We caught up with manager Paul Simpson this week to get his thoughts on last season.
“This has been the toughest season of my career,” he admitted. “I think it was probably because as a manager you’re always fighting to turn something around. I do believe a lot of the things I did were the right things to try, but they just didn’t work.
“Last season we would go with a 3-4-3 or a 3-5-2 shape and in-game we were able to change it which worked, this year it hasn’t worked so there is a frustration there. It’s been tough because even when we got good results, which were very few and far between, we weren’t able to select the same side, or if we were able to select the same side, the gulf in their level of performance was so great and we just couldn’t put our finger on why.
“We were quite consistent with how we prepared for games, but this year it didn’t work for me. I’ve said it before, but I don’t believe I was a great manager last season because we got promoted, but the players were really effective.
“This season, I don’t think I’ve become as bad a manager as everybody wants to make out, and certainly not as bad a manager as the league table suggests. I just think we all haven’t gelled together, and we haven’t worked as well together. That has been difficult to take.
“I don’t care what job you do, I think if you’re getting criticised it isn’t pleasant, but I have to accept that that’s the case. I think people have made up stories that are maybe not true as well, so there’s been lots and lots of challenges this season. None of that has put me off the job, it’s made me more determined to make sure next year is a better one.”
“I’m fortunate enough that in my career I’ve had successful seasons with promotions and winning things,” he said. “This season has been the downside of the roller coaster of football management, and I want the next one to be better because there is a pressure on me. I understand that, but I want it to be better because it then makes my whole life better. I’m expecting a tough summer this year to prepare for what I hope will be a good season next year.”
We also wondered what the biggest thing Simmo has learned during this season has been: “I’ve learned that football is a very fickle industry. Maybe not learned, it’s probably just reminded me, but I’ve learned a lot. People who wanted to pretend they were my friend last season have gone very quiet this year, so I’ll be different with it going forward. I think I had a hardened skin anyway, but this season has made it even tougher.
“The football world is like that. Last season everybody said it was all great even though we stumbled across the line. This season has made me doubly determined to try and turn it around. When I first came back, I said I wanted to try and make Carlisle United a better football club, I still think we’ve got a hell of a long way to go.
“There are a lot of things that still aren’t right here and a lot of things I don’t think are as professional as they need to be. I don’t think our facilities are as good as they need to be, so we have to do everything we possibly can to continue trying to make the club better.
“I know we have an ownership group who are absolutely determined to do that. They’re making funds available to improve the infrastructure and to improve the squad. We’ve all got to try and work together to do everything we possibly can to put something on the pitch that Carlisle United fans can be proud of again.
“The first thing is that we’ve got to do is get a different group of players together. We’ve got 18 players under contract for next season, but there may be some who will leave and make it less than 18. We need to assemble a group of players who are going to come in with a clean slate and a clear head.
“I hope there will also be changes in and around the dressing room area so that when players come back in, they see something better for them. There have been changes made around the football club but nothing for the players yet.
“We’re hoping those changes will make a difference for them. Everything in pre-season will be geared towards having a positive environment and making sure we start the season by hitting the ground running.”
Watch the full interview with Paul Simpson HERE.
