United midfielder Jon-Paul McGovern (J-PM) spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria's James Phillips (JP) following Carlisle's 1-0 pre-season friendly win at home to Doncaster this afternoon, McGovern saying he enjoyed the game on a hot day :
JP
How did you find it out there?
J-PM
Yeah, I really enjoyed it, it was a hot day, Doncaster really came and passed the ball around like we knew they would but I thought our shape was really good and the gaffer (Greg Abbott) has done a lot of work on it and hopefully we gave the fans a lot of encouragement.
JP
We were talking about some of your previous roles at other clubs and playing in the hole like you did today for Carlisle wasn't something you specifically did for Swindon was it?
J-PM
No, I played a few different positions, normally out wide or tucked in in midfield, so it has given me the licence to get forward a little bit more. The gaffer has had a bit of a pop at me for not scoring enough goals in my career, so hopefully I can add a few goals and get a few more assists in the centre of the pitch. He is really getting on to the boys to get me the ball and hopefully I can create something for the team.
JP
Every player knows where they prefer to play, you think of Theo Walcott and he tells everyone he is a central striker and he always gets played wide by everyone because of his blistering pace, what would you say then was your best role for the club or forever?
J-PM
To be honest I know it is a bit of a cliche but wherever the manager puts me. I think you can see from the strength in the squad we have got, especially in the midfield area how many good players we have got. I think for me to get a role in the team wherever it means to be playing I want to make sure I am in the starting eleven. Obviously, I had a disappointing season last season at Swindon when we got relegated, on a personal level it sticks with you and you can use it to motivate and hopefully I can play my part in Carlisle getting in the play-offs and getting promotion this year.
JP
I must just go off piste a little bit and ask you about Swindon, I know a few of your friends will still obviously be there, how are they finding it? It must be quite a carnival down there at the moment?
J-PM
Yeah, it is all change, I think they have 12 players out and another 12 in so it is all change and obviously there is a new manager. But, that is in the past now, I think you take the positive from it, it was a great time down there, we had some good times and some bad times but I am at a new start and I am really enjoying it so far. I met the manager, the way he wanted to pass the ball and how he wants to create the team, I want to be a part of that and hopefully bring success.
JP
What do you reckon about the options that there are? We were just talking about this with Greg Abbott and at the moment a lot of teams at this stage as you are drawing towards the start of the season start to pick themselves, but there are so many players who are looking tidy in there in their positions that there is going to be a lot of competition this year?
J-PM
Yeah, I mean obviously that is a discussion that the boys have away from training and away from the games, everyone fancies their chances of playing and everyone is looking at is the gaffer doing this, is the gaffer doing that? But, I think from a personal point you want to just go out there, try hard, try to show the manager what you are all about and what you bring to the team and you hope you do enough. It has been said enough, it is a squad game, no-one wants to not be playing but when you get your chance you have got to do the business. The manager has brought in some good players here, and there were already good players so it is big competition.
JP
When you arrived obviously we chatted to you about the move etc, but what about now? How have you settled in? Who have you started to forge good relationships with here in the squad?
J-PM
I have really enjoyed it so far, it is obviously the first time I have been able to move kind of north, I have always moved south, Sheffield Wednesday and then MK Dons and then further down to Swindon. So, this is the first time I have been able to have my parents at the game kind of weekly and get my family involved, which is nice. I have really settled in, I have moved into the club house with the boys, obviously me and Rory (Loy) have a bit of banter on the Celtic/Rangers front.
I get on well with Tommy (Taiwo) and it forces you together, that is what it does and obviously being in Newcastle you get to know your room-mate which was Welshy (Andy Welsh) and you get to know other boys. So, I am really enjoying it so far, I have found throughout my career that as long as you are playing on the pitch everything else is working off it. I want to be playing on it and making sure I am playing on this fantastic surface that is here.
JP
And I am sure with that Old Firm divide you will have been quick to point out when Rangers were trailing 1-0 at home to Hearts earlier today?
J-PM
Yeah, it was on before the game and Rory was forever telling me how he wasn't bitter and yet when Rangers scored he gave the biggest cheer I have heard for a while. So, I will take that one on the chin and hopefully Celtic can get a win tomorrow.
JP
What do you expect then from the game on Tuesday? A very different side Middlesbrough, they have got quality in there, they have got quite a lot of Scottish quality in there as well, but a different footballing side to the one you played today, Greg Abbott perhaps suggesting after the match that a real football side like Doncaster here played into Carlisle's hands a little bit, but it will be different against Middlesbrough?
J-PM
Yeah, I think it is a different test, it is a good test, people will be maybe looking at the results pre-season, going to Morecambe and stuff, but they don't realise you have played 22 players in the game and there is no real fluency throughout the game. We have come here today and made it more realistic, more people played 90 minutes and we have got the shape together and the manager has really emphasised on how we are going to play.
We have done that today, but Middlesbrough will be a different test, they will be very fit, very strong and they are the games you want to play in though. They are the ones you look for, the same in League One, you have got Sheffield Wednesday, Sheffield United, those kind of clubs, they are the big ones you want to look forward to, Preston, that kind of thing. So, long may it continue with the big clubs here.