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GA
I knew Joe Dudgeon was signing on Monday but I didn't dare release it to anybody just incase something happened at the last minute, another club came in or he changed his mind or the manager changed his mind.
So, he actually signed all the paperwork on Monday but we couldn't release it until he actually got in the building, was here and it was done. He is here now so we can gladly say that is one that has been good.
What we have been trying to do over the last sort of three to four weeks is build a squad, and we are trying to build a permanent squad. I know Joe (Dudgeon) has come in on a loan but we are trying to build as much of a permanent squad as we can. Sometimes we have to take the other option because it suits us at the time.
What we have got to try to do is regain the momentum from just before Christmas which we think we have done and we think we are doing. The more type of players like Joe we can get into the club with that sort of quality the better. It is something, I don't think we have stopped yet and I am hoping that there is still a bit more to come.
I want all the players to know they have got a squad that they can depend on, it has got strength in depth and it can carry an injury or a suspension, and it can carry the workload that we are going to have right through to the end of the season.
JP
What sort of left-back is he? If you remember when you are watching Frank Simek he is very different from Richard Keogh, what sort of a left-back is he? Is he more of a defender or is he one that likes to get forward?
GA
He is just a good player, he is very tenacious, very quick, as honest as the day is long. He has got a lot of things similar to what Sean (McDaid) had, but because touch wood he has had no injuries he is a little bit sharper and a little bit more mobile.
He has got really good energy and he has got fantastic character, he can defend, he can get forward, he can get up and down the line, he is a good player. I think Manchester United have done us a real treat with this one and he will give us that strength and that depth in that position which we have needed. There is a lot of competition now throughout the team for places and he is a good one to bring in.
JP
And he has got a squad number with Manchester United, yet at 20 has not actually made a first-team start for them yet or a debut of any sort. Is he one who comes in like James Chester potentially playing for a future elsewhere or is he still one that Manchester United are keen to see how he can perform in the league?
GA
No, I think they are keen to see how he performs because the route is a lot more difficult there than it is anywhere else because of the quality they have got. But, there has been nothing said to me that he is playing for a future at Manchester United, for us or to get away.
He is well thought of, the manager (Sir Alex Ferguson) actually rang me up personally to tell me about him and he was talking of him in the highest regard. So, we are just going to give him some first-team football, which he needs and we need that position covering, and so it is a perfect one for the timebeing.
JP
As a young manager like you are, what is it like speaking to someone like Sir Alex Ferguson? Having these opportunities to get to know somebody like that and to work with them?
GA
I would think it is one of the absolute pleasures of the job, and what he said and the content of the conversation was first class for us as a football club, and that is rewarding for all the work we have done. He told us to keep it going and he said if they could ever help us they would do, they like the work we have done with the players we have had in the past, the people that have watched the games have liked the way we have played.
The word has gone back to him and it has been favourable, so it has been an absolute pleasure that he has rung me personally a couple of times now. And not just had a one minute conversation, one of them was about 20 minutes long which was brilliant because it gave us the chance to tally what we were doing and how we were doing it.
To be fair he was interested in how we were doing which was brilliant, because he has got enough problems of his own. I think they are fighting for four trophies and the Johnstone's Paint isn't one of them. So, with respect he has found the time to talk to us and find out about how we are doing things and we told him and he was really pleased with that.
JP
So, he would be happy for him to play in the Johnstone's Paint for you then I gather?
GA
Yeah, I don't think it is going to cause him a problem at Manchester United is it? So, he is eligible.
JP
Excellent, what about other targets then? You say that you do want to strengthen that little bit further, no more half-season or to the end of the season loans, so are you looking for permanent options now?
GA
I have been always looking for permanents but if the permanents aren't there then we have got to take the next best which is a half-season. What we are trying to do is bring people to the club on a more permanent basis so they feel like they are our players, and that is what the half-season thing does.
But, certainly we would look to do permanents if possible, obviously there are a lot of finances involved and availabilities involved and finding that quality is involved. At the minute the January window is not a great time to do permanents because people don't want to let anybody go.
If they do then they are overpriced and if they are not wanted at a club it is the wrong signal for us anyway. But, we will try to do a little bit more, but I couldn't tell you now and be honest with you and say it is guaranteed permanent but we will try to do some more.
JP
You have said all along that you want to be stronger coming out of January, can you put a figure on how many more players you would like? Is it one more, is it a couple more that you would be satisfied with?
GA
We are going to be stronger, I am telling you, I am telling you now, we are going to be stronger. If you leave me at that rather than pin me down to one, two, three or four, we are going to be stronger, I know we are going to be stronger.
There is a statement for you to be fair, we have just done so much work and we just think we are on the fringes of it coming to fruition. But, we are going to be stronger we think, I have added that "think" on, there is a cautious guard, I have added the "we think". We do generally believe we are going to be stronger.
JP
What about Liam Cooper? He has been doing awfully well here, are there plans to try to extend his stay with the Cumbrians?
GA
Yeah, there is an issue at the minute because Hull have lost a centre-half and they are pleased with how he has done, and that is one of the downsides of the thing that they know he has done well and they have seen him produce.
