Robbie Savage’s Forest Green Rovers make the trip up the North-West to face Carlisle United, who sit in third place in the National League, with Savage reassuring the fans and the players they have ‘nothing to fear’ for the clash against his idol and Carlisle manager, Mark Hughes.
FGR have not won in their last four league matches with a disappointing 1-0 defeat last time out at home to Rochdale, with manager Robbie Savage wanting to ‘Cause some problems’ for Carlisle this weekend.
He spoke ahead of the huge test this weekend on the Forest Green YouTube channel:
‘It’s a tough game, they are all tough, because of the profile of the club everyone wants to beat Forest Green because we are very very good side.’
‘We are in the mix. We can win the league, it is going to be difficult as there is some brilliant teams up there so its going to be a tough game but we go there on the back of a brilliant performance and second in the league.’
Savage was asked about going up against Mark Hughes in the opposite dugout:
‘He’s my hero but he is the Carlisle United manager now and for those 90, 95 minutes we will do everything we can to beat his side. But again it will be a pleasure and a privilege to manage against my hero.’
The Rovers manager also celebrates his birthday this Saturday and implied the best present will be three points.
‘We have got to make sure we play our game, and we are going to get after them (Carlisle) and whatever the outcome we will get on the bus thinking we gave it our best shot.’
‘We are on the same points of them and we are above them in the table as it stands, so we are doing unbelievably well, there is no doubt about that, and both teams feel they have got a great opportunity of being promoted back to the football league this season.’
He believes his side has had an excellent start to the season, despite multiple injuries and looks forward to the rest of the season:
‘We are up there because of the culture and the philosophy of this football club. We have an owner who backs us and a sporting director who has done unbelievably well in his previous job and knows the loan market and the levels.’
‘Right now we are second in the league, in the first round of the FA Cup against Luton Town with 17 new, young players and whatever the outcome of the result we are enjoying our football, playing with our smile on our face and I am so delighted to be at football club with great people, and regardless of the result we are having a great time.’
