On The Spot

Will Jones tackles Roy McFarland - weekly!

Every week Roy McFarland gives an exclusive weekly interview to U's Net and answers a selection of questions from supporters. We do our best to ask every question but inevitably if they have already been asked or there are a lot of questions we have to pick the best or most topical questions. Please don't give up!

This week Roy McFarland looks back on the games against Oldham and Bury, assesses the injury situation, and looks forward to the next match against Bristol Rovers. He also responds to the questions you want answered as U's Net reporter Will Jones once again puts him … "On The Spot".

Q. Looking back at last Saturday's defeat at Oldham - our first away from home in six matches - what were your thoughts on the performance?

I was pleased with our first half performance, I think we had the better of the play. There weren't many chances for either side but I think maybe we dominated the first half and had the better chances. I think our touch let us down a few times as we worked the ball well and got clear. In the second half we just couldn't retain the ball and gave possession away cheaply and quickly. We were playing very narrow, and that was the major problem as we didn't get the ball wide or get behind them. We kept losing the ball when we shouldn't and put ourselves under pressure.

I thought the goalkeeper, Paul Wanless and the back four worked tirelessly. Our full backs could have come out and helped a little bit more at times, they tended to sit back a bit which meant we didn't come out and engage the opposition.

I always felt that Oldham were going to get on the end of one of the crosses sooner or later, and that's what happened. We would have been delighted to have finished with a point but in the second half that is all it looked like the team were playing for. That disappointed me but we bounced back very quickly with the game against Bury.

Q. That game against Bury was pretty much in the bag after a first half display that must have delighted you.

It was a very good performance in the first half. It was a little bit hard in the second half as all they wanted to do was defend. The first half an hour was tremendous and we scored three goals. We could have come in more than three goals up. We know they were down to nine men, possibly deservedly, as the referee saw the incidents and acted correctly.

Q. I suppose one of the most pleasing things after the game would be that all our goals were scored against Bury when they had 11 players on the pitch?

That is the important thing, we scored all our goals before they had anyone sent off. We had several other chances to score as well. In the second half the going was a little bit tough. We found it hard to work the ball and we didn't move it quickly enough. The supporters were looking for the next goal but it never came. Everybody was delighted that we got all three points, as that was the major thing.

Q. That result, along with the fact Cardiff didn't play, moved us four points clear of the relegation zone. Are you still taking each game as it comes, or are you starting to look at the larger picture, i.e. three more wins should guarantee we play second division football next season?

I think you always look at the bigger picture but whatever happens next is the most important thing. That is what I am always trying to prepare the players for. The next team that you play, in our case Bristol Rovers, is the main thing. They have hit a bit of a barren patch and are, in a sense, finding it hard to win football matches but that won't make our job any easier. I believe that if we win three of our last six games we will be safe. In that sense if we can win our last three home games of the season we will be home and dry. You never know in football what is going to happen but I would be delighted with nine points from our remaining fixtures.

Q. Looking ahead to the game against Bristol Rovers, they - as you mention - are on a dire run of form at the moment. Still, on paper, a point for us would seem to be a good result. You mentioned earlier that you felt playing for a point at Oldham was our undoing ... will the side be happy with a point on Saturday?

No, the total opposite. We have to be positive and go for the three points. Winning our three home games is our best opportunity to stay up. I always fancy us at home and in front of our own supporters - who have been very influential and a great help to the players at home and particularly away - we stand a good chance.

Without doubt our supporters would have been disappointed with our second half performance against Bury but delighted with the fact we won the game and scored three goals in the first half. I think they will come back and support us and see us through this and in that sense I just hope we can reward them.

Q. You had to substitute both Paul Wanless and Scott Eustace during the victory against Bury, are they going to be fit for the game this weekend?

Paul Wanless had two dead legs and Scott Eustace was injured in the tackle from which Reid was dismissed. They haven't trained today but they might train tomorrow. We will have a good look at them and might not make them train but just see it through until Saturday. I feel sure that knowing both of those players they will want to play. As the manager of the club I want them to play as they have been superb of late. Without doubt I have said many things about Paul Wanless and he has been an inspiration to the team. His spirit and competitiveness has rubbed off on some of the players.

Scott has been a brick at the back and is helping young Martin McNeil to find his feet as he is finding it a bit tough. He is sticking in there and he is a confident boy and having Scott alongside him has been a real help.

Q. You said last week that you hoped Tom Youngs would start to train against this week, will he be in contention against Bristol?

Tom Youngs trained today and scored three goals in the small game we had. That doesn't surprise me as he always looks like he is going to score. He has come through well today and I touch wood and hope we have no reaction to that.

Q. John Taylor played the full 90 minutes against Bury on Tuesday night. Will he be ready and raring to go against his old side on Saturday?

