Barry Corr: Cambridge United interim boss says U's will 'attack' derby against Peterborough

Barry Corr finished his playing career at Cambridge having also had spells with Leeds, Sheffield Wednesday, Bristol City, Swindon, Exeter and Southend

Cambridge interim head coach Barry Corr said Neil Harris joining Millwall was something he "didn't see coming" but thinks his previous stint in temporary charge will help the U's "attack" Saturday's derby against Peterborough.

Corr stepped up following Harris' return to the Den as boss on Wednesday.

He also filled in after Mark Bonner's sacking in December, winning his only game in charge 4-0.

"It's been a whirlwind for us but we have to move on," Corr, 38, said.

"Luckily, maybe, we have a really important game on Saturday that has to take everyone's attention."

Harris had only been at Abbey Stadium since replacing Bonner two months ago and had originally signed an 18-month contract.

But the pull of a potential return to the Lions, where he is the club's all-time top scorer, and a second spell in charge following a stint between 2015 and 2019 proved irresistible.

Although Corr said he was "really shocked" by the news, the fact that Harris had been with the club for such a short time compared with Bonner's four years, means the disruption is a little more limited.

"I didn't see it coming. I found out after the game on Tuesday [against Bolton]," he told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire.

"It's a different situation - with Mark he'd been at the club a long time, everybody had long relationships with him but with Neil he was in and gone and those relationships didn't have time to blossom, but that's football.

"It's his team [Millwall] and he has a long association with them and was something he felt he couldn't turn down."

Corr's last period in temporary charge was brief but successful, overseeing a comfortable victory over Fleetwood in the second round of the FA Cup before Harris was appointed.

And he says having done it before makes it less daunting this time as he prepares to face League One play-off-chasing Posh.

"It's certainly helped with this. The last time I felt a bit stressed about it - there wasn't enough time in the day - but that experience has made this easier," Corr said.

"We're very limited to what we can do on the grass, so it's theory and on a tactics board and there's not time to manipulate training sessions.

"It's about knowing what we're best at and it's just reminding he players of that.

"It's annoying our local rivals are quite a good team. They've done brilliantly this season and cause you problems. We'll look to nullify their threats as much as possible.

"I like to be aggressive and attack things and that came out in that game [against Fleetwood] and hopefully it will against Peterborough. I won't need to give any passionate speech before the game. The players will be ready to attack the game."

Corr is not sure how long his second spell in charge will last but "would imagine" he will be asked to do the job for the next three games over the coming seven days.

"There's no question I want to be a manager one day, but I want to be ready," he said.

"I'm not the most patient guy in the world but at this moment in time I'm happy with where I'm at."

Derby result will be 'pivotal' to Posh's season

Darren Ferguson has won the past two derby games against Cambridge - in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy in September and 5-0 in League One in November - but is trying to get the club's first league win at the U's since 1988

Peterborough visit Abbey Stadium on a high after booking their place at Wembley in the final of the Bristol Street Motors Trophy on Tuesday.

Boss Darren Ferguson says that has now "gone" and "won't be a distraction" for the derby as his side, sixth in League One, try to consolidate their place in the play-off picture.

"We've got to pick our league form up," he said. "We were back to ourselves on Tuesday with the belief and the confidence and I thought 'yeah this is us back to our best'.

"It's all about the derby and getting the win. We'll have to do well to do that - taking care in both penalty boxes is key."

In terms of the managerial situation at the U's, Ferguson is not expecting the home side to do anything radically different.

"Barry has taken over before - I don't think there will be many changes to what they do, they haven't had time to dramatically change things so I just think they'll be what they are - very good on the counter-attack," he told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire.

"I think as it's a derby it'll be a black-and-white situation. It doesn't matter who's in the dugout. I'm sure Cambridge's players and ours will give everything to try to get the win.

"The first goal is going to be important, no question. So we've got to be ruthless when we get the opportunity.

"If you look at the game last season when we didn't perform at all and they deserved to win. They got the first goal and sat in and made it difficult. So for me the key is we have to impose ourselves quickly.

"I think if we can get the win it will be pivotal to the rest of the season."

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