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GA
This is a game, they have had a win, probably they needed a win, I don't think we need any introduction to what type of game it is going to be and what type of opposition we are going to come up against. We know Hartlepool well enough and we anticipate a different type of game than maybe we have been having. But, it will certainly probably be the toughest game we have probably faced so far.
JP
They are always seemingly a tough place for Carlisle United to go. There is some sort of psychological thing in there, it is I think 1996 I was reading that it might be since Carlisle last won there?
GA
Well, we have been breaking into a few records haven't we, we have been knocking a few stats down in our favour just lately. So, we hope to do that again, we have prepared the players today so they know what to expect.
Certainly some of the ones that haven't been there before and we have been there plenty of times. But, if they think they will be going there just to turn up and get three points then they will be massively mistaken.
They are a decent group of lads as we know and it is bounce-back time now, the first blip we have had, it is how we react and that is the important thing now. I am concerned about us more than them but I have told them what to expect, but the reaction we get was typical of one I would expect. Let's get forward and look forward to getting a positive result.
JP
A lot of changes in your team since you were last there, one or two in theirs and a few familiar faces as well. What do you expect from them in terms of the way they will approach the game?
GA
No different, they will be fighting for their lives and chasing every ball, and then giving us a real tough question mark over whether we can match them for all that. I tend to think we can, I more than tend to think we can, I know we can.
But, you have got to go there with the right mindset, it is not Sheffield Wednesday, it is Hartlepool and you have got to give them the respect of what they are all about. Then you have got to match all that and then try to impose yourself on them. But, I think there is a determination within the camp today, I sense a little bit of a smarting feeling that they are upset with the result.
Parts of the performance were OK on Saturday, but other parts were a little bit below what we have had. We have set ourselves a decent standard and we need to get back to that tomorrow. But, certainly the players, it was the right reaction to the meeting we had.
JP
The first defeat of the season, what was it like for you? What do you reflect on? Do you think 'I got everything wrong today?' Or do you think it just didn't go our way?
GA
I think that is a little bit harsh to think I have got everything wrong, one defeat in eight games or something like that, I think it is a little bit harsh. No, I am a nightmare to be honest, I did well to talk to you as nicely as I did on Saturday. It is better when me and you fall out then everyone can think that I am genuinely unhappy.
But, no, I am never pleased, I am never pleased, but I want to be constructive and as positive as I can in defeat. You get a few criticisms from the press which were more than valid and we answered them and we have to move on. I thought we dropped below our normal standards and I didn't think we looked as likely to score a goal as we have in the past games.
We dealt with them, we took them on the chin and I am a steely sort of guy. I am desperate to get on the pitch tomorrow and desperate to turn these over and get the thing back on track and keep a head of steam up, and a momentum going and an enthusiasm to our season.
JP
When you have been on such a good run, nine league matches stretching into last season, is it difficult to remember how to turn things back around after a defeat?
GA
Have you ever fallen off a bike? How did you go on when you got back on it?
JP
Gingerly.
GA
Gingerly. Well, we got on it and we pedalled down the fast lane of the motorway really quickly. So, I think we are going to pedal down as quickly as we can, and hopefully we don't get on gingerly, we get on and we have a right good go. It is just a likeness. I don't think you forget how to become…..
We are not that good a team where we have forgotten how to lose and it is not that long ago since we responded. So, we are going to get on and we are going to put it into top gear and we are going to pedal fast.
JP
Your trialist Amari Morgan-Smith, there was talk that the agent was sort of insisting on today being deadline day, what is the situation there?
GA
The agent is still insisting that it is deadline day, but I am telling the agent to let me do my job, and let me try to do it properly. I had a really good chat with Amari just about 20 minutes ago for a good half an hour and he is going to go back to his agent and speak to him.
But, the lad has done alright to be honest, he is one where you think he may make the step up, but we are talking about making a guess if you have to make a decision today. I have told his agent that to be fair to Amari and be fair to us I will maybe leave it a bit longer.
If they want a decision today then I will try to give him that one, but I will certainly stand my corner a little bit and say to him what I think and then I will see what comeback comes. So, at the minute I would like to keep him a little bit longer, a bit longer of a look to make sure we have got the decision right for our football club and for Amari himself, I think that is the way I do things.
JP
If they do try to force your hand, presumably the answer would just be no and that means that the agent almost forces the lad out of an opportunity here doesn't it?
GA
You are right, they won't force my hand, they will just deny the lad getting the correct decision. So, that is up to the agent but I think the agent is sensible enough, they always tell you there are seven or eight deals lined up for them. Well, let's deal with that later on but I think it is important that we make sure we make the right decisions.
Like I said, I don't like making decisions when I am not ready to make one, and I will explain that to his agent. Hopefully he will be sympathetic with the fact he has only been here really five minutes in football terms. And let's have a proper look at him so we can get the decision right and give the lad an opportunity of league football from where he has come from, it is a big jump.
So, we will see what he says, but he has not really said either way what he is going to do. But, I think he would be wise to listen what we have got to say, because we are trying to give the lad as much honest and possible information as we possibly can.
JP
What about your striking options? In terms of the weekend you talked about not getting enough upfront for them to actually make anything of. Is that something that really needs to change come Tuesday?
GA
I think Saturday is the only time in the season we have looked like we are not going to score, or not looked like we were not going to score but we didn't score and didn't make as many clear-cut chances. Francois (Zoko) has had a couple of really good efforts in the first-half, and again we have had our fair share of set-plays and bits and pieces.
I would be really upset if we weren't creating chances, but I am upset we are not scoring. So, we have got to find a level, you are never going to score if you are not creating, we are creating but we just haven't been putting them away. So, that is something we have to look at and something we will be reminding the players of today and something we would like to improve on definitely.
JP
What do you need to do in the short term then with the players to try to get those goals flowing again as they were in the early part of the season?
GA
No different, look at the chances we are creating, you look at some of the chances we have missed and you think there are goals in there. We have just got to make sure we are a little bit more clinical, have a little bit more belief and get the ball into those danger areas a little bit more often and maybe sometimes a little bit quicker.
So, there are one or two things we have talked about and we are hoping that we can start with Tuesday with putting that right. But, we have still got I think the second best goal difference in the league, but the negative stat is that we haven't scored as many goals in the last three or four games as we would have liked to. I accept that and we will continue to do something about that.