be ruthless, they will obviously feel they have got a point to prove, we are coming off the back of results, it doesn't mean anything. I think you can see in the league today with some of the results that everyone can beat everyone, and that is just the way it is. It is a big game for us and one that we want to win, we will go down there full of confidence and hopefully we can win the game.