Paul Thirlwell - Radio Cumbria Interview

Last updated : 17 May 2008 By Thetashkentterror

Blues midfielder Paul Thirlwell
United club captain Paul Thirlwell spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria on Friday evening as he talked about Carlisle's 3-2 aggregate defeat against Leeds in the League One play-off semi-finals, Thirlwell also looking ahead to next season :


" I've just finally got myself back to full fitness towards the play-off games and then unfortunately we have gone out. I suppose it has been a disappointing season all-round, now it's come to an end. I'm not so sure I'll be a step ahead on fitness on some of them when we come back but I am obviously fit and raring to go at the wrong time basically. It's disappointing all-round for everyone concerned but I'm sure we'll come back next season stronger and fitter and we'll have another good crack at it.

" It's been very disappointing, we've had a fantastic season all-round, it's just unfortunate that in the last month of the season we didn't quite get the results that we needed to go up automatically. Then we came to the play-offs and I think that there was nothing between the two teams over the two games, it was 50-50 and it was just unfortunate the way that the game finished with a goal so late.

" That's the thing at this stage of the season, it's fine lines between winning and losing and unfortunately we were on the receiving end of a defeat. We'll crack on next year though and I'm sure that we will be stronger and better for it. It was hard to take, the lads were gutted, obviously the lads who have played and the staff come back in and you try to rally them and tell them to get their heads up.

" Words mean nothing at that stage though, when the goal has gone in so late that was the killer. It's not like we had a chance to get back into the game, we had 30 seconds left and the game was dead and buried really. The heads were down but you have just got to pick them up, if you look at the season overall it has been absolutely outstanding. "



" I don't think that anyone would have expected us to perform the way we have. We did because we have got high standards and we know what we are capable of, but I think that we have given the fans a fantastic season. Hopefully we have just got to try to push on from here, it's hard to say now with the disappointment that we are all sharing but we have just got to look forward and try to crack on next year.

" We have all gone in and seen the gaffer (John Ward) today, everyone has had a chat individually and he has given us a program. It's pretty much the same as what you have every year, you always get weighed at the end of the season and your body fat checked. Then you come back and you have a slight bit of leeway but not too much. You have just got to keep yourself ticking over, but the lads that we have at the club are all professionals, they all know the right things and the wrong things.

" We came back this year, pre-season this year I couldn't believe the shape that the lads were in and I think that has stood us in good stead for the season and we've had a fantastic one. I'm sure that we'll come back again the same come July and we'll have another good go at it. All you can ask yourself at the end of every season is can we improve next season? Certainly since I've been at the club, and looking at it with what has gone on before I came here, we have improved. We finished eighth the year before and we finished fourth and just missed out this year.

" Obviously the pressure is on us to a certain extent next year because everyone is going to be thinking here we go, let's get top two. That's what everyone is going to be aiming for, you have got to aim as high as you possibly can. This squad is more than capable of getting there though, we just have to come back next year with the same focus and the same mentality, and I'm sure that we can be there or thereabouts again.

" I've never had a year like this, it has been an absolute nightmare, it's just been one thing after the other. I think that every footballer at some point, well you are very lucky if you don't have it, but I think that every footballer has a bad year, and I just hope that this is mine. Just crack on next year and hopefully I can be fit for the majority of it. Thanks to the fans and everyone and let's have another good go next year. "