Archived News from February 2005
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PALMER AND WARD REACTION
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Transcription of audio interview with Carlton Palmer from Radio Nottingham
Transcribed by carole Q: The conditions made life very difficult out there, what did you make of the game? CP: Yeah, the conditions were difficult, but I was always concerned about today's game. On the basis of the effort we put in, in the previous two games, we have to be honest. I've just said to the players, we didn't play well today, there looked like a few tired bodies out there. They were the better side without really playing well. Without being disrespectful to them, they weren't the best team we've played against this season, by any stretch of the imagination, but I said to the players before the start of the week, start of last week, we were looking for 7 points out of 9, so we are a point down on what we were. We've had a difficult week, the boys have been magnificent. You know, we can go round and round in circles. We didn't play well today, we didn't compete enough in certain areas of the football pitch and you know, we've just got to put that one in the drawer and get on with it. As I say, we are only a point off what we were looking for as a minimum target, and so, as I say, it's not all doom and gloom, but I am disappointed because I felt it was a great opportunity for us today. Q: With the wind behind you in the first half, were you surprised and disappointed you didn't create more opportunities? CP: there is no point going into the wherefores and why for's. We didn't play well so for 90 minutes I didn't think we deserved anything from the game and that's it. Q: Having gone a goal down, you had that spell where you got back into it and got the goal from Colin Larkin, and you must have been pleased, like I say, against the wind that you fought back for that spell? CP: yeah, we did. We got the goal back and then for 20 minutes we had the ascendancy and probably, you know, I mean Dutch has said to me, “Gaffer, do you think you're being a bit hard, I think we deserved a point out of the game cos we've had one cleared off the line”? But I look at Pilks today, Pilks has had to make two or three outstanding saves, so overall, I mean, in life, ok with Rushden & Diamonds, we battered then, and Southend here, and we didn't get the result, and maybe it could have been a fortuitous point, and it would have been fortuitous I feel. Q: Pleased for Colin Larkin, it was his first goal for about 4 months I think, but having come and spoken to you on Monday to get back into the side, he was on the bench on Tuesday, started today and that goal will do him some good won't it? CP: Yeah, the goal will do him some good, and I thought he worked hard and his fitness will come. His attitude was a lot better. I'm disappointed in Derek Asamoah. I didn't take Goma off because he wasn't playing well, I mean, I only wanted to make the one change, for one position, after we played so well against Swansea, and then he was ill, but he was ill last week and this is something that's been going on, so his fitness levels have dropped, and so I did what I did and, you know, he was off, he had the day off when everybody else had the day off, then the next day he phones in and says he's not very well. So, I am a little bit disappointed, I told him what I expect and what I want and, if he doesn't train then his fitness levels are going to go down. And then we all suffer as a team because of that. Q: What about the man he replaced, Goma Lambu, how do you feel he did? CP: Yeah, I think he done steady. I haven't seen him play, but Dutch had seen him play in the reserves at Rushden & Diamonds and they wanted to sign him after the game. So, as I say, I just wanted to make the one straight swap. I ummed and ahhed, but as I say, with Derek ringing in and saying he was ill, I didn't know whether I'd have Derek Asamoah till this morning, so I'd made the decision from Friday to go with Goma and Larks up front and as I say, I was pleased with Larks. Disappointed with their 2 goals, disappointed with the whole day to be fair. It's been a disappointing day. Q: Ok, well despite the defeat, I think fans will still be looking at the fixture list over the next couple of months, a lot of those games are against sides in the bottom half. There's still that opportunity but, to push ... CP: That was a great opportunity, but it doesn't matter who you play, where they are in the League, if you don't do the basic things, you do the basic things well starting with working hard you won't win football matches and we didn't do that today. Ok, thanks for your time Carlton. Cheers, thank you. ------------ Audio interview with Carlton Palmer from Radio Nottingham (RealPlayer needed) http://www.bbc.co.uk/nottingham/realmedia/football/2005/stags_cheltenham_home_palmer.ram -------- CHAD website Stags caretaker boss Carlton Palmer said: "It was a great opportunity today but if you can't do the basic things, starting with working hard, then you won't win football matches. "I was disappointed with both their goals, in fact it was a disappointing day all-round. We just have to put that one in the drawer now and get on with it. "I was always concerned about this game after the efforts of the two wins earlier this week. To be honest there were some tired bodies out there. "Over 90 minutes we didn't deserve anything out the game. No disrespect to Cheltenham but they were not the best side we've faced this season by any stretch. "But they scored twice, forced some outstanding saves out of Kevin Pilkington and deserved to win. If it had stayed 1-1 it would have been a fortuitous point for us." It was yet another disappointing result against one of Mansfield's bogey sides and Robins boss John Ward said: "The conditions were difficult for both sides and it probably wasn't as entertaining as it might have been, but both sides tried their best to entertain on the day. "It was nice to win it in those conditions away from home and I thought we played the conditions and Mansfield Town very well all afternoon. "I thought we had done well against the wind in the first half and we then dominated the second half, made a lot of chances and scored two good goals. "It just shows the confidence in the club that even in the last minute away from home we were pushing people on." |
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