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 latest injury news on Blues left-back Chris Chantler:
GA
It is a blow because we didn’t think that the injury was as serious. The first two scans he had were showing minimal damage, hence he nearly played a couple of weeks ago. But, he is still complaining of soreness and it keeps swelling up, so he had another scan late last week and it confirmed that there was more damage there than first thought. So, Dolly (Neil Dalton) has got him quickly to the operating table and he is going to miss the rest of the season.
Which, firstly for Chris from his point of view it is a big blow because he has been doing ever so well and we are really pleased with the progress he has made. That type of character and that type of person is exactly what we are looking for to take the club forward, and he will be missed because we think he has been one of our most consistent players. But, that has happened and we have to get used to that situation because we have done in the past, and try to move forward again and take the thing on.
JP
Does that mean with that that you have to go, I know that you have got immediate cover for that position, but it obviously shortens your options, does that mean that you do have to go straight into the emergency loan market?
GA
Not quite as easy as that, players aren’t dropping off trees and we are at a level where, again, it has got to be the right amount of money. We could get one, but it all boils down to finance and our finances are well documented, things have got to add up and if I can get one within that scope then I will do it. But, it is not something that you can just go out and make a phone call and get one in, we are not Manchester United but we will be working to give us options, put it that way.
If we can we will do it but it has got to fall in line with everything else that is going on. But, I think we need options, I think we certainly need options going forward, we are on a great run at the minute you know. I don’t think a lot of people know it is 13 points from the last 7 games, it is up there with the best in the league at the minute.
I want to keep that going, I want to finish as high up the table as we can, I want to show people that through the issues we have had and we have dealt with this season that we are going to come out the other side. We are looking to build and however quickly that is is however quick it is, but we want to finish as high as we possibly can this season and then build for the thing going forward.
JP
You often say you don’t get too down after defeats and too excited after big wins, but could you keep everyone’s feet on the floor after that win at the weekend?
GA
Yeah, absolutely, it annoyed me really because if we can beat Tranmere like that why haven’t we done it on more consistently and on more occasions? I am not happy, not at all, I am not happy, I won’t be happy until we are as high up the league as I think we should be. We have had issues so maybe I need to be a little bit tamer with my ambition, but I am burning inside to be successful for myself, for the club, for the staff, for the board, for the fans, everybody.
It gives us enormous belief and enormous confidence, and the players are bouncing. To be fair I have been saying this for three or four weeks haven’t I that they have been bouncing. The home form is indicative of that, it makes a big, big difference, they are looking forward to tomorrow rather than fearing getting beaten. Everybody connected to the club has worked hard to get that situation and at the minute it is a better place to be than it was six or seven weeks ago.
JP
The player contract situation, quite a few players’ contracts up in the summer, has the club started to move on that, any progress made on resolving those situations yet?
GA
We are always moving, we are always moving. It is something that John (Nixon) and myself are constantly talking about, when is the right time to go with stuff. That is where it is, we have to look at football, it is not black and white, it changes, the goalposts and circumstances change. We have to keep looking at circumstances and then look at the right time to go in and sort players out. But, at the minute we are focusing on getting the results back on track and getting the type of run we are on extended and then we can see where we are at.
JP
What about your own contract situation, that is as far as we know up in the summer, has any progress been made on that and are you keen to get that sorted?
GA
It is something that again, I was talking in the summer with John on some things, and we spoke and we are both in sync with each other on that. I want to get the season……….. I want to make sure results are where they need to be and progress is being made and we can deal with all that in due course. I am in a comfortable situation in terms of the relationship I have got with John and the chairman (Andrew Jenkins), so we will deal with it all in due course.
JP
It wouldn’t be a concern though in terms of attracting players to re-sign and new players to come in knowing that the manager was definitely here for the long haul?
GA
I am here for as long as I need to be here and that is the case, the players need to look after themselves, don’t worry about me. If they are playing badly they won’t get picked, if they are playing well they will get picked, it won’t be anything down to who is in charge of the football club.