United boss Greg Abbott (GA) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips (JP) before Carlisle's pre-season friendly at Kendal Town, Abbott also talking about last night's 1-0 win away to Penrith:
JP
A lovely day for your second friendly of pre-season, you must be delighted to have this?
GA
Yeah, I mean looking at the pitch it is still a little bit long, it is going to be a little bit slow, similar to last night. But, certainly with the heat the lads will get a really good workout and it is what we are looking for to test the fitness levels and to get some ideas of how we are going to play and who we are going to play. So, it is another part of the season starting if you like.
JP
Very exciting bit of news for Carlisle fans, we have known that he has been around the club recently following his release from St Mirren, but Lewis Guy here today, what is the situation there?
GA
Yeah, he is going to come and train with us now, he has been training with us for a while but he had to organise his deal with St Mirren. He is now going to spend probably a couple of weeks with us under no pressure, he wants to be with us, he is a local boy, he wants to wear the shirt and give his all for the club. So, we will see where he is and see where he compares to what we have got. But, he has got a lot of experience, he is a really good age at 27, so it is a good opportunity for him and if it comes off then it is a great one for us as well. So, everybody is a winner if it comes off.
JP
And the understanding is that he is very keen to play in the area isn’t it, so it may well be that if the numbers work that it is something he is as keen on as Carlisle United might be?
GA
Yeah, I think it is a win-win for Lewis and us if we can make it happen. He has driven here today, he only just organised his pay-off at St Mirren on Friday but he is here today wanting to be here today so that is great news that he is another one that really wants to play and wear the shirt, and we need a few more of them.
JP
Three of your other trialists in the team today, Paul Weldon at left-back, Robbie Thomson in goal and Jordan Deacey in there, what do they need to do on a day like today to impress you, because you can try too hard in trial matches?
GA
Yeah, I mean listen, it is about proving that they are capable of playing League One football and capable of being better than I have got if there are other players in their position. Paul is in a situation where Chris Chantler is out for a while, so there is a position there that needs filling, we have got to work out if he can go from under-21 football to League One starting.
Jordan is in a situation where he has got to prove that he is probably better than the likes of Lewis and the likes of Josh Gillies and the likes of Alex Salmon. So, we have just got to try to assess that over the two weeks, but we have not put time schedules on anybody, no pressure on anybody, we are just going to let them play the games for at least a couple of weeks and then go from there.
JP
And what were your thoughts on your first friendly last night?
GA
I thought it was alright, I didn’t think we got the ball into the attacking areas quickly enough. The pitch was a little bit to blame for that with the slowness of it, the length of the grass and the dryness of the pitch. I thought the attitude was first class, I just wanted to try to get the ball higher up the pitch a little bit earlier to our two wide players with a bit of pace, and obviously Lee Miller who is terrific holding the ball up.
It would have given us the chance to get Josh Gillies in the game who when he did get it looked a threat. But, there were some really good signs, I thought some of the young players, Jack Lynch in particular, Kyle Dempsey second-half did really well and Brad Potts I thought showed a lot of energy as well. So, it is a great time as well to look at them and see if we have got any more young fledglings coming through.
JP
Yeah, and they certainly looked like it, Kyle Dempsey, has he taken a bit of a knock, he seemed to take one in the kidneys in a tackle early?
GA
It was early on yeah, probably first or second minute of him coming on. But, he is one tough boy by the way and he has carried on the game, and probably to his detriment for today as he is really stiff. But, I am going to reward him by getting him involved on Tuesday night because I thought he was terrific after the first ten minutes when he just got to grips with that painful rib injury. So, I was really pleased with him.
JP
And I was texting Eric Kinder at the game last night actually because I was enjoying watching Jack Lynch so much, he had a splendid game, but for a little lad he is not half a bit hard isn’t he?
