United manager Graham Kavanagh (GK) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips (JP) following Carlisle's 0-0 draw and subsequent 4-3 penalty shootout victory at Morecambe in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy second round, Kavanagh saying his players showed some great character:
JP
The drama of the penalty shootout, Carlisle certainly know how to do that, one of your fans tonight has asked if we are German?
GK
To be fair it was great character shown by the players, I mean it is difficult, it is a little bit daunting, there is pressure, there is a lot riding on it. I have said to the players before the game that is important we do have a good cup run, obviously for the finances of the football club and just to keep the run going.
The lads have worked extremely hard in all the games and as much as we didn’t play in the final third today probably as well as we would have liked, it was a gritty performance, it was a very, very solid performance. Defensively I didn’t really think we were under threat other than the deflection which hits I think it was Sean O’Hanlon’s shoulder and Mark Gillespie makes an unbelievable save. So, pleased, very, very pleased to be in the next round.
JP
And even the fans who seemed to feel that the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy is not a massive priority for them, they said what it is a priority is keeping the unbeaten run going, it is up to five games now?
GK
Yeah. I mean I have been doing my Pro Licence the last couple of days and I haven’t actually got to see the players until I arrived here this evening at about 4.30. The Pro Licence, they have been speaking heavily about momentum and how do you create it and how do you carry it forward and what is it and can you actually stop it or can you actually improve it.
To be honest I have said to the boys now, when we win five games or six games or seven games, don’t be happy, don’t accept it, look to go forward. Because, as I say, winning games is difficult, confidence is high at the moment and we have got to really, really capitalise on as much of that confidence as we can. We take it into the next game now which hopefully will springboard us into another victory.
JP
The Pro Licence people didn’t teach you the answer to all those questions did they?
GK
No, there were some interesting stories from a few of the different lads on it, the students as we call each other. It is just one of those things, you feel it, you can sense it, you can sometimes smell it, it is about the rhythm of the game. I didn’t think we were ever really in danger in today’s game, I thought we were pretty comfortable, albeit they did throw the kitchen sink at us in terms of honesty, in terms of work-rate, in terms of closing us down.
We felt they maybe a little bit tired from Saturday because having worked as hard as they did second-half Saturday we thought we could capitalise on that. I said to the players it is vitally important we remember how fit we are and how fit we have become, we are going late in the games and believe that as long as we are still in the game we have a chance.
JP
As much as it is possible with the competition rules, you rotated the squad around a little bit tonight, happy with the reactions from the players who perhaps hadn’t been seeing quite as much football who came in?
GK
Yeah, very much, I mean I am still coming to terms with the rules of the competition. Obviously, although you have been involved with it before, when you are actually picking the team and selecting the team it is important that you get I think it is six starters. But, I wanted to try to freshen up and I wanted to give one or two people an opportunity.
I was also aware that there was Liam Noble, James Berrett and Conor Townsend on four yellows and I couldn’t really afford for them to be missing the next game, which I think is Oldham a week on Saturday. So, that was a consideration but then we probably didn’t have enough bodies in the middle of the park, we knew that it was going to be a physical game so I wanted experience in there.
I probably could have played Jack Lynch but I thought it would be unfair on the kid to throw him in. So, I am hoping I am going to be able to give him a chance at some stage because he is a great kid who works extremely hard and he is particularly dedicated to his game and to himself to try to improve. So, it is a great competition for that but I think the longer you go in it you can sense and feel the importance of each game because it is another step closer to Wembley.
JP
You are being very careful with the young lads you have got and how you use them at the moment, Brad Potts getting I think his first bit of football under you at the moment. I mean with these players, particularly the likes of Lynch who have these one year deals, are they able to do enough in training to show that they are developing, because we are perhaps not seeing what we did from some of the youngsters that burst through into the team in recent seasons?
GK
Well, the one thing I will say with Lynchy is he has a late birthday, so although he is 18, he is actually at the end of the 18, he could have actually been in the second year YTS this year, I think he missed it by a couple of weeks. So, I think it is very important for us as a staff that we are aware of his development, he has still got a lot of growing to do in his body, he has still got a lot of maturing to do that way physically.
But, he has got the right mindset to do it so at this moment in time I am very comfortable with the way Lynchy is. Pottsy has played a couple of games, I think he has come on as a substitute, but it is about getting that consistency. In all the games I have played I have tried to play the most consistent performers and I said to the players, don’t come and see me if you are not playing because you are saying you are not getting an opportunity, you get an opportunity every single day in training.
We sit as a staff, we dissect how the training went, where we can improve it, who we think performed well and a picture gets painted. So, it is important that they step up and they are doing to be fair to them, but it is just a little bit difficult at the moment, well it is not difficult for me because we are winning games and I am extremely happy with that.
So, the next couple of weeks, hopefully we will try to get one or two in, I was very aware of not bringing anybody in because we had a ten or twelve day gap between the next game and we are then having to pay wages and stuff. So, we wanted to get the next one right if we can, so hopefully something happens now in the next ten days or so.
