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" Appointing an assistant manager takes time because I've got one or two people that I've been speaking to, obviously I don't want to divulge names as we're in discussions and hopefully that can be sorted out as quickly as possible. As I say though it takes time to get the right person and I'm not going to be rushed into that. I've spoken to the majority of the first team staff here, as in Billy Barr, Andy Horn, David Wilkes and Neil Dalton, and reassured them that they are my staff now, and I'm going to try and look after them, and make sure that we're all firing in the right direction.
" They might not like me or I might not like them, so we'll have a cooling-off period I suppose with the first week, and then the second week, which is going to be in Ibiza, so we can get to know each other, then reassess everything from there. Ibiza is definitely a working job, it's never been a holiday. It's difficult to comment on Simon Grand and Glenn Murray when I haven't really spoken to them myself, I know of them and we're going to have a full weeks training and have a look at them in that week. Possibly take advice off Billy as well because he's been here and he understands and knows their capabilities so I'll take some advice on that.
" Michael Bridges has supposedly spoken quite highly of me in the paper, that's the thing to do I suppose when the new manager comes in. I haven't spoken to him personally though, I know of him because I worked with him when I was at Bolton, I'm really looking forward to seeing him and I'm really looking forward to seeing the rest of the players. No doubt I'll have a chat with each individual and tell them that this club is on the up, they've experienced that over the last two seasons, although Michael has only been here over the last season. He's enjoying his football, he's had his problems, he's had his injuries, his confidence is back and sometimes the grass is not always greener on the other side.
" He's very, very important but it's a team ethic and an individual can't shine without a team ethic, so we're looking for both. A team ethic to make sure that we are nice and solid and hard to break down, and we're looking for the individuals to finish it off to win the game. We're striving for safety in the league of course but as I get to know the players and their capabilities then we'll be looking higher, I'm sure the players will get to know my sense of humour as well."
" I was first of all torn between the two, whether to bring another coach in or whether or not to bring in someone who has got vast experience, I'm going for the latter I think. The pitch looks fantastic, when I was here as a young kid the pitch was always fantastic, I know we've had problems with a little bit of rain and stuff like that, but to play on a good pitch always helps. I'm a person who likes a back four to be nice and solid and whether it be 4-4-2, 4-3-3 or 4-3 with a loose one, then it all depends what personnel we have.
" I think we've got a number of targets that we need, in different positions as well. It's funny that when you are a coach, or not so much a manager, then you very rarely get phone calls off agents, but now my phone has never stopped. I've got about 5,000 on the list from different positions as well so I'm just sifting through those now. I'm sure that going back to old contacts is going to be a huge help, I think you have to exploit that friendship, and professional friendship as well. The likes of Middlesbrough and Steve Harrison, who was probably one of my referees as well which hasn't been mentioned, he's a great friend of mine and I worked with him at Preston so we'll be trying to exploit Middlesbrough. I've played with Glenn Roeder so we'll be tying to expolit Newcastle, especially Everton and Liverpool and I suppose Bolton as well. I think that these kids are almost ready to be in Bolton's, Liverpool's and Everton's first teams but they're not quite there or given the chance, we want players like that to come to Carlisle and enhance everybody else who is here with some fight and some guts in their belly.
" I think the squad last season was quite solid and quite consistent and those players are still at the football club so there are lot of positives in the squad itself. It needs improving of course because they have stepped up and we'll do that in due course. Away supporters are really, really good, looking at the gates, when you see high gates for different clubs it always seems to be against Carlisle because they take a lot and support their team very well, I hope they continue to do that next season.
" Paul has done fantastically well, of course he has, it's a big step to follow him but I wouldn't have come to the club if I wasn't feeling capable that I could do that. I've lots of confidence in myself and I'm sure I've got a lot of confidence in the playing staff as well as the staff that are going to help me. I'm really looking forward to the start of the season, I can't wait, I can't wait for Monday to meet the players which is almost going back to school I suppose and I'm the Head Teacher. I want everyone to turn up with a smile on their face though, I want everyone to get up in the morning really wanting to come to work, and if you get that enthusiasm then it is very, very strong. "
" If I want somebody and I need somebody player-wise, and I feel as though it's very, very important, then I've been the given the assurances that everybody will do their best to do that. I can only, as a new manager I suppose, treat the money that I'm going to pay for people as my own money, and when it's your own money you're very, very careful and you make sure that you make the right decisions. I think that if you take it that way then I'm sure the board, and I'm sure Fred who is having to hand over the money, will be very pleased with that.
" I think it is a flip of the coin sometimes coming into new teams, if somebody is doing poorly then you can always improve it, but if somebody is doing really well then how are you going to improve it? Hopefully with new training regimes though, and trying to get the best out of players by giving them the individual attention, not just 11 v 11, individual stuff as well as unit stuff. Trying to explain on how tactical things work so they understand it so they are improving as a footballer, and obviously improving as a person themselves, that's the way to go for me and that's the only way to do it.
" I think the owners want consolidation this season but I want better than that, so we have to work hard, we have to be organised and we have to be ready for the opposition. In the past nobody really wanted to play the promoted team because they are full of confidence and they have got positive fear, and they have got nothing to fear from that. So for the first ten games we have to take advantage of that, and really show teams who have been in this league for quite a while that Carlisle are about and you'd better watch out.
" It's great to start with a home game, hopefully the fans will come in and maybe it will be bigger than it was last season, with playing in a higher league and against better teams and hopefully they'll come in and enjoy their team playing this season. As for Penrith it's always good to play a local team, and that gets everybody involved, it'll be a fun day, obviously it's important that everybody plays and does their part and doesn't let themselves down. There is still a long way to go before the first game of the season though. "