GA
Yeah, Eric rang me afterwards, he is a good guy and obviously he wants to know how his lads are getting on. So, we told him that Jack had done well, Jack reminds me a little bit of Lee Bowyer, that type of frame but pretty tough by the way, pretty tough. A bit like Kyle but Kyle is a bit of a bulldog, he is really stocky, really tough, really strong, lacks a few inches but doesn’t lack any tenacity. Those two looked like they have got fighting chances as well of progressing in this game, which is great for everybody again.
JP
What is the attitude in this game, obviously slightly different personnel in this one although one or two who have crossed over from last night’s game. Do you just sort of slowly ramp up the intensity with the players or is it still very early in pre-season for you?
GA
Well, it is early but it is first impressions, certainly for the young players. I thought Connor Hammill as well with his 15 minute cameo last night showed us that he can handle a ball with a lovely left foot, so things like that are important to these young players. Because, after pre-season is over it might be a little bit of a period before they get back into the fray, especially the first year scholars that we have got.
So, I think it is important that they impress early on, the first team players show us that they are fit and they are enthusiastic, they are ready, we are playing in the right manner with the right type of football and the right formation. Then we work with a little bit more intensity and a bit more time in minutes on the pitch as we go through the period, culminating with our game against Kilmarnock when we should have close to our starting line-up for the Leyton Orient game. So, every game in every part of pre-season is really important.
JP
I haven’t yet formulated what I sort of have in my head as what Carlisle’s target might be for the season yet, but the thing that has excited me perhaps than any season yet with Carlisle, and I am sure it will be you as well, is the amount of young lads that you have got here and that sort of potential that there is in the squad. Is that something that you really want to get up in the morning and work with?
GA
Well, I love working with football players, you know my enthusiasm for the training ground. You were up there last week and that is where I am at what I would like to think is my happiest and calmest. If we can work one of these players into the Premier League and the club makes millions, it would be a dream for everybody connected, the scout that first identified him, Eric or whoever it was that got him in, and then the work that they do when they come to the football club.
So, that is one of the good parts of football but we have got a group that is really, really decent in training and great to work with. I just feel there is a nice energy and a nice enthusiasm about the place at the minute, there is a bit of a feel-good factor. I think the majority of the fans as well have realised that we have not been able to go out and make marquee signings because of the finances.
But, I think they will get right behind the young players and the new players that are trying to carve out careers, some of them from areas where it has not been great for them before. Add to that the really good experienced players that we have got, I have just got a sneaking feeling that things are going to be good, better than they were, without setting any silly predictions. I think we look in good shape right now.
JP
In terms of the trialists you have got in, we will obviously see a bit of those over the coming games and you will make your mind up in due course, are you expecting any more trialists coming in in the coming weeks?
GA
It is difficult to say, there is nothing actually in line at the moment but we have got enough trialists to be going on at the minute. What I would say is I think we have got to fill the number two goalkeeping position and we have got to fill the left-back position. If Lewis comes off that will be great for everybody, but I think those other two are key areas as well. So, they need to be addressed before we start the season, so if that answers your question then that is where it is.
JP
I must ask you about one player who was obviously seen at Penrith last night and the fans have picked up on, Danny Grainger, what is the situation there because he is not on trial with Carlisle United but he is one that you are aware of?
GA
Yeah, he is one that obviously has had two really good years at Hearts then he got a really serious cruciate knee injury. He is Carlisle born and bred, he is a supporter of the team, he likes the way we have done things. He has got one or two options and one or two irons in the fire at the moment and we are part of that, if some of probably the bigger things don’t happen.
But, I have left it that he can train with us, he is a local boy, he loves the club, it is a goodwill gesture and we see where that might take him and us. If things don’t work out wherever he is going or whatever irons he has got in the fire he might then consider us because of the generosity we have given him in helping him along his recovery with his knee injury.
JP
This is why you never come and talk to us pre-match normally, because I never let you go do I?
GA
No, listen, to be honest we want everybody to know exactly what is going on from top to bottom as honestly as we can. There are some good things going on and there are some difficult things that we are dealing with still. But, I think the fans, I would like this season to know from the heart, from my heart exactly where we are, exactly what we are trying to do, and I would like them to support us through all the good times and when we need them most when things aren’t going so well.