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GA
It is no secret that we have been looking for strikers, and the chance has come to take these two lads in and they will offer different things. But we are excited about them pairing up with Gary Madine and that is three we have got now, so we are on track.
AW
We obviously know a bit already about Jason Price, why were you so eager to get him in here permanently?
GA
He offers, certainly taking Craig in, you have got two young lads (Gary Madine and Curran) who are a 20-year old and a 21-year old (19 and 20 - ed), so we know what Jason can do, he is tried and tested.
He has been around the game a long, long time, he did really well in the games he was here, I think he scored five in nine games (four in nine - ed) and I think we only lost once (twice - ed) when he played. His impact was huge so his experience and his nous will marry up nicely with the two younger players we have got.
AW
Now Craig Curran is perhaps the one the fans don't know so much about, tell us a little bit about his style.
GA
We are hoping Craig can further his career and progress on what he has already done. He is only 20 is Craig and he has already played nearly 100 games at this level, which is a fantastic achievement for a lad so young. What he will do is he will put defenders under pressure, he chases everything down, he is an absolute work-a-holic and his enthusiasm and energy will spark our fans, I am sure they will like that.
Then what we want to see Craig do is what we have already talked about, is see him add to his goals record. If he does that then he is going to go on to be a much, much, much better player and maybe a valuable player in the future.
But we have talked about his position, he has played a little bit out on the right at Tranmere and he is a central player, a centre-forward. That is where we are going to play him and that is where we hope his goals ratio, with the help he will get from Jason and Gary Madine will help him.
AW
Now you talk of him having a little bit of flair, a little bit of something about him, does that tie in with your idea of getting more flair players to up the attendances next year then?
GA
We just want to play a more aggressive and a more attacking game. We have had probably a season of stabilising last season after nearly going down the season before. I thought we made rapid progress, tremendous progress to be fair if you include the Wembley game.
Now what we have got to do is that we have got to try to take that forward. I think we have got to get fans, the higher attendances, get fans enjoying their football and coming to Brunton Park expecting the team to go out there and try to attack and be as aggressive as possible. Obviously you need strikers to do that and at the minute we have got three and who knows if that is going to end or not.
AW
Time-wise, what sort of contracts have you managed to wrap them into?
GA
Well, Jason because of his age has got one year and we will address that and have a look at how he does, but he has got one year. Craig, obviously it is common sense, he is only 20, to do him with a two-year deal. So one has got two and one has got one and that fits in nicely with their age and with the way they are at the moment.
AW
A couple of weeks ago you mentioned that there were certain players who were hanging out to see what clubs offered them what. Was Jason Price one of those players or was he intending to come here from the start?
GA
I think Jason has had quite a few offers on the table. I think he really enjoyed his time with us to be fair, I have spoken to him since the end of the season. I went to watch him in the play-off game at Huddersfield where he was on the bench for Millwall and I have kept in touch with Jason. He has weighed up his options, but he is certainly one that we knew lots about, had a real good impact with us and he is one we have always had on the radar.
AW
So with two defenders going out in the week, (Tom) Aldred and (Richard) Keogh, is a defender your next priority in the transfer market?
GA
Well, if we are going to play attacking football then we need some defenders as well to shore up at the other end. Losing Richard was a major blow, he has been terrific for us, probably the player of the season, certainly one that has sparked the fans off.
He is sorry to have to make that decision but it is a footballing decision, he wants to go and progress his career and we respect that, and he will be a big miss, so we are obviously looking to replace him.
AW
Just quickly touching on the fixtures, the first away fixture is a 780-mile round trip to Plymouth. Will the players be quite happy to get that one out of the way with while they have still got the full amount of enthusiasm, not the middle of December?
GA
We are going to set off next week to Plymouth hopefully to get there in time, so it will be no problem. No, listen, it is Carlisle, Carlisle and Plymouth have always been on the same places on the map, they will always be seven hours apart.
The players just get on with that, talking about enthusiasm, if they are not as enthusiastic in January or February as they are in August then they shouldn't be professional footballers, so I don't think that will be an issue.