Carlisle United Football Club

“We’ll complete the talks with the players this week,” he said. “A few of those I wanted to speak to weren’t available last week, so we’ll get those done, but all of the offers have now been made in writing. 

“We’ll be hoping for a good response and I’m sure there will still be some negotiating to do. But, to be honest, if we’re talking about an extension, or a second contract, then there isn’t really that much to talk about.”

“With the younger lads, what we’re looking at is to reward them for the immediate progress they’ve made,” he explained. “We’re giving them a platform whereby if they’re successful within the contract they can earn more money. 

“We’ve told them to continue what they’re doing, with a little bit more money added in, and we have provided incentives which we feel are achievable. They’re based on their natural game because people want goal scorers, goal scoring midfielders, people who can go past players and people who can create chances. We want the players to show all of these things and they’ll get rewarded for that financially within their contracts.” 

“I’ve spoken to a few agents since the initial talks and we have a couple of players who are looking after their own finances,” he told us. “That obviously makes things slightly easier. Some of the agents have said they want to have further negotiation and we’re comfortable with that.”

On the current injury situation, he said: “We’re hoping that Alex Marrow and Paul Thirlwell might be back and involved in training this week. 

“That’s all good news because we want players involved or on the bench who can change games. It will be nice when we get a full complement to choose from because every manager wants that kind of headache. 

“Steven Rigg should also be out on the grass again this and we’ll make sure we get him back into it at right tempo. We’ll build him up all the way through to Thursday and hopefully, if all goes well, he will be available for the weekend.” 

Looking back at the FA Cup game at Peterborough, he said: “We definitely did want to be involved in the draw. Cup competitions can be an add on to your season and people are now saying we only have the league to play for. What I will say is that ‘only the league’ was the main priority when I came into this building. It was to make sure this club is still playing league football next season.

“I’ve watched the video with the coaching staff and there’s a slight disappointment that we didn’t use the ball as well as we should have in areas where we felt we could have been better. Defensively we showed good application and that was very pleasing.

“There are things to work on with the goals we conceded because every time the ball comes into your box it’s because you know the other team want to score. The corner could have been stopped for the first one and then, when it is delivered, you have to make sure your man doesn’t score from four yards out. 

“That goal was too simple because he had a run and a jump on a defender who got caught flat-footed in the six yard box. It was unfortunate that it was Courtney’s man who scored but we got a good reaction from him. He won’t hide away from it because he knows it’s all part of his development. If a cross comes in you have to get to that first ball - at all costs.

“When I look at it I would say to the players I would get to that ball. That will come with our group because we’ve got a very young squad and an inexperienced back five, if you take Danny Grainger out of it. The future is bright because of that because they’re learning, and they’re learning where it matters, out on the grass. 

“I don’t ever bang players over the head for mistakes they make. They’ve got to be told but there’s a right way to do that, in my opinion. Going over errors should always be used as a tool. Part of their education is to know that sometimes they’ll be spoken to sternly, but I don’t wipe the floor with people. That’s not my style.”