Carlisle United manager Greg Abbott has defended his decision to release hot property Nahki Wells from Brunton Park at the end of the 2011 season.Wells, whose Bradford City side play Aston Villa in the Capital Cup semi-final second leg today, made just three substitute appearances for the Cumbrians before being axed.Abbott said he believed Wells had plenty of potential but insisted he simply “wasn’t good enough” to be a first team regular at the Cumbrians.“We knew Nahki would be a good player and when we sent him to Bradford I begged them to sign him,” Abbott told the News and Star newspaper.“We said he needed time, another 12 to 18 months, and it was time we struggled to give him here because we needed players to make an immediate impact.“It’s only now that we’re seeing a real player developing. Those are the risks you take when you let people go.”Since leaving Carlisle, Wells, 22, has seen his stock rise considerably with several Championship clubs believed to be weighing up a move for the striker in the transfer window.It’s a far cry from his frustrating stint at Carlisle where he found himself behind a raft of other strikers in the pecking order.Abbott added: “At the time he couldn’t get in our first team, he wasn’t good enough.“It would have been very difficult with our finances to pay somebody for two years that wasn’t going to play.“And he didn’t (play) for a year after leaving here, either. So we were right at that point. Now he’s doing well and good luck to him.”Wells’ Bradford will be looking to hold onto their 3-1 lead over Villa when they face the Premier League team at Villa Park today.The Bermuda international, who is under contract until 2015, has scored 17 goals already this season.