United boss Greg Abbott (GA) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's Paul Newton (PN) at today's press conference for the local media, Abbott first talking about how the day's training session had gone :
GA
It is one of those days where we have watched them today and we have just thought, wow, how good they have looked and in good shape, fit, the quality has been good, the results have been excellent, performances have been very good. That is a big worry because we haven't got any points yet, so we are with a bit of trepidation but generally an indication that we are going to be OK.
We have been really pleased with the players, the whole club seems to be buzzing for the start on Saturday. But, Saturday is a different kettle of fish, it has the intensity and the edginess to it and we have got to...... It would be nice to be sitting here this time next week with a couple of wins under our belt and then things get easier, and we might go on a momentum run because the ability and the quality is there, it is just things dropping for you nicely and everything fitting. But, the key is the start on Saturday for sure.
PN
How much importance do you apply to what happened in pre-season?
GA
Well, you need performances because generally your performances aren't going to differ, the results might. But, we have played properly and we have played the game the right way and prepared the right way. We didn't give our hand away completely at Bradford, we had one or two things there we kept up our sleeve for Saturday. But, it certainly tells us that the players are fit, they have certainly got ability, there has certainly been an added strength to the squad and we can't say much more really. The proof will be in the pudding on Saturday and we are just hopeful that they can continue in the vein that they have been going in and that we get off to a really good start.
PN
You have given yourself quite a major headache in terms of selection for Saturday?
GA
Yeah, I mean that is probably the biggest talking point, who do you play? We are getting there now, I have got a thing in my mind now that we will probably run with, but whoever doesn't make the starting eleven will undoubtedly be needed because the strength there and the quality there is terrific. We have not got a great big squad even now but we think we have got a lot of quality within the group and I have told everybody that we are going to need everybody, hopefully they will buy into it, there will be disappointment on Saturday, something we can't avoid.
We can only pick eleven and we will do that and if we get off to a good start it has been the right eleven and we will move on from there, so definitely got an idea in my mind of which I think is a system that can beat Notts County, and that is the one that we are going to run with. We have worked on that for the last two weeks as well as other things in case things don't quite go right, and that was the key with some of the signings that we have made, that we can change the way we play within a game, which we did on Saturday.
PN
Can supporters expect to see anything different from your team this season?
GA
Erm, well we got everything we wanted last year but a bit of consistency, but if they can get the likes of Colchester and those types of performances and the backs to the wall performances at times when we are winning 1-0 and pair and marry all that up together then that would be the key. What we need to do is eliminate inconsistency, but I think some of the football we played last year was terrific.
Might be one eye on the fact that we didn't score enough goals, but we have got goals in pre-season against some good sides. I think that the key is to guard against, well the one thing that we have got to improve on is the inconsistency, that would be the big one for us because we had five or six games where we underperformed, lost our momentum and subsequently ended up in the middle of the table when we want to be a lot higher than that.
It is important that we get off to a big start, but we don't want to be hyping too much pressure on everybody but the key in football, any manager in the Football League will tell you that the start is imperative and we are no different. A good start, momentum, a bit of luck, things go our way in terms of injuries and suspensions and that sort of thing then I am really encouraged by the fact that we can do better than we did last year.
Where we are with the way the whole club is run, that has got to be a guard of success, I know a lot of people are saying we should be right up the top there, a lot of people are saying mid-table obviously because we haven't the money to do this or do that. I think you can throw all the opinions and all the statements away and say, right, get off to a good start and this team is capable of nudging its way into the top half. if we are around or about 9th or 10th come January or February time then we can have a serious look at the top bit, if you are not then there is no point making stupid statements. But, I just think there is ability there, there is a hunger, a freshness and a definite optimism for a better season than last.
PN
And with regard to that selection headache you have got, how much has the reduction of the number of substitutes from seven to five made that aspect of your job be more difficult?
GA
Erm, I don't know if it has or if it hasn't, the players will probably be the best answer to that, whether they will be happy to be sat on the bench, knowing they are probably not going to get on or whether they would probably be rather sat in the stand where they can relax knowing that they are not preparing for a game and they can enjoy watching the team.
I don't know, most people would probably rather be around the squad so I don't know, as a player I would want to be on the bench but sometimes at least in their own mind they know that they are not going to be involved. It won't be through ability, it will be just through numbers so it is not as if we are leaving people out but it does sort of make people doubly believe they are involved if they are on the bench, they might think they are being a little bit left out but they are not.
It wasn't me that made the ruling, it was a rule that has been made by the Football Association, we have to stick with that and we can only have five substitutes. But, again I just think even that will be different, people who are a substitute on Saturday could play on Tuesday or next Saturday and people who are sat in the stand could play or even they could be on the bench. So, I don't think it makes a great deal of difference, although as a player I think the obvious thing is that you would want to be in the eleven, or if not you would certainly want to be on the bench.
