United assistant boss Graham Kavanagh (GK) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips (JP) after Carlisle's 4-0 victory at home to Bristol Rovers, Kavanagh saying the Blues are now back on track :
Graham Kavanagh
JP
You must be delighted with a 4-0 scoreline?
GK
Very much so, we knew today that we definitely needed a win and obviously to get the four goals was very, very pleasing. So, we are back on track, which is very pleasing also that we kept a clean sheet, so it has been a really good day for us.
JP
A very open game, you needed to get the first goal, it was one of those where you felt the first goal might be key and Carlisle got it just before the break, you must have been delighted with that?
GK
Well, to be perfectly honest I think the first goal in the majority of games has proved to be the key. If we can get it and you can go in at half-time, especially after all the play we had in the first-half with the chances we created, plus we were playing with the wind and the rain, it was important with the goal.
But, we started the second-half, we created a few opportunities and we got the second goal and that settled everybody down. I think also the sending-off definitely helped, it gave us the advantage of men but we used it quite well, we got the ball in and around the middle of the park and once it came in centrally we then moved the ball wide.
We opened them up at will in the second-half but, we understand why, but the reasons being probably the majority of times because they were the extra man light. When you are doing that you need to keep a clean sheet and I thought the back four played particularly well.
JP
When you look at the game in the morning, people who perhaps haven't been to the match are going to see two penalties and a sending-off. They will think a lot went in Carlisle's favour but you make your own luck don't you and today at times Carlisle made the right decisions that we perhaps haven't seen in recent weeks?
GK
Well, as I say, goals change games, and confidence is a big thing. When we got the first goal just right before half-time it settled everybody down, we came in and we patted the lads on the back and we said to expect a bit of a barrage in the second-half because they were now playing with the wind.
But, all credit to the lads, they continued to play their game, they got the ball down in the right areas, we got the ball in and around Francois Zoko and Ben Marshall who were able to get on the half-turn and get at that back four. Both full-backs (Peter Murphy and Frank Simek) were the outlet for us, when we were in positions where we were struggling we could turn out and go to the full-backs who gave us that natural width.
But, as I say, in the last few weeks we haven't been particularly happy with the performances and today should give the lads a big, big confidence boost and we all know confidence is huge in football. So, going into the game now on Tuesday hopefully we can see bigger and better things.
JP
Of course Bristol Rovers did have chances early in the match, did you think at one stage Will Hoskins was going to give them the lead? He went in for a diving header and I can't still work out how he missed it.
GK
He has been on fire this season and he is a box player, I was particularly impressed with him today. I thought they had quite a few good players and we said to the two centre-halves (Liam Cooper and Lubomir Michalik), even though the ball might be at their end they play good counter-attacking football.
They have got pace and they get the ball wide and if you switch off then the likes of Hoskins will obviously punish you. But, credit to the lads, they didn't, I thought that Liam and Lubo played particularly well, they attacked everything down that was in front of them and when they needed to they put their foot on the ball and got us playing from the back.
JP
A debut goal as well for Cooper, what did you make of his overall display?
GK
Excellent, he is a 19-year old kid, he came in on Monday, he is one of those old fashioned centre-halves who absolutely love defending. He wants to have four or five blocks in training that are totally committed and throwing everything in the way just for the cause. He has got ability as well has the kid so if he can develop here in a similar way to maybe the way James Chester did it will definitely do him the world of good and hopefully in turn that will really help us.
JP
And alongside him, Lubo Michalik, how important was it to sign almost a marquee signing like Lubo Michalik. It looked like the wages might stop him moving here from Leeds on a permanent basis but Carlisle got their man?
GK
To be honest there was a lot of hard work put into the Lubo deal. It was going on for quite a few weeks, it didn't look like it was going to happen, then it was, then it wasn't and then finally we got him. But, I think when you see the likes of Lubo playing, he is such a big presence as a man, he is 6'5, if he could add a little bit more aggression to his game because at times he is a gentle giant. There are a couple of times we would probably like him to be grabbing a few of them by the throat.
