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" As I understand it Mark has applied for the job hasn't he? I'm not sure if he just talked himself out of it there. It's really awkward you know straight after a game to try to talk to you guys and keep your emotions in check. Because you do have your different feelings on a different performance or result or whatever. Obviously Mark has come out there and just let it all go and obviously he feels better for doing that. Whether or not it helps him get the job at Port Vale is another matter, he obviously felt better himself.
" You tend to try to keep that within the four walls of the dressing room if you can but there are times that I have been out there and done similar things to Mark although not quite as blatant as he is. The other thing though is that he has got to meet those players again on Monday morning or the day after the game and go and work with them again to try to get a result. So you have to keep the calmness out but within there are certainly areas that you can let people know what you feel.
" I say to our players that whilst I as the manager have to be responsible for the results they have to be responsible for their performance individually and collectively. We can try to prepare them, Greg (Abbott), Dennis (Booth) and I and get them out there and tell them what we think is going to happen. Once they get out there come 3 'o' clock their performance is their responsibility, I as a manager and Greg as a coach stand and fall on what happens but we do have to push responsibility and share it around. That's what we are trying to do here at Carlisle obviously.
" You must never underestimate the knowledge of the supporters and people that watch the game, they have seen the same game as you. If you put on a poor performance then fine, come on and say so. I think to probably use some of the expletives Mark used there is a little bit over the top. If it's a good game and you think it is fine then so-be-it, I think I will try to say what I see and let people know even if we've won and not played quite so well as we probably did last Saturday. I think it's fine to say so because you are dealing with people who know what they are looking at.
" We've done the trip down slightly later this weekend, we went to Yeovil as you know on the morning and trained down there. We trained actually up at Carlisle this morning and that trip is still taking place so we'll expect to get to our hotel around about 9pm-9.30pm. It is something the club has done when they went to Bournemouth, they did it prior to my arrival and it was good for them then, so the journey is still happening. "
" The team bonding is good for them, every journey is a long journey for ourselves and some are longer than others, this one obviously is one of those. It's good for the boys to be together though, we've been doing it all day, we've had a meal - a good lunch, and then they have got on the coach and off we go and we're on the way down. They tend to like it, it's something that I've spoken to Greg and to Neil Dalton about and the players seem to like that way of doing it. So it's a bit of a new one for me but I'm trying to find out what the boys like, and if it helps them then great.
" What happens when you get in there a little bit later is that we'll get some sort of soup and sandwiches when we get there because we have had a large lunch. Then pretty much it's time for rooms, at 9.30pm there is not a lot of time for other things. When you do arrive early as we did at Yeovil we went to training, we then got dinner and it's a little bit of a longer evening. It's just a question of mixing it up a little bit and seeing what is best.
" They (Southend) are a good side, we've had them looked at for the last two or three games and we know that they are playing well. Obviously their results tell you that but we've had reports on them as individuals and as a side and they are a confident team. I've told our boys though that their manager Steve Tilson will be saying the same about us. We go there with just one place apart and it is a top of the league game, and again we should relish that opportunity.
" The boys at Carlisle are in really good spirits yesterday and today and I know they are looking forward to this game. I know about Richie (Foran), I worked with Richie when I was up here with Paul Simpson as you know. Richie is in their squad, he's in their sixteen, he didn't start last week but he was a substitute in a recent game so no doubt we will probably see him in a shirt somewhere tomorrow.
" I'm not going to say that we need to get these points or those points but when you look at the fixture list you can't fail to be excited by it. Starting tomorrow there is this one, we all know Leeds are coming, everyone has been queueing for tickets all week - that has been exciting at Brunton Park. Forest are coming in the live TV game, there is an FA Cup draw yet to come, we're in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy game as well, it's terrific. As a player, a manager, and a supporter of Carlisle United it's a really good time to be involved in the club. "