PN
How is the squad looking at the moment?
GA
They looked great today, I do keep saying this but I am only telling you what we see, they looked sharp in training today, real bright session, typical week before the start of the season session as opposed to the Yeovil game last year when you can see everybody is ready to get a tan like you have got from a lovely long holiday somewhere.
PN
Craig Curran and Peter Murphy, no problems or no doubts over them for the weekend?
GA
No, they both trained today, Craig Curran trained like a lunatic, Murph is a little bit more considered with his body and trained within himself, but that is fine, they are both no problem.
PN
Paddy Madden obviously is the one disappointment to come out of the pre-season, just how much of a blow is that to you?
GA
It is a big blow to Paddy, we just felt that we were winning the battle with Paddy and Rory (Loy). We knew the key was getting them into a full pre-season, getting them fit with the players, getting them involved in all the tactical work that we did. We think we have seen a really big improvement in Paddy and Rory, Rory has got his couple of goals as well, looks really, really bright. Paddy on a personal basis will rock him and rock his progress but he is a genuinely naturally fit boy, so we have got to get him back on the training ground as quickly as possible because we want to see an input from Paddy and we thought we were going to get that in the early part of this year.
PN
It is inevitable that with being one striker down questions will be asked about that you might go out and strengthen that area while Paddy is out, has there been any movement with that?
GA
There is the same movement that there has been for a while and it has become a bit of an every week question. But, we still won't get one unless we think he is going to be better than the ones we have got. The last time we were panicked into doing something we made the wrong decision and I'm not going to make a wrong decision, or in my own mind I have hopefully not made the wrong decision.
Every player you bring in is a gamble but unless there is somebody there strikingly better than we have got that fits all the boxes that we talked about then we won't be doing one. I have got a list, a list of plenty to be honest, there is a narrow list of a few that might fit the bill but some of them aren't available yet that might be available. So, we don't want to fill that........ Because, if do it and it is the wrong one that is the only one we are going to have the chance to do, so we have got to wait for one we really think is going to make an impact, if we decide at all to do that.
PN
Are you finding now the season is almost upon us that in a way you are getting more names thrown at you with people and players finding out that they perhaps don't have a future at certain clubs?
GA
Yeah, I mean there have been some amazing stories, one player that was wanting £3,000 a week at the start of the summer now would take less than £1,000, it is unbelievable, it is. There are a few of those tales but that is for a reason because they are probably not as good as they think they are, and then you have got to work out whether they are going to make you any better.
But, there are a few sob stories going around, the times are hard in League One and League Two but I think the key is probably the first two or three games when players think they are going to play actually at their own clubs don't play and then think that they need some football and ask to go on loan. Their agents say that they would like them to go on loan and then you are talking about another different group of players that might become available middle to end of August.
PN
Is that a difficult decision for you as a manager to go back and maybe entertain a player who initially hadn't shown an interest?
GA
No, because I would never think a player is wrong by wanting to play at the highest level possible and if he finds that route is not open and the manner in which he told us is the right way, if he was disrespectful to us and he belied our position or our club then I wouldn't entertain it. But, if he was respectful in his decision then I would be OK with that. But, a lot of players, I can't knock them for wanting to play at the highest level possible, if they find that that is not there and they come to League One we would reignite our interest and that is absolutely no problem.
PN
So, is there a chance we might see a new face in before Saturday or not?
GA
There is always a chance, I don't think so to be honest because there is nobody there that is barking out to say come and sign me, so I don't think there will be. I am really, really comfortable at the minute with the way pre-season has gone, the way that the games have gone and the way that the striking players, the attacking players if you like, and include that even with trying to get little Tom (Taiwo) in the box and (Liam) Noble and (James) Berrett.
Include them in that because the way we play they have got a responsibilty to get into the box and score goals. James Berrett has been outstanding in that respect and Craig has got his goals, a couple of goals, and so has Rory. We are reasonably OK with what we have got, so I don't see any reason to not let them have a go at it and let's see how they get on first.
PN
You mentioned James Berrett and I wanted to mention James, again three fantastic goals in pre-season, two on Saturday, are you anticipating some interest in the likes of James Berrett perhaps?
GA
I hope not, I desperately, desperately hope not, but I would expect interest in quite a few of the players to be honest, there is a really good group of young players at the right age that are all going in the right direction, so I would........... It would depend on your start you know, sometimes with us being where we are we fall beyond people's radar. So, we are lucky in that respect and I want to be lucky because I don't want to lose any of the players. I think it has been hard work buidling this sort of squad and I want them to do well and I want them to do well for themselves and do well for the club, and I want everybody to benefit from the progress that they are obviously making.