On The Spot

Will Jones tackles Roy McFarland - weekly!

In his exclusive weekly interview for U's Net, Roy McFarland looks back on the FA Cup defeat by Bolton Wanderers, discusses the departure of Martin Butler and the gap he leaves behind, and looks forward to the visit of high-flying Wigan Athletic. He also answers more of your questions as U's Net reporter Will Jones once again puts him … "On The Spot".

Not very pleased with the referee. I was pleased with the players, the commitment and the football. On another day we could quite easily have gone through, but the crux of the whole game for me last week was based on a decision by the referee regarding the foul on Trevor Benjamin. I have looked at a replay of that incident several times, just to make sure what I said after the game and what I felt after the game was right. My opinion has not changed.

Q. The key area of the game seemed to be during the first period, when Bolton looked both physically and mentally drained. Do you accept that it was during that period when, perhaps, we should have put Bolton out of their misery?

I think had the referee done his job properly that would have happened. We were 1-0 up, Bolton were on the rack and under a lot of pressure, but two minutes before half time there was the incident with Trevor Benjamin. Had Bolton been reduced to ten men, I think that would have really put some pressure on them. It would have been nice to see what would have happened in that situation, and I genuinely believe that we would have progressed to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.

Q. Paul Wanless overcame personal adversity to compete in the match, you must have been delighted with his performance during the game?

He was outstanding. The problems Paul Wanless has had regarding his baby and his family made his performance even better. Perhaps it was a release for him, considering the problems he had during the week. I have talked about Paul Wanless several times, and he doesn't change. I say it to him: he perhaps isn't one of the most gifted players I have been involved with, but he is without doubt one of the most committed. He is committed to the football club, and committed to the team.

Q. Martin Butler has left the club this week. How do you plan to replace his workrate, commitment and - perhaps most importantly - his goal scoring ability in the side?

It is a massive, massive hole to fill. Whenever Martin Butler left this football club there was going to be a void left behind. There was obviously going to be a lot of disappointment from our supporters, and I understand that. It is not something we relish, but we can't stand in Martin's way with regards to him progressing.

I think we all thought he would have gone to a first division side, and he probably would have had a better chance of going to the first division had he chosen Preston but Reading was Martin's choice.

That hole, which is massive, won't be filled by one player. Steve Guinan will fill the shoes, but he won't fill the hole. We will have to fill it with a lot of commitment and a lot of support. That will come from the whole team and myself together. We will have to try to make it work without Martin Butler.

Who will score the goals? I hope Steve Guinan scores and that Trevor stays in the vein he is at present. It is now his opportunity to grab that mantle that Martin left behind, and if he does he will become one of the legends and heroes here like Dion Dublin or John Taylor. It is a great opportunity for Trevor.

Q. You have often stated that competition for places is healthy for this football club. I suppose one good thing - if that is the right word - to come from Martin's departure is that it has left a place in the team for the fringe players to battle and fight for?

Like I say, I am going to give Steve a chance. I have got Tom Youngs and the old stager John Taylor to fall back on, and make no mistake we are out whenever we can to look at other players at different positions. That is a continuing job that myself and David Preece have. We will work hard, and do our utmost, to improve the club whenever we can.

Q. How has Trevor Benjamin reacted to the sale of his strike partner, and do you see it changing his role in the team?

I think Trevor has played very well over the last two games, and him and Martin were starting to form a tremendous partnership. It would have been lovely to see that partnership develop, but sadly it won't. Trevor's improvement has been tremendous. I have noticed that from when he first came into the team 18 months ago. He has got better and is starting to grow up and understand what the job requires. Like I said, I think it is a great opportunity for Trevor to show exactly what he is worth and become a very popular player with our supporters. I hope he can do that.

I feel, without doubt, Trevor Benjamin will leave this football club in the future, to hopefully go to a better club in a higher division. He has the potential to be, in my opinion, a Premier League player. He needs a little bit more developing here, as I do feel if we do lose, in a sense, both our strikers then we are asking for trouble. It would be a major problem, so I have sat down with Trevor and explained that all to him. No matter what offer came on the table, at this moment Trevor Benjamin will not be leaving this football club.

Q. The reserve team drew 1-1 at home to Millwall yesterday. I have been going to reserve games for many years now, and have never seen a player sent off before. Yesterday Mr Baker sent off three players and had his own yellow card protest at the Abbey Stadium. What were your views on that game, and the referee?

It was frightening. The performance of the referee was dire. For me, it was very worrying. We have had an awful season, sadly, with referees. Yesterday's performance from the referee in the reserve game left a lot to be desired. After the game Steve Gritt just didn't know what to say. The only thing we can hope for is that the assessor that was here has monitored that, and will hopefully talk to the referee about it and the problems he created from a mild game.

