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GA
He has gone to pick his family up from France, he has bought a house in Carlisle or he is going to rent somewhere for the period he is with us. He has gone to pick up his family, so that is another stepping stone for Francois. So, we said he could have today off but I think he thinks he is actually having tomorrow off as well, but we will hope he turns up.
JP
Tell us about the open training session, how have you enjoyed that? You got a good crowd today and they enjoyed it.
GA
Yeah, it was brilliant, last year it was a bit of a non-event, there weren't many people here and it hurts that because you want them through the door and you want to share what is going on. But, today was a lovely day, I think the kids are sick of being on holiday with nothing to do.
They have come down, and the good weather has helped and the fact we are getting some good performances helps. I think the banter between both the fans and the players and everybody and the supporters was terrific today and it was really enjoyable.
JP
There was a bit of a scrum for autographs after as well, how did that feel as players? What have your experiences of signing autographs been like in your career?
GA
I love it because if people are asking for your autograph then it generally tells you that you are popular or that you are doing well, one of the two. This year was just a miles better feel and had a miles better atmosphere than last year, and again, that is maybe what we are looking for. Certainly it is one of my criteria that I can get the relationship between the fans and the players and the club much better. It was really good today, I really enjoyed it.
JP
And one of these 'what is the world coming to?' comments. We spotted Kitman Col signing an autograph today, what would you like to say about that?
GA
Col (Colin Nixon) is no longer our kitman, he is our third choice goalkeeper and reserve goalkeeping coach. So, he will be in asking for a rise, and that is why he is signing autographs now, the Hand of God I think he calls himself.
JP
Transfer deadline is coming up tomorrow, are we likely to see any Carlisle business one way or another?
GA
I hope not, I would rather we keep it as we are. The only thing I would like to do is improve, and I think we are at a stage now where we have got a good squad together. It is settled, it knows what it is all about and we would like to keep that together with a possible addition if we needed to rather than anything else. But, I will be fingers crossed that nothing happens to change that.
JP
We have got a little over 24 hours until that deadline, you say you would like to maybe make an addition, what are the chances of that at this stage?
GA
Erm, there is nothing ready to happen but there are moves to cover who is out if you like. So, we are sort of waiting to see if anybody makes any moves for ours. I am not welcoming anything but if it did then I think we would be ready. But, the timing of it now leaves it rather late to guarantee getting somebody in should you lose somebody, that is the problem we are having the later we go on.
So, I would be quite comfortable to see it out with what we have got. This is why I think we need another month, teams like us need another month. Because if we get one or two injuries and one or two suspensions and one or two poor results then we need the window to open another month to give us the chance to do our business.
At the minute we are reasonably OK, that doesn't mean we are resting on our laurels. We can't do anything on a loan term really, because loans from Premier League clubs want to come in and sort of almost tell you they need these players to play so that you get them at the right money. Well, it would be hard to leave anybody out of my team at the minute.
So, it would be hard for me to be as honest with the Premier League clubs to say that I am going to sign somebody and then they never play. But, that situation is not always set in stone, it is always a grey area, but at the minute I wouldn't be too uncomfortable with it if we stay as we are.
JP
I appreciate you being careful because you want to protect all angles on this. But, you make it sound there like it is possibly quite likely that somebody will be coming in for one of your players and that you are bracing yourself on this front, is that the case?
GA
No, I am just covering, I am just telling you that I would be happy and comfortable if it stayed as it was. But, what I wouldn't want to happen is that I wouldn't like somebody coming in for one of ours and us not be able to do anything about it and be left one short.
At the minute we don't need to be one short, we need to be one more if anything. But, sometimes it might be that one of the big clubs flies in for one of your players, that might happen and change what I am saying. So, I am not trying to cover anything and I am not trying to hide anything, I am happy to end up as we are.
JP
It is that time of year, what is your view on the transfer deadline and these transfer windows? I suppose you have made it quite clear already actually.
GA
Absolute rubbish. The clubs our size need to be able to trade, free trade, we keep on about free speech and free trade and we can't, we can't free trade. We are a club that can't say that we need a player in that particular 31 days or that particular 31 days, and we haven't got the money always to say that we can buy them then or then or then. It is an absolute ridicule for me, but the people that make the decisions probably aren't football managers are they?
JP
Another state of the game question. Alan Pardew being relieved of his job on the back of a 4-0 victory, what do you make of that?
GA
Erm, they should have got five, there is no question that they should have won five. It doesn't need answering does it? Again, unbelievable, absolutely unbelievable, they have missed a game obviously because of the death within the club, so they were on the back-foot then.
They get off to a slow start, Plymouth down from the Championship so they are no mugs, one result goes the wrong way. I can't understand the decision making at times, unless they have got somebody that is going to come in and assure them of promotion and assure them that they are going to be better.
The last time I saw Alan he was at Wembley carrying off a cup with 40,000 of his fans singing his name. So, there are a lot of people under pressure if Alan is going to get the chop after the start he has had and the work he has done at Southampton. So, I can't give you an answer to that, I can't explain that one.