First Team Coach Barry Corr faced local media prior to the U’s Papa John’s Trophy Second Round clash with Walsall at the Abbey Stadium…
On United’s Strikers:
“We always said Joe [Ironside] would do well at this level as he has outstanding attributes. He is really strong so if we could give him service, we were convinced that he could score goals at this level. He has obviously proven at League Two level, and now he is doing it in League One. He has been brilliant.
“Sam [Smith] as well, he is on a brilliant run of form at the moment so we are really pleased him obviously chipping in with so many goals. Harvey Knibbs has not had as many minutes, but I have to say his training levels have been exceptional lately.
“Joey and Sam are both important for the team, but they know if they don't perform, Harvey Knibbs is waiting, but they are all really pushing each other so it is really good for us.”
Team News:
“There is going to be changes with the team and that is probably a by-product of the kind of run that we have been on. We seem to have played every Tuesday for as long as I can remember!
“It is a good opportunity to give some minutes to some of our really promising players. It points to how good of a squad we have got. We do have good players that maybe haven't played so much this season and it is an opportunity for them to stake a claim for future games.
“It is a similar situation to Saturday really, as well the long term injuries, we will still be without Lloyd [Jones].”
On Walsall:
“Matt Taylor has arrived in what is his first full time managerial role and I think he has done really well. He has brought in a lot of new players, so obviously it takes time for them to settle, but I think they have had a reasonably good start and I am sure they are probably looking at the play-offs in front of them and thinking that is a realistic target for them.
“There is a slightly different mentality heading into tomorrow’s game. It is a cup competition, so there is that excitement. In that sense, it is knockout football, which is always a little bit exciting.”
On Corr’s role as First Team Coach:
“It is such a broad role really, so I take a lot of training sessions, we work obviously on a match day and I'll do a lot of the set piece work, so just lots of general stuff. We really value having a good relationship with the players and looking after them, so as staff we want to create the best environment that we can do for the players”