Carlisle United boss issues message amid contract talks

Simpson made the comment amid ongoing discussions regarding young goalkeeper Gabe Breeze’s future.

Negotiations are continuing after the 20-year-old Cumbrian turned down United’s first offer of an improved deal.

Simpson remains hopeful that an agreement will be reached but he stressed it would not be at any cost.

“I spoke to Gabe last week – I actually thought we’d verbally agreed it, but then something’s come back again which is basically not what we talked about,” Simpson told the News & Star today.

“Because of the [midweek] game and us not being in on Wednesday, I haven’t taken it up again yet, but it’s one of the things on my mind to go and try and find out where we are with it.

“I would like him to stay but I’m not going to allow anybody to take the football club to the cleaners – we’ve got to keep a structure to what we’re doing.

“Hopefully I’ll get a decision [soon].”

Breeze earned praise after four composed first-team appearances over the winter after he took the place of former No1 Tomas Holy.

Carlisle then brought in Bradford City keeper Harry Lewis, with Breeze reverting to a substitute role.

Simpson confirmed Carlisle were not in contract discussions with any other member of the squad at the moment.

Paul Simpson (Image: Barbara Abbott)

United’s boss, meanwhile, said the task of managing a large squad at the moment is “normal”.

Carlisle’s January recruitment, and a struggle to offload certain out of favour players, has meant a number of players not making the matchday squad while one, Corey Whelan, has been left off the club’s official squad list for the rest of the season.

Asked how he is handling the overall situation, Simpson said: “It’s normal.

“We took a group to Burton on Monday, and it left about four or five players [behind].

“So we ended up with [assistant manager] Gav Skelton staying behind with Adam Kwiecien [the strength and conditioning coach] and Chris [Brunskill] the physio – they did a session and mixed with the second year scholars.

“They did a football session, the top-up work, so they’re all getting work.

“There’ll be a game we’re arranging next week for these lads who are not involved to all get minutes – we’re just waiting for confirmation on that one.

“You’ve just got to keep them all up to speed. They all understand they can’t all play and there’s a disappointment when they’re not playing, but there has to be a professionalism to keep going.”