Greg Abbott is relishing Everton Cup clash

Jan 1 2010 by Mark Douglas, The Journal

CARLISLE United boss Greg Abbott hopes to pile the misery on David Moyes - and then bend the ear of a manager he rates as the best in the Premier League.

Backed by a 6,000-strong Cumbrian support, Carlisle are hoping to spring an FA Cup third round surprise against an Everton side ravaged by injuries and without a clutch of key players, who are bound for the African Nations Cup.

The classic ingredients of a Cup upset are in place – Abbott’s in-form side have not lost in seven games while Everton, despite some encouraging recent results, have endured a traumatic season.

Those hopes are shared by Carlisle’s energetic boss but he knows how difficult it will be to out-smart a manager who has established Everton as one of the top side’s in the country on scant resources.

So while he hopes to book a place in the fourth round, it will also provide a valuable opportunity to learn from one of the game’s great minds for Abbott and his coaching staff.

“It’s exciting because the people who run Everton Football Club are wonderful people,” said. “I’m really looking forward to pitting our wits against them and then speaking to them afterwards about how they going about things and how they’ve done such a good job there.

“I think they are great football people. Liverpool is a hotbed of soccer – we’re going there to have a good go and hopefully to learn a few things as well.

“David Moyes is a shining example. He is top drawer, he’s the best in the league for me when you think about the resources he’s had and what he’s achieved. It’s easier with bigger clubs with lots of money but you try doing what David has done with the resources he’s had.

“I’m hopeful he’ll spare me ten minutes afterwards so I can find out how he does it and we can try and replicate it at our level.” On the pitch Abbott is just happy to be taking part in one of the ties of the round – a game that he believes sums up everything that is great about the famous cup competition.

“I think we have got to go there and make sure we do ourselves justice,” he said.

“All of the lads should enjoy playing football against some of the better players in the country. It is something they have to enjoy and they have to look forward to. They mustn’t miss an opportunity to impress.

“FA Cup third round day is one of the best days in the calendar. It is part of our tradition – you cannot underestimate it. We haven’t got 6,000 fans going there because it’s just any old game – they’re going because it’s special.” Meanwhile, Abbott said the club have done everything they possibly can to keep hold of key trio Vincent Pericard, Tom Taiwo and Adam Clayton – who may all depart in January.

The Everton game is the final match of Taiwo’s loan spell from Chelsea and the club are optimistic of keeping hold of the tough-tackling midfielder, but an element of doubt has crept in because of the time it is taking to tie up the deal.

Similarly, Carlisle’s hopes of keeping hold of striker Pericard – who has been a talisman for the Cumbrians during their revival – are in the balance amid reported interest from Charlton and Southampton. “There are no developments at the moment,” Abbott admitted.

“All I will say is the club are doing their utmost to wrap all of them up as quickly as they can.

“There’s always going to be speculation about Vince because of how well he has been doing. And that’s a pat on the back for us, we’ve got him playing, he’s doing well and that’s inevitably going to invite speculation.

“We’ve gone as far as we can with him now – the ball is in Vince’s court now.”