AS: After a summer of optimism at Sincil Bank it has been widely accepted that the team has not really played to their full potential yet. Can you see matters improving over the course of the season and is promotion still a realistic target?
PG: We are under no illusions about the start to our season and realise it has not been good enough. Results so far have been pretty poor and with the squad of players that the manager has assembled we are underachieving if I am honest. But the lads have been working hard in training and I don’t think we are far from turning the corner and putting in some good performances to start climbing the table.
The players that were brought in over the summer have added even more quality to the squad. We can’t really put our finger on the where the problem lies at the moment, but maybe it’s the fact that with all the new faces the team hasn’t quite gelled together yet. Still, I’m optimistic for the rest of the season as the league title isn’t contested over six games and if we keep winning anything is possible.
AS: After Abu Dhabi’s recent takeover of Manchester City, Mark Hughes has a seemingly unlimited budget to make them the best club in England. Do you think the takeover is a good thing for the Premiership and do you think it will make a difference to this year’s title race?
PG: Unlike many I actually think this is good for English football and I would like to see Man City break into the top four and make the Premiership even more competitive. But I don’t think they will break that barrier this season and anything like a top eight finish will be a good season for them. I heard players like Fernando Torres of Liverpool and Cesc Fabregas of Arsenal have been linked with a move there and if large amounts of money are being offered then I can see some quality players being tempted to Eastlands.
As a Manchester United fan I would of course like to see my team win the league again this season. However, from what I have seen from Chelsea this season I think they will be quite a force to be reckoned with.
AS: Andy Murray has hit the headlines over recent weeks after reaching the final at the US open. What do you make of his performances over the summer and do you think he is capable of winning a major tournament any time soon?
PG: My girlfriend is a big tennis fan so I have watched a fair bit of Andy Murray over the summer. The lad has improved a lot and with every match he plays he looks a stronger player. I really like Murray and his passion for the game and if he can repeat the sort of form he showed in beating Nadal at the US open semi final then I don’t think he will be far off winning a major tournament in the next few years. I think he thrives on the pressure that is placed on his shoulders and if he can keep improving further then he is going to be a big star in the game.
AS: Lewis Hamilton has been criticised of late for some bad tactical decisions which could cost him the F1 driver’s championship. Do you think he has what it takes to win this time round?
PG: Hamilton was really unlucky last year and coming that close to winning it seems to have spurred him on even more. I think he deserves to win it this year and I will be delighted for him if he does. With only four races left he can’t really afford any more slip-ups. But, again like Murray he has matured and is better equipped for the battle this season.
By Aaron Scott