So, that is not cut in stone that one but I have spoken to Nige (Nigel Pearson) to be fair, I spoke to him this morning, I couldn't even tell a lie and tell him that he wasn't doing very well because they monitor his performances as well. He has done ever so well, we would like to extend that to the end of the season if we can but at the minute that is not possible, so it might be a month by month.
JP
Having seen how well he has got on here did Hull need to go out and sign James Chester given that they had a player like that already in their stable?
GA
Er, it is not for me to say, that is for Nige to work out. He likes James, good player, my opinions are my opinons and that is Nige's work and I shouldn't really be saying anything about his squad.
JP
And Oldham coming up on Saturday?
GA
They have got a young squad, a really hard-working squad, the manager (Paul Dickov) has done fantastic, they are having a season and a half. I would think they would probably have set out this season to keep their head above water financially. Probably round-about mid-table would have been a success story to give them the platform to build for the new manager.
But, they have pulled up trees, they have been brilliant and I have probably seen their worst performance of the season and think that Saturday's game should be easy. But it won't be, I saw the Southampton game which is probably not a good guide because either side of that their performances have been fantastic. So, Saturday will be really tough.
JP
Do you see a touch of the Paul Dickov in the way they play?
GA
They certainly work their socks off, Paul's game was...... He was a good player but he really was aggressive and made it uncomfortable for defenders to play against, and his team are uncomfortable to play against because they work exceptionally hard with a fantastic spirit.
JP
They also work with a target-man don't they and try to get the ball into him from the wide areas, a lot of high balls for your defence to try to deal with. It is going to be a very physical one at the weekend?
GA
Yeah, but I think we are better equipped now, Saturday's game was physical at Notts County and we dealt with that. The toughness of our players was brilliant on Saturday and the determination was fantastic.
Lubo must have made ten blocks in the game, absolutely fantastic, and I think Liam (Cooper) likes a bit of a scrap as well, then the two full-backs (Murphy and Frank Simek) add their weight to that and we feel we are in good shape to deal with that.
JP
You almost said, you didn't quite, but you almost said that it was your favourite of all these three good performances that one, because you battled it all the way then just had that extra touch of quality, was that the most satisfying thing?
GA
I just think that it is the right way to win games sometimes. It wasn't an easy game to win, it wasn't an easy game to play football in, but what we did was we defended properly, we played the game properly and we got a result out of it.
Those types of results away, I think Notts County had gone eight games and won five out of their last six and we have gone there and deservedly won the game in my opinion, deservedly won the game. The dressing room was probably as ecstatic after that as it was for any of the other victories we have had of late.
JP
Especially given the sort of team you are playing at the weekend, do you think that sort of performance is what you are going to need to have as a minimum to beat the likes of Oldham?
GA
Listen, we aren't talking anybody down because this season has shown us that when we are just below our best we get punished, and we have been punished when we have been below our best.
So, we have had enough examples, so on Saturday we want to kick on and produce and be determined when we haven't got the ball and then show our quality when we have. At the minute we are getting the blend nicely but Saturday will be a tough, tough game. They are all tough games, and I am not going to say any one is more tougher than the other.
JP
You see lots of managers at this time of year as well talking about the need to gather and continue momentum, is that one of the key factors for you now given the three results you have had?
GA
I think it is a three game league, I have said it now for a while. Your next three games can put you right up at the top end of the table or they can put you in the bottom four or five. We win three games and it will be scary where we might be, so that has got to be the target and I think we have got three winnable games.
I know one of them is Huddersfield away from home but we have beaten them once and we have got to start looking and believing in ourselves that if we can win the next two home games and Huddersfield away then we might be sitting here in the top four or five.
JP
On the injury situation, Paul Thirlwell hasn't quite made the squad in the last couple of games, Danny Livesey is slowly coming back and Matty Robson has had an injury, what is the latest on those three?
GA
Well, when you play well and you are winning games then nobody wants to miss out, and all three trained today, so it was fantastic news for everybody.
JP
A good chance of them being available for you at the weekend then?
GA
They are all available as far as I am concerned, they trained today and they did ever so well. So, I think we have got a near enough full bill of health which is fantastic at this time of the season with the run of games we have got coming up.
JP
And how important will a good crowd be for you at the weekend? How important will they be in terms of keeping that momentum and pushing you on for the top few?
GA
They are always important, the crowd is always important and they will come, with the performances like we have been producing they will come. Even if it is slowly drip by bit, bit by bit, they will be coming, but they are vital to what we are doing.
We have seen that when we haven't been at our best how important they are. But, at the minute we are doing alright so the belief is there and everybody is believing and hopefully that continues on Saturday.
JP
Just finally, you talk about them dribbling back because I understand it will be like that, but for those who aren't coming would you almost like to say to them to come down and give us a chance? If you can afford it, get down and give us a chance and you might just enjoy yourselves?
GA
I think the football will bring fans back, it doesn't matter what I say, football will bring fans back. If they see good results and they see good football then they will come back, there is no point in....... We can't twist peoples' arms, they will come back, times are hard at the minute, times are very, very difficult financially and we are at the back end of the worst month of the year. They will be back, don't worry.