ste1987 Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 Interview with an Opposition Fan Carling Cup Round One Special - Carlisle United The first night match of the season sees Latics take on Carlisle United at Brunton Park. In this mid-week Carling Cup Round One special of "Interview with an Opposition Fan", I posed numerous questions to the Carlisle United online message board ahead of Tuesday night's fixture. 1) After stints of being assistant and caretaker manager previously, Greg Abbott finally has the managerial role to call his own. What are your thoughts on Greg and has he made any significant changes? - He has changed us from a team who were convinced we could achieve something into a team who know we can't. Rumours of dressing room cliques and obvious tactical ineptitude, combined with an array of bizarre post match press conferences and a lack of transfer market acquisitions leaves the fans confused and disillusioned. So yes, he has made significant change but not for the better. - The most clueless manager we've had since Shoddy Collins, turned a play-off capable team into relegation fodder. - He hasn't made any changes of note, which is disappointing considering changes were needed when we lost three of our strikers last year, not to mentioning sorting out a leaky defence. - Greg appears to be a thoroughly decent chap but does not have a clue about football. As for changes? Well seemingly all the players have lunch at the club now instead of a baguette shop! Has also pioneered a system of playing a long ball in a team with no strikers. - He is showing the same ineptitude he showed in his stint as caretaker only he hasn't been as lucky this time round. Turned a solid unit into a squabling bunch of relegation candidates. He makes baffling interviews and comes across as somebody who doesn't know what to do next. The man is taking us down. - The manager has made numerous changes, very little have made a positive impact. He has one year left on his contract so as soon as the board grow a pair of bo**ocks between them he will be sacked, That is when I will begin to get excited about the season, I just hope it is sooner rather than later. Based on the fact we have no money, we will appoint Kavanagh as player/manager. 2) How has pre-season gone for The Cumbrians so far and how have you done in those pre-season ‘Challenge’ games? - A mix of trying to find out who plays in what position, and whether the defence or the attack is the priority for major surgery. Opening the league season with a winger up front and a pensioner in attack proves Greg learned nothing from pre-season. - With no striker and a manager who can't sign players teams in lower leagues can get the pre-season will be like our league season...a non-event. - Pre-season has justified the arguments of his detractors. The "3 strikers" we have on our books (i.e. one striker, one youth player and one attacking midfielder) didn't fire and the defence looked poor. - We annihilated the mighty Gala Fairydean and managed a win over Workington for the first time in years. Comfortably beaten though by teams of any ability. - Usual boring clart. - I only saw Bradford away, which was probably the most boring 3-3 draw ever. 3) Have you signed anybody yet and are you happy with these additions? - No one of note - a Hartlepool winger and a kid from Chelsea on loan. Far too early to tell if any good. Crying out for a striker. - Ian Harte...another 'oldie' who's after one last pay-check but still a class above what Abbotts managed to turn the rest of the team into. - Lenny Pidgeley (GK), Tom Taiwo (MD) and Ian Harte (DL). Each looks good enough but have replaced existing players we've lost. - Ian Harte - can strike a deadball but no pace, still should be a decent addition if he can kiss and make up with Murph. Tiny Taiwo - first impression is can we have John Welsh back? But too early to tell. Lenny Pidgeley - as above but swap Welsh for Ben Williams. - Pidgeley too early to say but seems the sort of player we are after at the moment. Cheap rejects that other league 1 clubs wouldn't touch. Harte has some quality left in him still despite years. Taiwo too early to say much. Doesn’t seem like he'll set the league alight. - None that are better than their replacements which is the reason why I hope Abbott doesn't sign anyone permanently as I fear we could be stuck with them when he is sacked. We need a striker on loan though, asap! Harte was here last season so isn't classed as a new signing in my opinion. 