JP
Because, you said that you were hoping to speak to a few of your student friends on your coaching course, you managed to get a few inroads in that direction then?
GK
I have done loads of talking, I don’t know if I have done any influencing though.
JP
Did you do any coach coursing?
GK
It was a great couple of days, we had some really interesting speakers. We had Steve McClaren, Paul Lambert, we had Peter Winkelman this morning talking about how you actually get your first job. So, it was very interesting for me because obviously I am at that stage. We had Malky Mackay talking about presentation skills and how to manage up, so there was loads of really, really interesting stuff that you probably think you know but when you are actually in it and it is actually a big part of you getting that next step.
For me, they asked me to do a presentation of what we have done to turn momentum, I had to break it down to them and explain what we did, as I said to them, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. But, fortunately for me the players have bought in to it and at this moment in time we are reaping the rewards.
JP
In terms of the overall performance tonight, not the highest in terms of quality from either team, but you will be delighted with the grit and the never say die we are not going to concede attitude out there?
GK
Yeah, well I don’t want to get carried away you know. I am very, very pleased with the fact that we are in the next round of the cup, but as I said to them all along we are setting the bar higher. A few weeks the performance levels were all about grit, determination, organisation, being compact, being solid, being resolute. As we have grown and as we have built that little bit of momentum, I think it is important that we now try to express ourselves, albeit very, very cautious at the back.
I am not talking about being a cautious manager or being a very safe manager, I am not at all, I am saying for the back four and the goalkeeper to be selfish and keep clean sheets. But, within we must be brave, we must drop off, we must break the lines, we must make the pitch bag when we have got the ball and we must look to play. I want my team to pass the ball, I want us to get into the final third, I want the players to express themselves and show what they can do.
I am not really bothered if they lose the ball at the top end of the pitch, it is about getting bums off seats. I love to be entertained on the side of the pitch and hopefully getting crosses and shots in and goalmouth action. But, as I say, it is going to be a long process, but the huge advantage I have is that we are working with a great bunch of players who want to improve and want to get better and are prepared to put the work in.
JP
How do you intend to use this period away from first team action then for these days, Chris Lumsdon has already predicted that it won’t probably feel like a weekend off to the players?
GK
No, the players are going to get some time off most definitely. We are going to have a game on Thursday which has already been arranged, we are going to have a physical day on Friday and then I am going to give the players the weekend off because I think they have deserved it.
I think they have worked extremely hard, long hours, and putting all that into place I think they deserve a couple of days off. So, they will have that off and then we will have a normal week so to speak next week where we will do our normal prep all the way through and then we will definitely be ready for the Oldham game.
JP
A couple of quick final questions, one fan was asking what sort of squad will go to Wigton in the County Cup at the weekend, might they get to see any of the more first team players for that one?
GK
At this moment in time, no. We asked them if they would play us at home, it is not a game I want any of the first team players particularly going to play in, I think it may be difficult. This may be an opportunity for them to beat us and that is it, but we will probably have a younger side to go and represent the club and hopefully will do well. But, it is not a priority this season, I will be honest.
JP
I know you were thinking about, I am not sure what the situation is with Chris Chantler, is he maybe going to get some football in that friendly on Thursday?
GK
Yeah, I mean the game was actually based around Chris to start with. So, we are hoping that that goes well, we are hoping that he continues along the lines……… I mean, he has had a slight stiffness I think in his calf which he is going to get a few more no doubt. But, he is progressing very, very well, I think he is feeling a lot more comfortable in his body and in his ankle.
I think with each passing day and each training session he gains confidence, so it is just now getting a good whack on it and getting a good strike of the ball and getting in a first team environment again where he is actually going to feel part of the group, so that is important for him.
JP
Mark Beck not here tonight because he is with the Scotland under-21s, a great accolade for him and the club?
GK
Yeah, we are actually as a staff going to go up on Thursday and we are going to take the game in. We play Rangers in the morning, then we are going to go and have a staff meeting in the afternoon, get some lunch and then spend three or four hours trying to work out what we are going to do going forward in terms of recruitment and in terms of all sorts of things. So, we all have sort of three or four hours in the afternoon and go over to the game in the evening. So, we will look forward to watching Becky, I think he has a chance of playing, so hopefully he does himself some good.
JP
And finally, we gave the man of the match today to the Carlisle fans, 858 of them came here tonight, that is a fine effort?
GK
Incredible, absolutely incredible, I mean I know it is only down the road but it is a Tuesday night, it costs a lot of money, it costs an awful lot of time and effort and it is lovely for them to get back down the road with that nice feeling of winning with a finale like it was. A penalty shootout and all our players stood up, I mean I asked them just before who was going to take the penalties and Sean said he was definitely taking one.
When he backed away from the penalty I thought he had changed his mind as he was actually coming back up to the half-way line he ran that far, but credit to him, it was probably one of the best penalties. So, that was definitely for the fans and I hope they enjoyed this evening.