Q&A - John Taylor
With the LDV Vans Trophy Final and the transfer deadline looming, U's Manager John Taylor answers your questions in a bumper edition of the Cambridge United club website Q&A. You can also listen to this interview here.
Q. With the transfer deadline so close are you trying to sign a forward to help out the younger players? I know you have no money but a loan signing would be a great help as that is were I believe the team is lacking at the present time and a forward could be the difference between survival and relegation?
Matt Dann
A. Yes we're always looking, of course, and at the present moment we've got a few irons in the fire. The good news is Dave Kitson's come back on Tuesday to play alongside Tom, Chilli is a little way from first team fitness but we've got some decent strikers at the football club who, given time, will gain the experience needed. I'm still a firm believer that they can score enough goals for us in the long term.
Short term it looks unlikely I'll be able to get someone in who you can count on to get 25 goals a season but we're always looking and we're always on the lookout, and as long as I'm here then I'll continue to do so.
Q. There is a rumour that you have no money to renew players' contracts at the end of the season like Ash, Lionel and Muzzy - is this true and if so what are you going to do in order to keep a team for next year?
Matt Dann
A. The situation with those three - Ash, Lionel. Muzzy - and in fact with Andy Duncan as well, is that their contracts are up for renewal at the end of the season. At present we felt it in the best interests of the boys and the football club if we just put contract negotiations on the back-burner while the biggest game this club's had for a few years in on its way, but then we will start talking to them after the game is finished.
Q. Do you think all the players play with passion and fight when we play the Boro? I've been watching the U's since the days of Biley, Finney, Spriggs and Fallon and I just wondered whether you think the importance of beating Boro is still there?
Lyndon
A. It certainly is for me. I know as well as a lot of local people of the intense rivalry between Cambridge and Peterborough. I think that when youngsters or loan players come into the team and experience the game against Peterborough for the first time, they perhaps don't understand the massive bitter rivalry there is between the two clubs, but I think that would be the same at any local derby.
You know about Liverpool-Everton because it's massively high profile, but if someone went to York City, for instance, would they really know who York's local derby is against? Perhaps not, so in some respects I understand where he's coming from but I think it's up to us and members of staff and the supporters to let players know exactly what the rivalry is, and I think they do give their all.
I think in the days that he just mentioned they were exceptionally talented players who were massively committed to the cause. I'd like to think my players were as well but obviously people express it in slightly different ways.
Q. Not really a question for you, but a message from Andrew McMullin in Melbourne, Australia, and he says he would just like to wish the boys the best of luck on Sunday. He won't get coverage of the match in Australia, but will be supporting in spirit! So have you got a message for the fans who will perhaps be listening on the webcast, around the world?
A. Absolutely, and they certainly don't come from much further away than Australia so thanks very much indeed for that and we're delighted that we're getting good coverage in Australia. We'll be giving it everything we've got on Sunday and as a football club we just hope that everything we give is good enough for the result that everyone wants.
Q. The LDV Trophy is nearly upon us and promises to be the highlight of our season. Have you had any spies at Blackpool's recent games, and where do you see their main threat coming from?
Scott Conway, Chislehurst, Kent.
A. Yes, we've had scouts at certainly the last two games that they've had and obviously the game that we had down here. We know their threat, the two wide men are dangerous, the front two are dangerous as well, we'll have to keep an eye on them but I know that the front players that we have are a massive threat to them as well so they'll be trying to look after them. To all intents and purposes it looks like it's going to be a very good game.
Q. How much is the rest of the season a rehearsal for next season?
Ben, Cambridge
A. That's a very good question and I think it will be a time, after the LDV Final, for us to really start building for next season. We will try to 'blood' a few more of the players who we think require some first team experience. David Bridges has had a little taste of it and I think he will probably play some part towards the end of the season, we may well try and give Franco Nacca part of some games in the first team, to see how they respond to the difference in pace and the slight pressures of playing in the Football League.
So yes, very much so, and we'll be working on the training ground as soon as the LDV Final is over. Not only for the league games that are coming up, because we know as professional people that we have to play to our utmost ability on behalf of other clubs in our division who may well be pushing for promotion or are in trouble of going down themselves. So we'll do it properly but we will be building and making our strength and resolve all that much stronger for next year.
Q. Has there been any indication that any more players (Armand excepted) are going to be leaving the club? Assuming that you manage to clear out the players that you don't want here, how much scope is there for reinforcements next season?
