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" Huddersfield is a big club isn't it and they have got a progressive young team, they have a sneaky feeling that they are going to be involved at the top end at the end of the season. I don't think a Carlisle side has won there for 30-odd years Dolly (Neil Dalton) was telling me before the game. So to go there, keep a clean sheet, score two goals, have a goal disallowed, have a couple of other good chances and feel really quite comfortable in that 2-0 margin is an excellent performance from the boys.
" We weren't defending the lead, what we were doing was stopping giving Huddersfield any encouragement whatsoever. Because 2-0 at half-time can sometimes be a tricky situation as the people at Sheffield Wednesday might vouch for this weekend. If you go a little bit gung-ho in the second half, and we had another gear don't kid yourself, if we'd needed to get a goal in the second-half then I think we could have found one from somewhere. What we wanted to do though was to make sure that we stamped on anything Huddersfield had in their locker because they were always going to get a bit better at home and get a bit of a roasting at half-time for their first-half performance.
" I was concerned that we didn't give them anything to go at, even in the second-half (Marc) Bridge-Wilkinson has had a great shot saved. There were also another couple of bits and pieces, Kevin Gall has got in behind and Joe Garner has had another chance, I felt that we could have got a goal. What I said to the players was to make sure that we give a thoroughly professional performance and I was quite comfortable with that in the second-half.
" My players have been fantastic and they always have been in the time that I have been here. We have a fantastic respect I think, hopefully mutual, certainly I respect my players and I admire what they do. I like the way they work, they are very, very honest and very determined, they give maximums all the time. For me I think that you are on the right lines when you have got a squad like that. We know areas that we can improve on but you ask any League One manager if he has got the finished article and I think he'll tell you that they can be better.
" I don't like to single anybody out and I don't like to pick man-of the-matches because for me everything we achieve is going to be collective. It's going to be a team effort, not just the eleven or the sixteen but the twenty-one players that we have got at the club on our books. That's the way I am going to go and whilst players will stand out one week and others will another week, I think that what we have got to do is that everything that we achieve has got to be a collective thing. "
" Everybody then takes a part of the credit and I don't think you could pick anybody out from Saturday, I think that every single player was absolutely tremendous. They did their job right and they made life very, very uncomfortable for Huddersfield. I've spoken to a few Huddersfield people who said that we were comfortable winners and they think they're not a bad side. Without getting stupid, let's keep our feet on the ground and let's see if we can keep improving on our performances and just see where it takes us.
" I think that we have to got to try to educate the supporters on what we are trying to achieve at this club. It's progression, all the time we are looking to be progressive and to be going forward. Now I think that the supporters would want to be going 100mph, and everybody else would. You've got to go at a rate of knots that allows your club and players to develop and the financial situation to run hand-in-hand with that and keep everything on a level footing.
" That's what we aim to do and if I can convince the supporters that that is what we are doing, always taking a little step forward rather than a big leap forward. I think they will be comfortable with that, all the way along I am going to try to be honest as I can with them to tell them where we are at. We are always trying to improve, the standard of the squad, the level of ability in the team and the performances on a Saturday, everything is going in the right direction for me.
" For that I think the supporters have got to quite grateful, we get full backing from the club here in doing that so we are all working together and I want the supporters to buy into that as well, up to now they have been magnificent. I think that they are starting to believe in that, they play a big, big role in this football club for me. We want to try to improve but what we want to do is give honesty and 100% commitment to the cause every week, it won't always go our way but it won't be for the lack of trying.
" I have mentioned it before about the amount on average of over 1,000 fans travelling to every game with the situation in terms of geography in where we are. I don't think that one Carlisle fan actually left their seat until the players had done their huddle and clapped them off. For me they have another short journey, three hours back if you like, to get on and the expense as well that goes with it. For me it was absolutely terrific once again that they have turned out in their numbers and showed their support, it's really appreciated, the players love it and I'm certainly a massive fan of that, I think it's fantastic. "
" I think the finances of the Cup are important but I think the finance is important to Coventry as well. They'll probably see it as a game they can win and if they play all their big guns and we play all our big guns which, we might make one or two changes but nothing drastic. It's an even game for both teams, I think that Iain (Dowie) will come here thinking that he can win it and progress and get a big club.
" Finance will help his situation and finance helps our situation but he'll have one eye on the league and we're obviously concerned about our league position which is correct. It is where we all live and die from, so we'll have a look at the players this morning and see what state they are in, I think that touch wood they are OK from Saturday, we've had no reports over the weekend that anybody is not. Then we'll pick a team that hopefully will cause Coventry a lot of problems and give us a chance of winning the game.
" So I'm comfortable with that but we will make one or two little changes because I need to see other players as well. Because if we get injuries or suspensions then I need to know what the squad are and where they are in terms of fitness and levels of ability. So it gives me a release from the league and it gives me the chance to look at a couple of others without making stupid changes that just hand the tie over.
" It's not so much difficult to decide who plays, I've got to get the players to believe in what we are doing and they do. The players that I decide to rest, and it is a rest - they are not being dropped - they're rested. A couple might get rested because I want to make sure they are fresh and at it but I think that most players can cope with three games in a week, it's how you look after them around that. Whichever ones it is they'll be brought in, I'll speak to them first, I'll explain my decision to them, they might be happy or they might not be happy but I am doing it for the best reasons for the football club.
" Without getting into too much detail of the why's and wherefore's of it, we're picking a strong side tomorrow, no way are we going out with a team of reserves. We look to win the game and then we'll regroup and we'll look to win the game on Saturday, that's the way I have got to be. I want everyone to try to come with us in terms of the reasons why we do things, without harping on too much about it it will be a very strong side out tomorrow night. "
" I'm certainly not going to go knocking on anybody's door about the job, I know where I stand with Fred (Story), he has been brutally honest with me which I really appreciate. I'd like to think that he knows that there is a lot of honesty in me as well. I know the game quite well and I've been in it a long time, I never take anything for granted and I'm going to keep doing this job like I am now.
" I've settled down nicely now without any pressure from the players I think, Saturday showed that they are getting the terms of what is happening. As and when Fred sees fit then I'm sure he'll say to me either yes or no, then the club can just kick on from there. I'm happily optimistic, I think that I've done a decent job, a nice start in terms of results and the way that the players have responded so we'll have to wait and see what happens from that.
" I'm going to say again that it's not that easy but we do work hard and I know the fans know that. When they see the players and Joe Garner going down again and he can hardly walk they can see the effort that is being put in from every single player and all my staff. We are working religiously to try to improve the levels of this football club it and it won't be through the lack of hard work that we don't get where we want to be.
" I've spoken to Danny (Graham), I told Danny in no uncertain terms that I was disappointed with his reaction. Ultimately though it's in the heat of the moment at the end of the game where emotions are high, I want everybody together. I wouldn't do the huddle without Danny and I don't want to make a big thing of this because it's not a big thing. All it was was Danny disappointed that he was being substituted, it was for the good of the team.
" If he doesn't realise how vital is he to my plans then he is not as bright as I thought he was because he is going to be our top scorer this season, there is no question, he is an out-and-out goalscorer. He is a player that is massive in what we are doing at this football club. Danny will come in with a smile on his face and probably give me a big hug, and we'll have a couple of high-fives at that and we'll be best mates, I hope (laughs) "