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" I don't like commenting on individuals, it's all speculation, we are trying to get centre-forwards and his name (Grant Holt) seems to be cropping up all the time but until something is concrete I wouldn't like to comment on individuals. We've set the standard and we've the raised the bar, the players that we are trying to bring in is trying to improve on what we had last season. Eighth is a fantastic finish, we want to go better, we competed with the big teams.
" We gave ourselves a chance towards the end of the season apart from the last three games where we lost. If we can just bring in that quality player that enhances the squad that we already have. We all know that we need a top goalscorer who can score up to twenty goals and if we get that then that will put us in a position to better this season.
" The only thing I will say is that I am new at this and this is the first time I have had to sign players in the summer. I'm certainly not going to be rushed, everybody seems to be holiday at the moment, especially the managers who I am trying to speak to. The agents that I have spoken to have given me good feedback on the players that I have been trying to bring to the football club. It does take time, it takes time to get the right player, it takes time to set the deal up to make sure that the player is happy, and obviously Carlisle is happy.
" That does take time but if you will just be a little bit patient. I certainly won't be bringing in players just to appease everybody, and then they say that that is the wrong player to bring in. I'm going to bring the right players in and whether or not that takes us coming up until the first game of the season or it comes up to the 2nd of July. Then we'll be working very, very hard behind the scenes to make sure that we get the right people in to make sure that we finish higher than we did last season.
" The thing is that they are not going to join us until the 2nd of July anyway so we've got until then. The first day back of pre-season is the 2nd of July so we've got all the time in the world to make sure that we get the right people. To make sure that they come up and have a look at Carlisle, they get themselves familiar with the area. For me to sell the football club to them and to make them believe that we will be a very, very strong team next season and that we are in the process of doing that.
" Whether or not it takes a couple of days to get one or two or it takes two weeks to get three or four, we have to be patient, everybody has to be patient. It's hasn't so much gone all quiet on the football front, we're still working hard behind the scenes to get the players. It's nice to have a little bit of a break though and I'll be taking my holidays in June, hopefully we'll have some news for you before then. "
" They (Karl Hawley and Peter Murphy) have turned the offers down, it's not so much that we have struck them off the list but we are certainly looking for players to come in who want to be at the football club and who want to take the club forward. We are very disappointed that we have offered great deals to both of them and that they have both turned them down, so we have to move on. It'll be interesting to see if they come in, not so much cap in hand, but if they can't get themselves fixed up then it would be interesting wouldn't it.
" I would imagine that you will be very, very lucky to get the players that you want straight away. Players normally, if they have been released or the season comes to an end and they have been talking to their manager, then that normally takes quite a while, they leave their options open to see what is happening. That's the way of the world at the moment.
" In the time that I used to play if a club came along and said that we'll give you this and we'll give you that contract-wise and said that they wanted you to come to this club then nine times out of ten you chose them straight away. Now though players have been advised to wait their turn to see whether or not they can get better offers coming in, and we're competing against other clubs to do that.
" I look forward to the fixtures coming out, I'm normally on holiday when those come out. Then you are either trying to download it off the internet or you are trying to phone a few people up to see who we have got in the first game and who we have got on Boxing Day. When do we play Leeds and Nottingham Forest, so it is very, very exciting and, it's all gone quiet at the moment but it'll start building itself up again.
" The play-offs are still playing which is great to watch them and see who is going to be the final one to get promoted, then we'll have an idea on the other games, who is coming up and who we are going to be playing next season. That's great because I think there are some fantastic fixtures for the fans to travel away to as well as come and support their team at home.
" I think I've to try to get the right players, and not panic in just getting somebody who is going to do half a job, we want somebody who is going to do a full job to be fair. It's slightly different to last season where I could come in and the team was almost there anyway and we just had to add to it. I think we added to it very, very well in Jeff Smith and Paul Thirlwell. I was on holiday and really out of a job last year, this year I am going to go on holiday with my phone hopefully burning hot. "