Ben, Cambridge
A. Yes there are quite a lot of players who are out of contract and most of them have been told the situation of the football club. There will be some leaving, hopefully there will be some staying as well, and the situation is if we go and see a player and we think that they can be welcome addition to the squad for now or next season, we make an enquiry to the board of directors and the chairman. We will ask the question and say we feel this is a person we'd like to bring in for the future, we think he's a good addition to the playing staff and we'll take it from there.
Q. What do you think have been the successes and failures of your tenure so far?
Ben, Cambridge
A. What a good question that is! I would think that's probably down to other people to answer but from my own point of view I would say that the obvious failure, if you call it a failure, is that I honestly believed that when I took over the job, even in the caretaker role, that although a little bit inexperienced I had enough about me and Brooksy and the playing staff we had, with a little bit of fine tuning we would stay in this division.
Obviously that hasn't quite materialised, but the fact that we've blooded five or six youth team players or very early professional players has given some encouragement. Not only the people in the youth set-up now to believe that if they improve they will get their chance in the first team, but I hope that it's enhanced people in the youth development system that we can get younger players in the football club who look at Alex Revell, Luke Guttridge (right), Adam Tann and see them getting their chance and also want to bring them into the football club.
Q. Do you feel two wins in 21 league matches since you took over is a fair reflection of the ability of the players we have at the club?
Will Jones, Cambridge
A. It's not what I would like to have seen. I think we've played better than two wins in 21 league matches but we know in this game that sometimes you don't get the rewards that your efforts require, or need, but I've been impressed by the fact that the players desire and wanting to learn slightly new things has enhanced the football club. As I said in the previous answer, we've blooded players who at future times will be saleable assets for the football club.
In the short term, no, two wins in 21 league matches isn't good enough. We know that and in all honesty that's why we are where we are in the league, but we'll be doing our best work from now until the end of the season, during the summer, and back pre-season to make sure that when we come back we're firing on all cylinders ready to go.
Q. So you think there's more to come from these players?
A. Absolutely. Some of them have only played ten or twelve league games and it's very difficult for them just to come in from the youth set-up and go straight into the first team picture and turn around what was already a slightly precarious situation in the first place.
Q. The heart the players showed on Tuesday in Bournemouth was wonderful to see, as was the way we competed with Huddersfield at the Abbey Stadium (I never said the players lacked commitment in that game, by the way). Do you wonder if we'd be bottom of the league, looking likely to be relegated before Easter, if the players had collectively shown that amount of heart in the last few months?
Will Jones, Cambridge
A. I think in the majority of games we have showed heart, and commitment, and effort. Some games have been - certainly the early part of my managerial career - were taken out of my hands by decisions by officials and the like, and yes we played poorly in some games. I would never accuse my players of lacking heart and belief and commitment.
I think that when we lost at home to Blackpool, when the the second goal went in, people asked that question then and I wouldn't say that we lacked commitment after that, I would just say that the young boys' hearts sank. They're only 18 and 19, they're human beings, they take what comes to them on the chin but - like youngsters are - they're bound to be affected by things that seem to continually happen to them. But we pick them up and we go again and I think they responded very well indeed.
Q. You said when you took over the job you felt "no pressure". Do you think that rubbed off on the players, and do you still feel the same?
Will Jones, Cambridge
A. I think it did. I don't feel any pressure. As we all know in this game we're in the results business and of course we want to be winning more football matches than we lose. There's only one certainty, now I'm the manager of this football club, and that certainty is that one day I'll get the sack. It might be in six months, it might be in six years, it might be in sixteen years, and however long it is every day I come into this office I'll come in with a smile on my face.
I want that to rub off onto the players because I know I've got a decent bunch of footballers here and most of them will be playing professional football probably longer than I will be, so hopefully my enjoyment of the job and enjoyment about being here does rub off on them. I would certainly like to think so, and yes I feel the same as the day I walked into the job: I'm very, very proud and privileged to be one of 92 people in this country who manage football clubs.
Q. The alternative to being sacked, of course, is you could be poached away to manage at Old Trafford at some time in the future?
A. (smiles) I didn't want to say that! That's always a possibility but Alex has got another three years yet so we'll just have to wait and see!
Q. Do you think the set of players we have at the club at the moment are any worse than those who have fought so hard to keep us in this division in the last two seasons?