John phoned me up in the afternoon of the Bury game and told me he had a bad migraine in the morning. He wasn't sure if he wanted to start but he had a rest and when he came in he looked fresh and lively. John was a bit surprised, as normally after a migraine he prefers not to play. He gave it a go and I thought he was tremendous. John and Trevor have been a real handful for the opposition. John has been a real help to Trevor in terms of how he has played. Mind you, if Trevor plays like he did in the second half he wont be starting games soon as he was bloody awful!

Will Jones

Tom Kingsley from London asks: We have recently seen Charlton form a link with Inter Milan. Do you think there would be value from Cambridge United forming links with overseas clubs? I am thinking in terms of player exchange arrangements.

I certainly think it is a way to go forward for Cambridge United. What we mustn't do, and we won't do, is lose our identity. We don't have to lose our identity but we do have to remember we are what we are. We aren't a club with any financial clout and we have to sell players. The one thing we can do is produce players and that is good for us. I would hope in the future that we could have an association with not only a foreign club but also a Premier League club. We have had talks with a Premier League club about a year ago but those links were not tied.

For Cambridge United I genuinely believe it is a way forward. It isn't the be-all and end-all but it would, in a sense, be a great help to keep us playing league football.

Chris from Ottawa asks: Professional sport in North America is organised by franchises -- businesses that run a team in one of the major leagues. The requirement for joining is money and there is no promotion from lower divisions. The major teams have 'farm' sides where there reserve and youth team play in a different league. Players are called up if and when the club need them. Do you see such a system emerging in the Football league in England? I read of Manchester United loaning players to various local lower division sides and this week there was a report about Leeds United linking up with Oldham Athletic. It could solve some of the persistent cash problems lower division teams face but would also destroy an essential component of being a fan -- demanding that your side can make it to the Premier League.

I think the system we have at the moment is the best system. Maybe, in a sense, our future will not be dictated solely by ourselves. It might be dictated by what happens in the Premier League and teams such as Manchester United. Football, at the top level, is always changing and we have to try and catch up and try and string along with things. The future of Cambridge United playing the Premier League will never happen. We haven't got the money or players to do that. The game will be dictated by the people who have the money and that's the way it will stay.

I think connecting us to another club is a way forward. I don't really understand the idea of farming out players, to me that sounds a little bit elitist. I don't think that could ever happen in this country.

Mike from Cambridge asks: It's been a long old season Roy, and I'm sure you are looking forward to your holiday. Is it booked yet and where are you going? Surely not Holland and Belgium like some of the more addicted fans?

I won't be off to Holland and Belgium. I don't think there are any players there that could, in a sense, be available to help Cambridge United. I haven't booked my holiday yet but the two previous years I have had long-haul holidays but this time I am looking to go to Spain. I do like the country and love the people. It is handy ... it's only two hours away.

S Warren of Burwell asks: Why have we not signed Tom Cowan, the best defender we've had for a number of seasons? (more below)

Tom Cowan wants his options open and wants to go back to Scotland. He has gone away until the end of the season to see is a club up there wants him. The second problem was his wages, we will never be able to afford them and therefore our only chance of signing him if he accepts our terms. Make no mistake I want to sign him but he wants to see what his options are and, sadly, if somebody can offer him a better deal then he will go there.

S Warren: Why is Martin McNeil still in the first team? With all the new signings we still haven't got a central defender.

Tell me about it! If you want to tell me of a central defender then phone me up and let me know and I will go and have a look at them. If there is a central defender in this country that we haven't seen and looked at then my name is Charley Farley.

S Warren: Our defence is always in disarray. Do they have a game plan? They always seem to stand about 10 feet away from any opposition and are consistently left standing for crosses and through balls. Please sort it, most of the Habbin has this same view, why hasn't the management?

I think you want to look at our present form. Out of the teams at the bottom, at the moment we are playing quite well. We know we have struggled for much of the season. Maybe the Habbin stand should be the management?

Finally, Tom Kingsley from London asks: My second team is Liverpool. Knowing that you supported them as a boy I wanted to ask how you feel about the potential in Gerard Houllier's team for next season?

I think Houllier's major problem was sorting out the defence and the goals against. He has completely changed the defence and bought very wisely. The team is now hard to beat. Liverpool always had creative players who could score goals but he has had to work most of this season without two of his main strikers, Owen and Fowler. He has sorted the defence out and brought the foreign players in and they have adapted well. I think next season we will see a team that will hopefully challenge for the title. Liverpool isn't a football team that can finish second or third, they have to be fighting for the top honours. They have been there before and they have to get back there again. The way he is building his team I think they will have a very good chance of competing next season.

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