United boss Greg Abbott (GA) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips (JP) following Carlisle's 4-1 pre-season friendly win away to Kendal Town, Abbott less than pleased with the performance of the Blues in the first-half of the game:
JP
I am sure you have enjoyed what has been a lovely friendly here at Kendal?
GA
Actually, I didn’t enjoy the first half to be honest. I thought we didn’t really get to grips with the game and fair play to Kendal, I thought they were terrific. The boys have been training morning and afternoon every day this week and it might have just caught up with them a little bit. But, I have just told them that we can’t be offering too many excuses for anybody.
It is team we should be comfortably better than and I thought that Kendal were terrific in the first-half, but as much as I was disappointed with the first-half I was really enthused by the second-half. A massive plus for me on the day was the performance of a 17-year old right-back (Connor Thomson) who I thought was terrific last night as well, I thought he was outstanding again today in his contribution.
JP
Still part of the youth set up and I think only just entering the first year of that as well, I mean he has got a chance if he keeps working?
GA
Yeah, well I have just said to Graham Kavanagh that we are going to drag him us every day in training now, so he will train a lot with us from now on. He is one that is 6’3, he is a fantastic build, he has got loads of pace and he understands the game, so we are going to try to coach and educate him as quickly as we can. Again, it is another one to be enthused by so really, really pleased, it is a massive bonus for us off the day.
JP
So, to clarify is he making the step up then into the first-team squad?
GA
Only training, nothing but he is just going to train with us so we can develop him and get him working at a higher pace and a higher intensity. But, I think he is ready for that, I have seen that today. He looked like he could comfortably come with us and then who knows, who knows where he can go, but I think we don’t get carried away with it, but he is certainly going to be pushed on a little bit harder than some of the others at the minute. That is how it works when they come in.
JP
There will be some proud family members probably no doubt hearing that?
GA
Yeah, I mean it is a great start for him. We say as it we see it and he has been fantastic in the training he has done already and then the contribution he has had in the two games. This is what pre-season is all about, it gives us the chance to find out people. But, we will certainly push him along and he has had a very, very good start to his footballing career with us.
JP
And he wasn’t alone in your youngsters who came on there and put in good performances in that second-half?
GA
Yeah, I mean we had a 16-year old goalkeeper (Danny Eccles) against proper men, it doesn’t matter what level you are at, these are proper men who as you have seen give our more senior players, I mean it wasn’t the strongest team we could have played, but it was still a senior side first-half and it was difficult. Danny Eccles at 16 has done ever so well, the two centre-halves coped and didn’t concede a goal while they were on, and that is really encouraging.
Patrick Brough on the left is learning as we go along, so they are positives out of a situation like this. But, we did say in the first-half that we have to be better than that, but maybe our fitness told in the end or our extra energy, maybe there was a bit more quality as well with our play as well second-half, so that is good.
JP
I will talk more about your players in a moment, and there are a number of players obviously that we must touch on, but how impressed were you with the efforts of Kendal out there today, I mean they really made a game of it here?
GA
I just complemented them in their dressing room, I thought they were terrific. These are fantastic, they have done great with the pitch, they have got it nice and green and plenty of grass on. They put on a really good team against us who performed well, and it is what we need, we don’t need to be winning 10-0 and 11-0 in pre-season because that tells you nothing. But, today has told us that we have got one or two people with a bit to do and we have seen that one or two are further ahead than we thought, so it is absolutely priceless for me to have this type of game.
JP
But, for Kendal, relegated last season, they have got some players in there in that Evo-Stik Division One who could have a real go at that level?
GA
Well, they will be getting my 50p each way because I think if they are in the Evo-Stik League they looked a far better outfit than that. But, let’s hope they do really well, again, we try to look after all our neighbours, Penrith, Kendal, Annan and Workington and all those and we do this every year. Lovely people, always look after us, so we do wish them well.
JP
In terms of other highlights in your squad, as much as anything today getting Lewis Guy in there, the first sight of him for some Carlisle fans, that is very exciting?
GA
Yeah, I mean he has shown that he has got a bit of experience, he blocked the keeper off for the first goal, he stood on the keeper’s toes and the keeper is ready for throttling him. You know what keepers are like, just good banter, but he is a bit upset with him, and then Mark Beck gets a free header and scores.
That sort of sets us on our way, until that goal it was proving pretty difficult to break them down. So, listen, he is going to work with us, he likes the club already, he has been with us for four or five days and he enjoys the crack we have got, the set-up we have got and he likes the togetherness and the atmosphere. So, listen, if he shows us enough then it is one we need to try to look to see if we can make it happen.
JP
Is he just with you until there is a decision made one way or the other, or is there is a sort of timescale as to when you would like to know on that one?
GA
Well, he will have a timescale for himself because he has got a career to look after. But, we have said, listen, if we set about 14 days as a guide then I should know enough. All the work we do in training now, he has done a lot of the running work but all the work we do in training now is football work so we will find out day by day and then the games we have got thick and fast, so we will have an answer for him and hopefully it is a good one.
JP
Three other trialists involved today, Jordan Deacey, the young lad from Bradford Park Avenue, he scored one, set a couple up, the young left-back Paul Weldon and a young goalkeeper in Robbie Thomson as well, what did you make of them?
GA
I thought the keeper has done alright, I thought the left-back found life a little bit tough in the first-half, he had a game last night so he will be a bit tired and he has worked hard as well. Jordan flitted in and out of the game, I have got to work out if he is better than Josh Gillies, Lewis Guy and even Alex Salmon in that position. So, it is going to be tough calls but again, I am not putting time limits on things, we will see how he goes over the next week or so and we will go from there.
JP
And your main professionals, the people who are definitely here for next season, happy with the run-out for them and happy with the test provided by Kendal?
GA
Certainly happy with the test and they know they have been in a game. Matty Robson has needed the game, he has had a couple of days off with the injections to his back just to try to prevent this injury that he gets every now and again with his back. I thought Paul Thirlwell certainly at the back was what he is every week, really calm, really composed and an example to the young players.
Sean O’Hanlon was actually a little bit sloppy in some of his play today but generally he has trained really well, he has had a couple of days off with an illness this week. So, he will be fine, you know what you can expect from him, tough and determined, no frills. But, yeah, it was tough, it was a good outing for them.
JP
A change of emphasis now as you move up towards the Workington game on Tuesday?
GA
No, a bit more of the same but it will probably be two senior squads play the first-half and the second-half. We always have a tough game over there, they have got some good players, they play it right, it is tough, and they will be working very, very hard. It will be an important part of their pre-season programme as well so it will be two senior-ish sides first-half and second-half.
JP
And a number of charities involved in a cycle down from Brunton Park to Borough Park, I know Darren Edmondson the Reds boss is involved in that along with Darren Tate from the Hearts of Cumbria Appeal who Carlisle have done a lot of great work with for his heart charity. Not tempted, no-one try to get you involved yourself?
GA
Er, no, I want to take part in the charity but I don’t want to take part in the bike ride. My backside is sore enough sat on these seats as it is today.