4) Naturally, the League Cup is one us lower teams don’t expect to win. Do you expect Carlisle to go as far as possible for a bit of cup money and perhaps a bigger later round draw or do you think they will prioritise the league and field a weakened team? - We don't know our best team, but likely to be a good squad out. We are not nearly good enough or confident enough to prioritise. - Our strongest team is a weakened team compared to anyone else. - With morale being low in the team and the crowd, I expect Greg to give this a good go in an effort to lift the team's fortunes. - I expect he'll chuck out a strong team to avoid a lynching. - Strong team badly organised playing like a weakened one. - We will field a strong team but get beat, we are sh**e you see. 5) What bigger teams would you like to play in the subsequent rounds IF you beat Oldham? ;) - Newcastle for the crack, or any large Northern team. No real big rivalries being from the Sticks of Cumbria. Burnley would be nice for old times sake, or the Nob Enders. - Newcastle. Chance of going another round further then. - Newcastle, Southampton (local to me), Morecambe. - None - I want Darlington at home because it will have meant Darlo beating Leeds. - Don't really care. 6) You lost 3-1 at home on your first game of the season. What are the strengths and weaknesses of your team? - We are not sure of our strengths as no one knows what the tactics are or who plays where. Weaknesses - can't score and can't defend. - Biggest strength was the final whistle (ok it was a god send rather than a strength) the weakest part - the 4 clowns in charge and Abbott. - Strengths - Potentially good wingers; they both have the ability to get to the byline and beat their man, delivering good crosses in to the box. Weaknesses - Poor confidence throughout the team, no recognised goal scorer and a disorganised defence. - Strengths - most of our players have nice teeth. Weaknesses - our main attacking threat is our left back and our defence is less agile than Stephen Hawking. - Our manager is our biggest weakness. The defence is yet again looking like it will leak goals left right and centre. We have no strikers so goals will be hard to come by. Our midfield does not click and our players seem to have given up. - Strengths: Ian Harte set pieces, Cleveland Taylor is ok if not sold before Tues. Weaknesses: Manager, owners, players, quality of pies etc etc. 7) Key Player – Who should we look out for in the fixture and for the up and coming season? - Cleveland Taylor - on his day exciting winger. He has a transfer request in - so may be off to a decent team, where he may shine and you will hear good things of him. - Nobody. - Key Player – Graham Kavanagh. Has been poor, but if he clicks, the rest of the team will follow and therefore has the ability to change a game. - Nobody - infact you'd be doing us a favour if you paid no notice to anybody and just let us win. Ta. - Nobody at all. Look out for Taylor perhaps if he can get a move somewhere else. Look out for Kavanagh as the newest league 1 managerial appointment. - Most players are overdue a good game... 8) Are there any lower league teams who you think will do well in the competition? - Don't care. - Notts County. - Can't discount Notts County given their investment. - No. - Nah. - Oldham. - To get to the last 8 a lower division team needs to win 4 ties. Leeds Utd, Bristol Rovers, Millwall, Colchester. One of them maybe. It's all a bit pointless. 9) Who do you think will win the League Cup? - Arsenal. - Chelsea Reserves. - Bothered? - Couldn't care less. Stick my neck out and say Bristol City. - West Ham. - Depends on the luck of the draw but probably one of Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City. 10) Finally, what score do you think the game will be on Tuesday night? - 4 or 5 nil to Oldham. - 1-0 Oldham (unfortunately). - 3-1 Oldham, our goal will be from a dead ball. - 4-0 Oldham. - 1-4 Ian Harte for us. - 0-2. Thanks to those fans at Carlisle for participating and being co-operative when answering our questions. Seems as though confidence on the terraces and on the pitch is low at Carlisle at the moment and are fully expecting the Latics to take advantage of this on Tuesday night with their bleak score predictions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opinions4u Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 They're up for it then !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oafc88 Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 Got a Carlisle win writen all over this lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sheridans_world Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 Thanks lads! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hometownclub Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 Some great replies there, really funny "and our defence is less agile than Stephen Hawking." Excellent. Some of those lads were less optomistic than some posters on here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razza699 Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 - Strengths - most of our players have nice teeth. brilliant ! Hopefully will get some good answers from Leyton Orient fans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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