MANAGER: The rumour mill can take care of itself

“A game like we had on Saturday can be used as a good learning tool, and particularly because the outcome was a positive result,” he said. “We’ll be able to look at some of the decisions we made and some of the things we should have done, but chose not to, from what was an interesting 90 minutes.  

“It’s all geared towards the fact we’re trying to build a little bit of resilience within the football club. The team and the club has taken some knocks over recent years and, as I’ve said before, it’s about how you get back up and deal with it that shows what you’re about.”

“If you look at Saturday, we had a two-goal cushion and you think you’re going to have an afternoon of pleasure only to then be slapped in the face twice,” he added. “That’s when you ask the question of how you’re going to deal with it. We stuck to our beliefs and the three points suggests that approach paid off for us. 

“Of course we had a bit of luck along the way, but you earn your luck by working hard. I think it was Seve Ballesteros who said the more he practiced the luckier he got. We’re practicing on a daily basis to make sure we know what we have to do both in and out of possession. 

“We’re continually taking forward steps because this is a club which had lost its winning mentality. That affects confidence, but we’re starting to get that back. We now have a good environment and a good team ethic, and we want to build on that as much as possible.

“This week will be for me to continue coaching and developing a system of play I want to see us implement. That work is done with the whole squad. We use different personnel in different systems in our sessions because we want everyone to get used to every style of play we want to adopt. By doing that it means I can call on any of our players at the drop of a hat.” 

On the opening of the loan transfer window, he said: “That’s something we are constantly working hard on. Things are progressing and we have been given permission to speak directly with two players.

“One of them is currently in the Championship, and the other in League One, so it will come down to what they feel their best next move is. They are both attack minded players who I think will add to the squad and options we have, but it’s a wait and see situation at this moment in time.”

“I did speak to Alan Sheehan but he made it clear from the outset that he has other options on the table,” he explained. “I can accept that because every player wants to play at the highest level they can. 

“The pleasing thing is that he hasn’t turned us down for reasons of location, or wages, or anything like that. He wants to continue playing at a higher level and, as I say, that’s something I can understand.”

And on the rumours linking him to the vacant managerial post at Peterborough, he said: “I’ve had no contact at all, either through the club or directly to myself. 

“That’s fine with me because I have a very important job to focus on here with Carlisle United. We’re starting to build something and the only way any manager can keep the job he’s in is to make sure that continues. 

“Rumours like this are just that – rumours. This was a difficult job when I got here and we quickly set about turning things round. There’s a feel good factor returning and it feels like we’re heading along the right path. That’s where my efforts and focus are concentrated at the moment. The rumour mill can take care of itself.”