United boss Greg Abbott (GA) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips (JP) at Friday's open press conference for the local media, Abbott first talking about the signing of Birmingham-loanee striker Jake Jervis earlier in the week:
GA
We needed him and he is one type of player that we have been looking for, so he is here now, he has had a couple of days to work with the boys. We reshaped the training this week to get a longer look at him, and give him a fighting chance of understanding how we are and what we want and what we are looking for from him. He has come in and he has shown up alright so he is contention for tomorrow.
JP
He comes in and he obviously looks like that target man replacement but when Paul Newton asked him what sort of striker he was he said he was one that likes to get in behind the defenders and use his pace. So, is he a bit of both or do you have more of that targetman role in mind for him?
GA
No, he is different, listen, it is very difficult, people say to replace Lee Miller and replace (Francois) Zoko and replace (Lubomir) Michalik, you can't get identical replacements, you have to get different types. Jake is coming in on his own right, he looks like a targetman because he is a big, big unit, he is 6'2 or 6'3. He is mobile, he is a little bit different to what we have had before but he has certainly got that height and that physical presence that we are hoping can put defenders under pressure.
But, he will run away from people, he will get on the wrong side of them and he will be mobile so he is slightly different. To just try to get somebody absolutely identical is very difficult, even if you wanted to. But, he is Jake Jervis in his own right and we need to see what he can bring to the team, and hopefully he brings us another dimension and something a little bit different to what we have had.
JP
Has it been essential for you in bringing him in that he had that sort of pedigree of going out to other clubs at League Two and of course at League One last season?
GA
Yeah, I mean it helps that he has got some experience, it is not a time for experimental types. At the minute it is difficult because people so close to the window are holding on to their players because they are wanting to sell them, they don't want to loan people out. So, we have got somebody that their club likes who has got a future at his own club, but they want him to get some first team experience.
We have made many enquiries about other players who that particular club wants to sell, so they are waiting to see if they can sell them, if they don't sell them by Tuesday or Wednesday they will become available for loans. So, it is a difficult one and we needed somebody in really quickly, but we are OK with Jake because he has been out at this level, scored goals at this level in the past and made decent contributions. So, he is another year older, he is a little bit wiser for that and let's hope he hits it off with us almost as we speak.
JP
Were he to be successful for you is there an option to maybe extend that loan, or might they want him back if he does well enough for Carlisle?
GA
Well, we have been down the loan road before, if he scores six or seven goals in this month then probably Championship clubs and Birmingham themselves would probably want him. But, it is one of those, it will get us through a period where we have needed a body, it gives you some time to have a look at how the window sort of finishes and closes and who is still available for loan when it opens up again. But, if he does well and we like him and Lee can do without him we extend, it is one of those that I am not a fortune teller and I don't know what is going to happen at the end of the month. But, we will have to wait and see.
JP
You did mention that you were hoping to get at least one forward in ahead of the game tomorrow, have you been successful in getting anyone beyond Jake in?
GA
Not at the moment, again what I am saying is that people are looking to sell, we have been given probably two yesses on players that would be allowed out on loan by Tuesday or Wednesday if they didn't think that permanent move was going to come. But, clubs are looking to get........... It is a good time for selling if people are desperate or desperately really do require that type of player. If they don't get out on the buys, and to be fair there is not a greal deal of money around at the minute then they will become available for loan and our name is in the hat.
JP
Would you be interested if possible, if the things were right in getting somebody in, you were still looking for that creative sort of player weren't you, or are you definitely looking into the loan market currently?
GA
It is very difficult on permanents because we haven't got enough finances to do big fees, and obviously this time of year fees get bigger because people are looking at people's need for players to come in. We will probably end up doing maybe a free transfer/wages or a loan signing. But, it is difficult at the minute to prise players out for fees at this time because clubs know they are in the box seat, but that might change come Wednesday or Thursday.
It is amazing how within the short period of this press conference.......... It is very difficult to explain how the loan window works but sometimes it can swing towards your way when clubs are desperate to get rid of some players, and nothing happens and then they have to get them out for less money than they thought they were worth. So, it works both ways but at the minute it is a bit of a waiting game, but there is nothing happening before tomorrow, and hopefully we will have a look at it again on Tuesday or Wednesday.
JP
Speaking of desperate, beyond the fact that he is injured, has the fact that other clubs know Lee Miller is injured made them almost know that you might be more desperate to bring somebody in? Has that made it harder for you in the transfer market because they think they have got you where they want you?
GA
Yeah, of course, if they have got strikers there and they know that we like a big striker then instead of being £500 a week for argument's sake, hypothetical, not a figure that needs to be repeated, it is a hypothetical, they know they could probably entice us into paying £600 a week. So, that is what happens because they know that we have played well with that type of player so it puts them a little bit in the box seat. That is what the game is all about I'm afraid and the longer that Lee would be out, or they realise that he would be out for the more anxious they think I might be and the more power they have got to inflate prices whether it be loans or transfer fees.
JP
In terms of your own squad then what sort of reaction do you want from the midweek game, it was a funny old game wasn't it?
GA
Yeah, I mean we got done with three wonder strikes really, but the whole performance wasn't the level that we are looking for. I am not going to go too much into what has been done and said and where we are going. But, what you have to do as a club and as a manager and a group of players and as a group of fans is you have to respond, and the key tomorrow is reponse, key word.
They have seen my reaction at half-time and my reaction at full-time, it is impossible not to, and that is everybody as a group, it is not about me or the backroom staff or individuals. It is about everybody together pulling for each other to make sure we get a good performance, and hopefully that message has got through and we will see where we go.
JP
And it is only one disappointment of course but after that game on Tuesday I am sure you will really be hoping the fans will come back and give you another chance I suppose against Portsmouth?
GA
I mean, we have been in this situation before, you look at the Premiership results in the first game of the season and didn't QPR get beat by five and Norwich get beat by five and Manchester United, didn't they get beat and things like that. They happen, things like that happen, we have got to look at ourselves as a club and think it could happen to us, and it has done and we have to react to that.
We have lost one game this season, so out of three we have lost one, we have got to now roll our sleeves up, get a performance on Saturday, it takes us up to about eighth or ninth in the table. Be as determined as we can be in the midweek cup game and again at MK Dons, come out of that unscathed and we have had a really good start. It is amazing how that does effect what we are doing early on, we have lost one game right, we don't like it, I absolutely don't like it, I am absolutely not a happy manager, but we can put all that right tomorrow in one fell swoop.
JP
And what do we know about Portsmouth?
GA
Apparently they have had no money and they have made ten or twelve signings, so that is slightly staggering. Listen, it will be a really, really tough game, we are playing Portsmouth who are a good club, and I have just rolled through some players, they have inherited some really good players, players that we would like here. It is amazing that we are envious of players they have brought in and the amount of money they have managed to stump up even in the situation that was really critical.
JP
And just a couple of the injury ones, any development with Rory Loy? How is he looking?
GA
Rory is not great at the moment, not training, Paddy (Madden) is back on the training ground and looked really fresh, looked ready and wants to get involved. He is probably a bit slow, a bit too early, he has only had one day's training, one full day's training since he has come back. But, he is back on the training ground and he is happy, a lot happier, but Rory will be a bit longer. But, again, timespan I couldn't tell you that.
JP
And no further development with Lee Miller, we are just waiting for the swelling to go down still?
GA
Yeah, obviously Lee has been put to bed for a month at least, and then we will have to revisit that and see where that is.