Will Jones, Cambridge
A. I don't that they're worse, I think the squad that I'm putting together - for now and next season - is better than probably we have had in the last two seasons. I won't hide behind the fact that the probability is we're going to get relegated, but I look people in the eye if they come into my office and I say that I've tried to entertain people, I've tried to play productive, attacking, enjoyable football on the football pitch.
It looks as if unfortunately we haven't managed to turn things around like we all know and want, but I will continue to do so, I will still play the same way, I will try and move that ball, I will try and pass and play and entertain, and hopefully the results will follow, but I won't change my beliefs in the footballing style.
Q. Are there any plans to let Lionel Perez take the next penalty we get?
Will Jones, Cambridge
A. No, no plans at all. He took one this morning and he missed, so Lionel will be staying in his 18 yard box.
Q. You have often said that players earn their place in your side on merit. Therefore, as you were delighted with the performance on Tuesday, will you be naming an unchanged side at Cardiff (apart from the injuries)?
Will Jones, Cambridge
A. The answer to that question will be probably no, I probably will tinker with the side. Yes, he's absolutely right and I do name my players on merit but this is a massive, massive cup final for us and you have to take account of everything when a game like this comes around. You need ability, you need a willingness to win, you need quality, you need desire and you need commitment. In some players you get a little bit more of one than you do of another and vice versa, so we'll look at the situation and weigh everything up, and we'll put out a side on Sunday that I believe will be the best side capable of winning the football match.
Q. Would you consider playing in a striker crisis?
Alex Dorrington, Saffron Walden
A. Yes, absolutely - if we had a striker crisis. As yet we haven't so I won't be playing in the foreseeable future, but we'll see exactly what the situation is should it occur. At the moment my boots are hung firmly on the peg. If we went down with three or four injuries at the same time then of course I would consider it, but apart from that it's a 'no'.
Q. Has it been decided who will take a penalty on Sunday, and if the game does go to penalties who will be the five takers?
Trevor Lowe, Histon, Cambridge
A. Has it been decided who will take a penalty on Sunday, Trevor? The answer to that is 'no' but we'll decide and we'll have some penalties during training in the next couple of days. I've got my own ideas who I would want to take a penalty on Sunday, I've certainly got my ideas on who - providing they are on the pitch - would be my five takers if it went to penalties, but I think you have to take lots of things into account.
Certainly when the game is going on someone who you had down as a certainty to take one might be having a poor game, might not feel well, might be very tired - all those things come into account. I think when the game finishes and if it's a draw and we're going to penalties you look the boys in the eye and say 'do you fancy one?'. If they say 'yes' then they're in, if they don't they're out, and then you take it on your heart when you take the ball and put it down. There's going to be a bit of pressure on them if it goes to penalties, we haven't had a great record.
Q. We've had lots of good luck messages via the website and the message board and could you close with a message for the supporters?
A. Thanks for backing us, thanks for being behind us 100%. Your loyalty has been first class. I understand that we've probably failed to deliver the two things that you really wanted this season - second division football status and the LDV victory - we thank you for coming down to Cardiff, it's been a great run that we've had and we've loved every minute of it.
We're going all out for victory on Sunday so take care getting down there, shout louder than you've ever shouted before, support the boys like you've never supported Cambridge United before. It's first class that you're all coming down, we're looking forward to having a wonderful day, I hope you enjoy it as much as I will and the players will, and hopefully you'll be shouting and screaming out of your cars on the way back up the M5 like we will be on the coach. So have a great day, enjoy it, shout hard, and make sure that we all come back victorious.
Just remember if you can't make it down to Cardiff on Sunday, make sure you enjoy the whole match live on the Internet with Mark Johnson and a special co-commentator this Sunday from about one o'clock!
Is there someone you'd like to put on the spot in a future Q&A? Nominate them by writing to web@cambridge-united.co.uk
Previous Q&As:
17Mar02 - John Howard - Redevelopment
10Mar02 - Andrew Pincher
03Mar02 - Tom Youngs
24Feb02 - John Taylor
17Feb02 - Gary Harwood - Chairman
10Feb02 - Richard Summerfield - Finance Director
03Feb02 - Lionel Perez
27Jan02 - Stuart Ayles - First Team Physio
20Jan02 - Paul Wanless
13Jan02 - Dale Brooks - New Assistant Manager
06Jan02 - Mark Johnson - Match Programme
27Nov01 - John Taylor and Dale Brooks - The New Management Team
17Nov01 - Gary Harwood and Colin Davies - Redevelopment
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