Q&A - Steve Castle

Further to his recent interview, the U's assistant manager answers your questions.

Luke Shippey asks:
Why do we lack goals?

SC: That's a tough question. We're working on it, and when you look at us against Gravesend we could have scored a hatful, but when you look at us against St Albans and we wouldn't have scored if we were still out there today.

We are looking at trying to bring people in during January but it's a collective thing and we're working with them in training and the players are very positive; shots are being taken earlier and front players are getting into the right positions, and probably more importantly the crosses and balls are coming in for goals to be created.

Stephen Smith scored a good goal at Woking and I do strongly believe that the midfield can contribute a good share of goals - it shouldn't solely be about the strikers, although that's why those players arguably get the prestige when they play up front and we've got to get more goals out of them.

Andrew Lang asks:
At the moment our football is very direct, Jimmy has said the side needs to be ugly and dirty but why do you feel this is the best way to get us out of the predicament you inherited, and do you intend to soften our style of play over time?

SC: That's a good question. Some call it ugly, some call it direct, but what we want to do is play our football in the opposition's defending third and then we're looking to play good football, which I've got no doubt we have the ability to do. If we do that as we know we can, from what we've been seeing in training, there will be more opportunities, more goals and more excitement and I think everybody would go away happy.

But at times we've been caught trying to play too much and getting caught defensively in midfield with far too many touches, so what we're doing is taking the choices out of the players' minds and giving them a choice to put the ball into an area that's going to be dangerous. The manager will tell you that there are more goals scored in less than three passes than any other type of goal.

To answer the second part of that question, we want to 'soften' up our football and play in the opposition's defending third. With Jon Brady, Courtney Pitt, Rob Simpson, Liam Marum and Danny Carey-Bertram, these are the lads that we want to express themselves in that area of the pitch.

Matt asks:
How far do you and Jimmy Quinn go back?

SC: We first met at Peterborough when we were players together, probably from the same mould - some would call it 'old school' - and we hit it off in that respect in a playing capacity. We had mutual respect in that regard and when Phil Neal went and Jimmy moved up to replace him as assistant manager, I stayed as player-coach and reserve team manager and we had a good link there.

Then when Jimmy moved onto Swindon he tried to sign me as a player, so we've had quite close connections over the last four or five seasons and I think we complement each other.

Obviously he's the gaffer and he has the final say on everything, but he asks for my opinion on things and he takes note and then makes his decision. There's always consultation and sometimes we're not going to agree on particular things and particular players, but that's the nature of football and I'm there as a sounding board and to bounce things off.

Question via e-mail:
Do you think it's important that a coach or manager should have UEFA badges, or is a manager's experience, common sense and instinct worth more than a qualification?

SC: No, it's vital that qualifications are taken. I do have some sympathy because you never know when your opportunity to manage might arise, so I sympathise with people like Gareth Southgate who haven't got their Pro Licence straightaway but I think the more qualified you get and the more courses you go on, the more knowledge you have.

Really it's about getting the right balance. You can't have just played and have the experience but no qualifications, but on the flip side I feel that if all you have is qualifications and no playing experience then that's detrimental to being a successful coach. I think you must get your information and your experience from various avenues.

Via e-mail:
What are your duties as assistant manager?

SC: As well as coaching and scouting and enquiring about players who might be available, it's all hands to the pump - literally.

Balls have to be pumped up and bibs have to be cleaned and distributed and at times the ice bins have to be cleaned and things like that, but it's not a problem. I've always been quite a hard-working sort of person and I don't find it any sort of hardship.

I think everybody's got to muck in and the players have to do their fair share, and that's the nature of the club.

I think that gives a little bit of togetherness when everybody's pulling the same way and putting their effort in off the park as well as on it, and as management we have to bring organisation to things.

And, as I said before, I can be a sounding board for the Gaffer too.

Another question via e-mail:
Why do you think our form at home is so different to our away form and what can yourself and Jimmy do about it?

SC: It's another question that we scratch our heads at. Our home form is inconsistent and we have this Jekyll and Hyde thing, which is what we're trying to eradicate.

You look at us against Stevenage, Aldershot and Gravesend and you think we could be a match for any team that comes here, although Morecambe were probably one of the best teams that we've come up against and they had some outstanding players.

But then you look at the St Albans game and the Crawley game and it's a puzzle; we're still looking for this level of consistency. But we're assessing people in training on a daily basis and we can see a more positive attitude, and if we can get the level of performance, home and away, that Jimmy and I want then I think we'll be a match for any team home or away.

Andrew asks the final question:
What key strengths do you look for in a player?

SC: Enthusiasm, fitness, desire, and a little bit of intelligence. You can have very skilful players but if they haven't got the intelligence to go with it you'll never see the best of them. They have to take on board what's needed and what we want from them.

Andrea Thrussell

*This interview was first published in the programme for the match against Burton on 30th December, 2006

Is there a player or member of the backroom staff you'd like to put on the spot? Nominate them now by writing to web@cambridge-united.co.uk

This season's previous Q&A interviews:
Jimmy Quinn
Lee Power - Part 1, Part 2

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