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"In the paper on Monday, someone said 'they aren't falling for this spin any longer'. My only answer is, that if telling the truth is spin, then I must be spinning a hell of a lot. I will call it the way I see it. Results haven't been good enough, but I am not going to duck that issue. I don't spin or use fancy words to try to protect my own position.
"I don't work like that. I want my players to be the same way I am, that is open and honest. I don't try to turn situations to my own advantage. I know what the results are and what people are thinking and saying. I also know the consequences of those thoughts, whether it be upstairs in the boardroom or outside on the terraces. That is football, but I don't spin.
"Shane (Tudor) has to see the specialist again and we believe he will have to go through the same course of treatment. He is having an injection which means he will be out for six to eight weeks. When you have an injection with these injuries, it is a bit like the Golden Shot in that you have to hit it bang on. If you don't, then it doesn't work.
"Luke (Rodgers) and Paul (Edwards) had scans on Thursday and they are both ruled out for tomorrow. We're not sure how long they will be out for, but it could be for between a week and ten days.
"He (Chris Herd) is a miss and it's probably an avoidable miss, I believe it was for the tackle he was sent off for, I thought it might have been for something that Chris might have said but it was for the tackle and a second bookable offence.
"We'll be trying to do the right things against Carlisle at home and we'll be trying to get that run going. You've got to have belief and you've got to have faith, we move towards the next game because the next game could be the game that lights the blue touchpaper."
In team news for the Valiants they are without top scorer Luke Rodgers and winger Paul Edwards tomorrow as they both failed late fitness tests on hamstring problems this afternoon. Another winger, in Shane Tudor, could face a further eight weeks out injured because of the knee problem which has sidelined him since November, while midfielder Robin Hulbert is still out with a broken collarbone.
18-year old midfielder Chris Herd is suspended for the game after a double yellow card sending-off in Vale's 3-2 defeat at Bristol Rovers last Saturday. In better news for the Valiants though he will remain with club for another month after Aston Villa agreed to extend his successful loan spell, Danny Whitaker looking the likely favourite to replace Herd tomorrow in the Vale starting line-up.
Lastly midfielder Craig Rocastle has meanwhile returned to the club to fight for a first-team place after not having a one-month loan spell at Gillingham extended by Gills boss Mark Stimson. The 26-year-old having not started any of his last four matches while only two making two starts at the Priestfield Stadium.
The referee for tomorrow's match is Karl Evans from Manchester, and he will be assisted down the lines by Craig Pawson from Sheffield and Mark Heywood from Northwich in Cheshire. Meanwhile the fourth official is Mark Sutton from Belper in Derbyshire.