Richard Keogh - Radio Cumbria Interview

Last updated : 23 June 2009 By Thetashkentterror

Richard Keogh
United centre-half Richard Keogh spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips on Tuesday evening as he talked about how much he is looking forward to the start of pre-season training on July 1st, Keogh though first talking about his abilities on the golf course :


" I'm not really a golfer, I should do really. For my 21st birthday my agent actually got me a set of golf clubs to try to encourage me to get on the golf course with him in the summer. Unfortunately they have not even been opened still yet, so that goes to show how much of a golfer I am really.

" I do want to get into it, my clubs are actually back in London at the moment so that is probably the main reason why I haven't had a game. I want to get into it but the close season is probably the best opportunity to do it, and with pre-season coming so close I will probably have to wait until next year now.

" I am really excited about pre-season, obviously last season is a long gone memory now. I think that this season we have got every right to look forward to it. We have got a fantastic squad and hopefully with a few more additions we can get a better squad. It is an exciting league to be in this year and it is a massive league really with the teams in it. I am really, really looking forward to it and I can't wait to get my boots on, and my trainers, and get out there.

" I think that everybody is in the same boat waiting for signings to come in. Obviously different clubs have got better budgets, and I think that that is just football isn't it, people have got a lot more money. To be honest at a club like Carlisle we try to be competitive and I am sure that the manager (Greg Abbott) is looking for the best players available. I am sure too that the board are doing everything that they can to help the manager and get him his targets. "



" To be honest I am actually quite looking forward to seeing who we bring in, obviously they are going to be part of our squad and the better players we can get then I am sure that all the lads will welcome them. It is quite an exciting time, hopefully we can get a few in before pre-season, but sometimes it is not done like that. Sometimes you have got to wait a little bit longer and I am sure that if the manager has to do that then he will bide his time and get the right players for the football club.

" The team did so well a couple of seasons ago to be a stone's throw away from the Championship, and all credit goes to the football club and the lads. Maybe, I can't really speak for them, but speaking to a couple of the lads, they said that they got a bit complacent last season with what happened. It kind of bit them in the face a little bit and we all suffered a little bit.

" We played some good football towards the end even though we weren't really winning games, we were drawing and conceding. Our performances were quite good though and I think that we are all excited to carry that on and kick on again this year. No-one wants to be complacent, and at the end of the day you are in your job to do as well as you can. It is tough mentally and it can be a bit of a grind on yourself, but that is why we are all in football, and that is what you have got to do.

" Obviously there are ups and downs in football but it is a great set of lads and whoever is not in the team, or feeling a bit down that they are not in the squad, we all stick together. There is no animosity and there is no bitterness between the lads and I think that is quite rare in a squad. As long as we keep that, and I am sure that we won't get complacent, then we will hopefully kick on this year. "



" I actually got on really well with Danny (Graham) and he was a fantastic footballer. Maybe he felt that he was getting a bit stale, or I don't know, maybe he just thought that it was time for a change. All that I know is that he is going to be a big miss to the team. I think that his goals record speaks for itself at Carlisle, and anyone, especially in our league, would love to have a player of Danny's quality and the goals that he brings to the team.

" So obviously he is going to be a big miss but that is football, some people move around and move on. At the end of the day the club has got to get on with it, and we have got to get on with it as lads. I got on really well with Danny though, and I am sure that we will be staying in contact to see how he is getting on. I am sure that he will be wishing the lads all the best for the season, and who knows, maybe our paths will meet again.

" Personally I have got my own goals and I would rather keep them to myself. I think that it is better when you set yourself your own goals and you keep to them and see where it takes you. I am excited about getting back into pre-season, there is a lot of competition for places, but for myself that is an exciting part for me.

" Some people might look at it differently but I am excited for the challenge that is coming in this season, not only for the defence and my position, but the challenge of the teams in the league and how far that Carlisle can go this year. Personally I feel that we can achieve whatever we want to achieve in the league.

" I know that there are some big teams but I think that we showed last year that against the better teams we actually picked up quite a few points against the better teams. So on our day and if we stick to our gameplan, and with a good pre-season under our belts then who knows? I am sure that we will talk about it when we all meet up and see where we want to take it, we will keep it in house and hopefully we can deliver the goods really. "