Q. Tom Youngs was substituted late on in the game, and appeared to be holding his groin. Was this a precautionary measure, or has Tom suffered yet another injury set back?

His groin has been a little bit stiff, but luckily he hasn't pulled anything. He gave us the nod and we pulled him off straight away. Tom has had an injury-hit season, and has had many niggling injuries. He is a very game and committed player, and for his size he does tend to go in areas where, in a sense, angels fear to tread. Once we get him stronger and fitter he will have a very good future here.

Q. Looking forward to Saturday, we entertain Wigan who are currently unbeaten away from home in the league this season. I suppose it is going to be a case of avoiding defeat at all costs on Saturday?

No, lets just try to get a win. We aren't going to be trying to avoid defeat. We have been performing well over several weeks, and we should take comfort and confidence from that. They are going to come here like Bolton and Chesterfield and realise how committed to our situation we are. At the moment we can't keep losing, as if we only pick up the odd point it isn't going to do us any good. We need to, in a sense, put a run together. It will be a great game, Wigan are a team near the top trying to get out of this division, and we are scrapping for our lives. They will know they have been in a game, like Bolton did last week.

Q. Have you any injury concerns going into the match?

Clive Wilson has come through a full weeks training, so he is back in contention at left back. Jason Kavanagh played last Saturday with a sore hamstring, it was sore the previous week and it has been quite sore this week as well. We will have to see how he is at the back end of this week, and at the moment it is a little bit doubtful.

Will Jones

Q. David Walton and Phil Hart ask if strikers Carl Alford of Stevenage and Zema Abbey of Hitchin Town are in your thoughts?

That's a good one. Zema Abbey …. hmmm …. watch this space.

Q. Jim Kington of Cambridge and Loretta Sharman also of Cambridge both ask: What is the problem with Michael Kyd? Every so often he gets a run in the side, and plays well in my opinion, and then gets dropped for seemingly no reason. Also, do you agree it can't help his cause that as soon as the goals dry up we get strikers on short-term contracts who get straight in the side ahead of him e.g. Walker, Byfield and Guinan?

I think, sadly, with Michael it has been tough for him with the injuries he has had. He had two cartilage operations which took the sting out of him, and after the operation it has taken him a while to adjust and recover. It has been an injury hit time for Michael, and very frustrating for him.

This season I must admit I have been disappointed with Michael's performances when he has played. The player we were looking at two years ago is not there at the moment. I put him on the transfer list to give him a kick up the backside, and hopefully to get a response. We did get that initially, but overall this season has been disappointing for Michael Kyd .

Q. Kevan Murphy of Los Angeles, USA asks: There's a big difference in the results gained in the FA Cup, to those in the league this season. Was there anything different in your approach to the Cup matches, either in training, the preparation schedule or what you say to the players, that could explain this difference?

Not at all. The most important thing at this football club, which I repeat and talk about every day, week and month is that the league is the most important thing. It is the league by which you judge the team, because it is over 46 matches. You have enough time in that period to know if your team is performing well or not, and that is how you measure the success of a football club.

The FA Cup is a wonderful dream, and we have enjoyed every single minute of it - I find it relaxing. It has not been a side issue, but a plus to our league form. I make the league the most important thing in my job, and I always will. You judge a team over 46 games, and see where they end up. If we end up bottom, then we deserve to end up there.

Q. Duncan Gray of Cambridge asks: After the diabolical display by the officials in Saturdays FA Cup game against Bolton, What in your opinion should or could be done to stop these inconsistent decisions affecting teams winning or losing vital games?

I think they need to reassess it. Whatever things have been talked about, need to be implemented. I would possibly be all for two referees looking at the action, but it is hard to say what the answer is. Things are very complicated for one official to deal with, how we get round that ... I don't know.

Without doubt, referees need help. We need more consistency, and I think the fact FIFA have tried to clean the game up has brought problems for the referee. What is bookable and what isn't? Once a referee makes a decision, and it may well be the wrong one, he has to react in the same way for the rest of the match.

There is a lot of pressure on referees, and I feel for them. I must admit this season I have lost faith in them, and what they are doing. Without doubt, I would say that something needs to be done. We have had a very worrying seven months with the inconsistency of referees. That is not an excuse for the situation we are in at the moment - that is our fault. I am not hiding behind referees' decisions, but this is the worst season I have ever experienced in football with regards to the inconsistency of referees.

If you would like to have your question asked next week, please follow this link and complete the form. Whenever possible the answers will be available every Thursday night.

As ever, we would like to thank Graham Eales for the opportunity to put these questions to Roy McFarland, and the manager for his co-operation.

If you have any comments about this regular feature, either for Will or myself or for Roy or Graham, please use this e-mail address: feedback@cambridgeunited.com