Carlisle United Football Club

“We know Hartlepool are desperate for a result because they haven't had the start that Colin [Cooper] would have liked,” he said. “They're desperate for a result, but so are we. We will lean on Antony Sweeney's experience with them to try and get as much information about them as we can. I'm sure they'll be doing exactly the same. 

“I'll use every trick in the book to try and get information about them. We'll have a good idea who will be playing, and where they'll be playing, but we’ll be concentrating on us. We'll get straight at them from the first whistle on Saturday because I think it will be one of those games where we will need to go toe to toe. If you go there expecting something to happen something will happen, but we will be going there to make it happen.”

“I’m still comfortable with what I have at my disposal,” he confirmed. “One of the first things I said to John Nixon was that I won't panic. It might take us until the last game of the season to be mathematically safe, but we will be. 

"It would have been easy for me to start my reign thinking about what I haven't got, but I'm not that sort of person. I live my life focusing on what I have got and I'm grateful for everything. That's how I approach my job.

“I need to know exactly what I've got in the changing room. I want the players to show me what they've got and express themselves. There is nothing better as a player than having that environment where you have the freedom to express yourself. For some of the players that freedom has meant having a couple of days off after being really involved in everything the club has been going through. In my opinion they needed some mind space to completely switch off. They have now given me Thursday and Friday and I’ll make sure they are mentally tuned back into it so we get a result on Saturday.”

“In my own mind I still don't think I've given a fair chance to all of the players in that changing room so we aren't close to bringing anybody new in at this moment,” he said. “There are a few players who haven't had enough game time under me, in competitive games, and until I'm happy with the fact I've seen everybody I won't make any decisions. Once I've done that I'll be able to decide who will be getting on our bus and who needs to be getting on somebody else's.” 

“I would say I need two to three weeks to judge a player and the quickfire games against Hartlepool and Tranmere will hopefully help me do that,” he explained. “I've got players like Antony Sweeney, who I've only seen for one half of football, so he needs to come back and show me what he can do once he's fit. Like I say, it’s a slow process but I’m comfortable with what we’re doing.”

"We need more wins but the more people who come and see how we're doing the easier that will get,” he added. “I went for a walk around the city centre before the game on Saturday and I couldn't believe how many people were there. I had a look at some of the shops and all of those people can't be coming to Carlisle just to go shopping. 

“If more of those people can spare an hour and a half to come and watch us that would be brilliant because there is something starting at this football club. We will create a wave but we've still only managed a ripple at the moment. We've won one game but all we've done is halted the slide the club was on. 

“The changing room needed that win to change their mentality and everything is in our destiny now. The motto in our changing room will stay there all season - we stop the opposition, then we play. That is how we will be successful.”

“I will be reminding the players the Hartlepool game means a lot to the fans,” he confirmed. “We’ll have a good following and although I can't guarantee the result, I will guarantee that every single player out there will be committed and will apply themselves to get three points.”