|
" We probably know as much as you in that Sam Allardyce is the fella who everyone is waiting for a decision from. I really don't think it is high on Neil (McDonald's) priorities and it certainly isn't overshadowing anything. I've seen Neil this week in two long meetings and we've discussed the Newcastle situation but it is certainly not a priority as far as Neil is concerned. Neil is really focused on rebuilding his team for next season.
" I think when I first heard about it I was probably more distracted than I am now to be honest. I can only guess as well but I think Neil is going to stay at Carlisle United, I've felt more comfortable about that in this last week. I could be wrong on that but it isn't distracting us at all now, I can safely say that and we are getting on with the business of Carlisle United. Different people work in different ways, it's all speculation as to how long Sam (Allardyce) has been talking to Newcastle and how much time he has had to think about what his options are.
" You can't stop anybody talking to anyone, if he was offered it and he was interested in it then he has got to be given the chance to look at that otherwise what kind of club are we? We want people to come here and be successful at Carlisle United, if they can go on to better things and we can't provide that then of course we want to accommodate that. That gives a signal that good successful ambitious people should be coming to Carlisle United and that's what we want.
" Losing Paul (Simpson) and the whole backroom staff, I think it was at an even worse time last year, because we were further into the close season and we had a lot of key players who only had a year left on their contract. We foolishly let ourselves be in that position by the end of the season. Neil had a real job in persuading some of those good players to stay, not in persuading them to stay, but making sure that contractually, they are in their last year so we are on the back foot. "
" He overcame that, and then he got hold of the team and considering some of the injuries we had last year as well, we had an absolutely fantastic season I think. All the fans were really pleased with it and I was certainly pleased with it as well. My ambition, and I think the whole club's, is to keep making progress and that means doing better next year then we have this year. We do want to achieve a higher state, we are aiming, and setting our stall out, to do better next season than we have this season. That means clearly focused on target, going for the play-offs and going for promotion.
" It would be nice to get some players tied up but the meetings have been solely about that. We've been talking about strengthening the side since the day that Neil came. There are still players coming out of contract, there are still options there. We are talking to a lot of players and we've got to be confident that we are going to get those players. Obviously Neil is confident of that, he's cleared some decent players out of the club, I think everyone was disappointed to see some of the names leave the club. He's done that though with the confidence that he is going to get better players and that we are going to be in a strong position for the start of next season.
" The funds are available, I'm here to make Carlisle United successful and I don't think I've done too badly so far. Neil and the board and everybody else is there for the same thing and if it needs us to spend money then we'll spend money. They (Karl Hawley and Peter Murphy) are good players and you don't want to lose good players. You don't dwell on these things though, you lose good players and you get good players, hopefully you try to get players that are better for you. Again, in both those players cases, certainly in Karl's, Karl is confident that he can go on to Championship level and we shouldn't be standing in his way.
" We've made a lot of progress off the field, there is quite a lot of work getting done again this summer with building a new training pitch, a new car-park and the ticket system as well. Financially I'm confident that we are going to be in the black again, I don't think there is any sense in running a club in the red because there is only one route after that. As long as any surplus is put back into the club, and I think that people can see that we are doing that. We are looking very strong off the field but I take that as read now, so we damn well should be.
" There are no plans to develop the Waterworks end, it's an ongoing debate about what we do with the ground. I think our next priority should be the development of the East Stand, there is a lot of capacity in there. The Waterworks End - let's be honest - we only need it if we've got an FA Cup draw against a Premiership side and we're going to have more than 13,000 fans in the ground, and that happens few and far between, there are higher priorities than that. "
" To get the East Stand running properly we've got to do an awful lot of work on the infrastructure of the building, it is just a shell. That takes a lot of money, you take your choices don't you and get your priorities. For the manager the training pitch was extremely important and we've got to respect that so we are looking at that. When we're in a position and it's right from a business point of view, and right for the club, then we'll make progress on the East Stand.
" I was really surprised about Dennis Booth this week, it's a pity Paul (Simpson) didn't decide that twelve months ago when he took him from Carlisle United. Dennis enjoyed being at Brunton Park, and he was valued, that isn't to say I'm not happy with Neil and Greg (Abbott) because I am very happy with them but it's a real shame for Dennis. I thought the way that they left, Dennis left in the right way and that kind of reflected on what a decent guy he is, I feel really sorry for Dennis.
" He was a joker but he obviously had a very serious side to him as well, I don't think it's a bad thing that you can have a laugh while you are achieving things. Dennis's priority always was to achieve something first, and enjoy it along the way I think by having a laugh and having a bit of happiness around the place you actually can achieve more. He was great for morale and that is very important, especially at something like a football team.
" I can confirm that I will still be the owner next season, it does make me laugh a bit, when people ask me they often ask me in a tone of voice that when I say yes then I think they are a bit disappointed. I must be doing a hell of a bad job you know, everyone says is such and such buying the club? There aren't as many people as daft as me to go and own a football club. A lot of the names that have bandied about, you should go and speak to them because they are quite intelligent people and I think they have got more sense than to go and buy a football club.
" It's so high profile owning a football club and you know that so many peoples' hopes rest on the actions that we as a board and a team down at Carlisle United carry out. That does brings one hell of a responsibility but I enjoy that responsibility. It's a real challenge, it's a different challenge from work, but I enjoy both. "