But, he is dominant, he strikes a great ball as we have all seen and we have missed him, we have certainly missed his aerial presence. But, as I say, when you are playing against the likes of Lubo you know you are going to be in for a tough afternoon because of his physical presence. But, all credit to the back four, I think it wasn't just the two centre-halves, Murph did well at left-back and Frankie (Simek) did well, both of them gave us options in the wide areas and defended when they needed to.
JP
Now after a 4-0 victory for you it is difficult to ask about the void left by a departing striker and how quickly you need to fill that gap in. What is the feeling on that? Do you think that you need to move quickly on that front? Were you poised and ready if that expected bid did come in and take Gary Madine away from you or can you take your time on that one?
GK
Well, the one thing I have learned from the three (transfer) windows we have been involved in is that prior to the windows we create these lists of players who are a target so to speak, and I am not too sure how many times we have actually got anybody from out of the list to be honest with you (laughs).
It is probably because of the geography of where the club is and the finances of the club. You get players agreeing to deals and then agents don't because they can't agree to be paid and vice-versa. So, it is very, very difficult, it has proved to be harder than we thought, plus also now the fact that the majority of clubs will think we have money to spend, which we won't have I don't think, I mean hopefully we will have a little part of that money to spend.
But, we know where we need to address and we also know where we are as a squad, we don't want to get carried away, we knew at the start of the season we were doing exceedingly well I suppose. But, I think morale-wise the loss of (Mike) Grella, the loss of Lubo when he went, the morning of the game against Tranmere when Chester was going and everybody knew it. I think it was a big psychological blow to the squad but we have totally today put that to rest.
Gary will be missed because he was a quality player, the biggest thing I know with Gary is since probably the Wembley game he grew in responsibility, he matured, he matured off the pitch. His training and his performances on the pitch grew also, so I think Gary has taken a lot of criticism which he brought on himself, but fair play to the kid, he got his head down and he has got his move. For him I really and truly hope he does well.
JP
As somebody who has played at the highest level, how far do you think Gary Madine can go if he does the right things himself?
GK
Well, from speaking to managers and agents and different coaching staff and what we have been looking for, the majority of teams are looking for a rangy striker who can move, who can hold the ball up, who has got ability, who can be brave, who can score goals.
Gary has got all those attributes, don't get me wrong, there are obviously parts of his game he knows himself he needs to develop. But, the best thing with Gary is that he is like a kid when he is on the training ground, he wants to stay there all day and he wants to improve. So, he has got every chance and please God he does for his sake.
JP
Seven (away) of your next fourteen games in February and March are coming against sides, that going into today's match at least, were in the top eleven. You have got some big teams to visit, a lot of the games are away as well because of all the home games you have had. Some big games coming for Carlisle, how ready is everyone, especially on the back of a result like this?
GK
Well, as I say, confidence will be big, but what we have analysed the other side of Christmas was that we have probably played better against the teams in the top half and struggled against the so-called lesser teams, the Tranmere's, the Walsall's, and that is no disrespect to them, psychologically we need to make sure we are at it.
So, if there is anything to gain from playing the top teams that we have proved in the previous half of the season that we have done well against them, and hopefully that momentum and type of results continue. But, likewise we need to address the fact that we haven't played so well against the teams that have been below us.
JP
You have got a top team here on Tuesday night, first leg of your Johnstone's Paint Northern Final, it would be great to go to Wembley again?
GK
It would be, we spoke about that just briefly in the dressing-room saying that it was so disappointing after such a great run in getting to Wembley the way we performed. It would be lovely to go back again and put it right, but as you quite rightly say, there are two difficult games against probably the in-form team in the league at the moment.
Huddersfield have quality players, we know they have, but I am sure they will be aware of us, they were beating us here 2-0 a few weeks ago and we got back to 2-2. So, it will be a tough game and hopefully we can take an advantage going to their place.
JP
Are (Liam) Noble and Cooper eligible to play in the Johnstone's Paint by the way?
GK
Yeah, I think they are yeah.