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" I made up for my Saturday afternoon by going to watch Morecambe v Grimsby so I was at a football game because it was a Saturday afternoon and it was one I could get to from Carlisle. Sunday, it's a bit strange this morning really without being able to read about your game or look at your league table and see where you are after your game. Tomorrow will be different though, Monday is a big day, the build up, once you get on the training ground with the players you don't know what day it is, you just know it is the day before the game and you get into that mode and we'll be ready.
" The game is a reward for us basically because we are going there in the position we are at, in the top four looking to try to get second in the league. We are both trying to get that position if we can win the game, I just think it's a really big encounter and I'm really pleased that Carlisle United are involved in such games. We're going to a big ground, a big team, a big football club that is steeped in tradition and we'll try to give a good account of ourselves.
" We don't worry about the television, every goal in every game is on television anyway these days so the players see themselves on television regularly in terms of that. It's not such a big thing as you might think, they are very much focused on the game, we realise why it is Monday night and SKY have taken it but it's not the important side of it to us. The important side of it is to give a good account of ourselves whether it be Saturday afternoon, Monday night or Sunday morning, we want to do well.
" It's a top of the table clash so that's why they have chosen the game. They felt that way and they have got that story behind the game if you like to build up to it where the team can go second, promotion positions, the press will use all of that won't they. That's fine, we know that and we have been here since October since I arrived, and before October, that Carlisle United were in this top position. So we have managed to stick at it very well and with a dozen or so games to go we are looking for the same to happen there.
" Joe (Garner) is here, he comes into work, he's working on build-up of the thigh muscles, even a week of work on that prior to the operation could buy him a week later on in his recovery. So he is already in Saturdays and Sundays and doing everything with that knee that he can prepare it and get it in as good a condition as he can for the operation. "
" Scott Dobie can't play either, or against Forest in the play-offs if that happened, but everyone else is fit and well. We had a terrific session on Saturday morning with the players, we just saw the mood of them then and it was a really strong session at a good tempo and we've said that is what we want to keep up for three days. With obviously the big one being the Monday one.
" We've got a hectic programme, when you look at the fixture list all the way through the football club, the junior game was called off on Saturday and they've got the equivalent of two games a week. We've got reserves playing every single week, we've got the first-team playing more than one game a week so there is a heck of an ask being put upon the playing staff at this football club, and the back-room staff. So it's important that we get the breather when we can and pick people up because you want to be at your peak during those matchdays. The training is now not the most important thing, it's the preparation I think of everybody to try to get that peak as many times as we can.
" I don't see the need to bring anyone in at the moment, I'll get the Nottingham Forest game sorted first and then we'll decide. To bring people in it has to be right, we've been very fortunate that the people we have brought in have slotted in fantastically well into the group of players. I'm very much aware that is probably a bit harder than bringing one in to mess it up. I've got to get everything right, so at the moment we've got a good squad, people are fit and there is just young Joe and Paul Thirlwell out. If any more do drop out for any reason then we'll have to look at it but at the moment I'm OK.
" I'd expect Forest to come at us, being the home team the onus is on them to really try to take the pace of the game on. What we know, and what you know anyway, that if you have gone half an hour and the away team is playing well and it is getting a bit of ascendancy then 20,000 people that were behind you can start grumbling about it. You'd expect them to come at us, I'd expect that to happen early on but why can't we go at them, just the fact that we are away shouldn't make any difference. If we have got the ball then we will go and attack Nottingham Forest, you can rest assured on that. "