|
JP
Give us your reaction to that?
GA
It is a funny one today, the dressing-room is unbelievable. We looked round and we thought there was half a squad missing. There are about 23 bodies in there and that is players, coaching staff, everybody else that goes with it, and that is all we have got at this football club. It is so united and so together and then we have come outside and we have seen the fans and the way they are.
Really, how are we competing against clubs like this with all the fanbase and the facilities and the depth of squad they have got? But, we have come out and given a wonderful, wonderful performance. I don't want to come across as biased but I think that is probably the best performance since I have been at Carlisle United. Certainly in the first-half we thought we should have been out of sight in terms of the goals.
The quality of our play at times was tremendous against a team that will undoubtedly be right up at the top end of the table. So, we have to keep a lid on it somehow but make sure the players enjoy that and show the belief and the opportunities that might come from this throughout the season. And they need to believe that we are where we are because we have done ever so well.
JP
Why were you so good today?
GA
Well, we have been pretty decent all season. Alan (Irvine) said some nice things about us and I think those things were shown up. We passed the ball well, we moved the ball quickly, we have got players that can excite, but we have got an unbelievable amount of honesty and hard work within the group.
Tom Taiwo and James Berrett and Paul Thirlwell who had an injury and really should have come off at half-time but carried on, I thought that those three were unbelievable. And in the side of the game that a lot of the people that know the game will appreciate, but the fans don't always see.
They made tackle after tackle after tackle, won second ball and gave it to the front three who to be fair in the first-half were running ragged. Even the blocks, the blocks that we make, they win you games. Sean McDaid made one in the first-half at the far-post which is fantastic as a manager knowing that he is going to die for the cause, and it is over his dead body that they concede a goal.
With those qualities you have a genuine chance, trust me, you have a genuine chance. I feel that this season we have got a lot more people dying for the cause, they don't want to give anything away. We have got another clean sheet at a really, really good football team.
JP
And both managers ahead of the game stuck with their own personal favourite tactic if you will, they stuck with their 4-4-2 and you stuck with your diamond, and yours clearly won out on the day?
GA
Well, you can talk about tactics all you want but I am not going to say that our tactics were better than Alan's or vice-versa. Listen, he is at home, he has got to play his side that he thinks is his best side and they have gone out and tried their best for him.
We have done what we have thought we believe in what we are doing, we know we can get a lot of joy out of it and we have done it very well today. But, whether the tactics are right or wrong and this manager does that right or wrong I don't know. But, we have won the game and I think we deservedly won the game today, and that is the pleasing thing.
JP
First goal for Craig Curran for Carlisle United, you said it would come, it came and what a goal it was?
GA
Yeah, let's talk about his goal, brilliant, but what about his all-round performance? His energy and his running and the way he compliments Gary (Madine). But, we were delighted because everybody is saying that he is a number nine and he should score. He has got to get his fair share of goals to be the real deal but hopefully this will give him the platform to go on and get his goals. But, what he contributes to the team is absolutely awesome.
JP
Just talk about that, you touched on it, Tommy (Cassidy) agreed with you entirely there and said that the partnership between Craig Curran and Gary Madine is becoming arguably the most important partnership in the team?
GA
Well, listen, in every team I think you are as good as your front players. Whilst they haven't got a gutful of goals, Gary will be disappointed he hasn't added to his tally, between them they are causing all sorts of problems and giving other people the platform to play and score. They are 19 and 20 by the way (20 and 21 - ed), they are 19 and 20-years old, and I just think that is phenomenal for this club.
It just shows you that the future is going to be OK. I am not saying we are going to win the league this year but we are certainly going to be improving, and the club is going to improve with players like that that can come in and perform to that level against, like I keep saying, an absolute quality team.
JP
What is it you have done as well with your central defensive partnership? Two guys on loan (James Chester and Lubomir Michalik), both new to each other, both still relatively new to the club, but playing like they have been together for years?
GA
Yeah, well, I don't think they have come in without knowing how to defend, don't give me too much credit. But, defenders, if they are decent defenders they will be able to defend. Lubo has done terrific today and James is a good footballer. We have seen that over the seven or eight games he has played you know. Together they have coped with everything that could be thrown at them.
And my goalkeeper (Adam Collin) is standing behind me and I have just said how comfortable his afternoon has been with the way that the defenders have made their blocks and the midfield players have closed down people and denied them opportunities on goal. I don't think he has had a really good save to make and he is not a bad keeper to be fair.
JP
And what were your feelings towards your own travelling support who came here today?
GA
Well, we are trying to do it for everybody, the club I think has got to be united from top to bottom. That is the directors and the board and the owners at the top, right down to anybody that wants to be connected with us.
We have all got to be singing from the same hymn sheet, get some togetherness there and at this level it stands you in fantastic stead. To be fair they have come in their thousands, hundreds of thousands, not hundreds of thousands but you know what I am saying.
To see them go away like that and enjoy their three hour trip back to Cumbria in the pouring rain is fantastic. You are pleased for them and I hope they stick with us, because we are going to have days where we are not going to be as good and impressive, and we need them then to still stick behind us. But, I think we are winning them over.
JP
The club, not necessarily you, have had false dawns before where they have built up anticipation and then disappointed on the big stage, and today you have not done that at all and they will go home and hopefully be able to boost your gate for Brighton?
GA
Yeah, well I don't think we have tripped up on the big stage if you take the Wembley thing out of it. We have been pretty good at the places that matter, like Southampton, Norwich and Leeds United in the past.
We have always performed reasonably well, we haven't always won but we have always performed reasonably well. I knew today that the team and the place wouldn't scare the boys and today they have proved that. But, today they have got their positive result which I think they deserve.
JP
Is your next job then ahead of Brighton in a week's time to try to keep everyone grounded after a result and a day like this?
GA
To be honest, we won't have to try too hard because they are a pretty decent group, and that is maybe the success behind our progress up to now. But, we get back on Monday and we still work the same, we don't change anything that we have been doing. Win, lose or draw we believe in what we are doing and we are a good camp together and we will be back on the training field on Monday working towards Brighton.
JP
And I know it is early, but how does it feel to be joint top of the league, up there with the likes of Peterborough tonight?
GA
It doesn't really make a scrap of difference to me. If you ask me that on May 8th and we are still there then you won't even see me up here, I will be dancing with delight.