Simpson calls out Carlisle United player over 'situation'

The manager suggested that one player refused to do some post-match fitness work following the 4-0 loss to Cambridge United.

Simpson said that raised questions about that player’s commitment to the idea of helping Carlisle turn things around.

“Whether everybody’s doing everything they can to be the best professionals, I don’t really know at the moment,” said Simpson in a club interview (watch below).

“We’ve had a situation at the end of the game there where we’ve got a player who’s wanting to play and who’s fit to play and fit to be on the bench, and then when they do the top-up running afterwards he says he’s not fit enough to do that.

“I’m asking questions about whether these really want to be involved, whether they are doing everything they possibly can to make sure they’re in the best shape possible to come into this fight and do a job for us.”

• Jon Colman's big-match verdict on Carlisle's thrashing by Cambridge

Simpson did not name the player concerned. Carlisle’s substitutes for the Cambridge game were Gabe Breeze, Paul Huntington, Alfie McCalmont, Taylor Charters, Seán Grehan, Dan Butterworth and Anton Dudik, the latter pair coming on in the second half of the game.

United’s manager insisted there remained plenty of unity in the squad but also questioned whether some of those currently out of favour were behind the team as much as they could be.

“There seems to be the right unity to me. There’s nothing that we can say to actually judge whether it was [the case], but going into Tuesday’s game at Burton, I felt as though there was a real unity about the group,” he told the News & Star after the Cambridge game.

“I think there are players who are not happy that they're not playing. And I'm not sure if they've got the real desire for the rest of the group to win.

“But those players aren't the ones who affected [this game]. Those players are still coming in and working and doing the right things in training.

“So I do think there's a unity. But everybody has to look at themselves. Players who are not selected today need to actually have a long, hard look and work out why they weren't selected today, why they weren't in the team.

“The ones who were selected today need to have a long, hard look at themselves and say, ‘Did I do enough in my preparation between Tuesday's game being called off and Saturday’ to be the best that they possibly could?

“We'll have to do that as a staff – we've got to look at the training that we do, we've got to look at the selection that we give out, the shape that we put them out, the messages that we give out.

Carlisle fans start to desert the Paddock as Cambridge rack up the second half goals (Image: Barbara Abbott)

“We've got to look at all of that. And we've got to try and come up with something that gets some pride back because we've lost a hell of a lot of pride today.”

Carlisle’s season went from bad to worse with the four-goal thrashing at the hands of Neil Harris’s Cambridge.

United went behind in the 14th minute to Sullay Kaikai’s goal, then a farcical Sam Lavelle own-goal following a Harry Lewis error put them further behind after the break.

Elias Kachunga and Ryan Bennett headed further Cambridge goals to extend Carlisle’s worst losing run since 2003 and leave them 13 points from safety.

• 'I'm no quitter' - Simpson pledges to fight on at Carlisle United

Simpson felt Carlisle started both halves brightly but admitted they got what they deserved with the rest of their performance.

“The second goal’s a killer and knocks the stuffing right out of you,” he said.

“The third goal we give the ball away and then it’s poor recoveries. The fourth goal we don't get out and stop a cross coming in – and a good cross, I'll give it that – right to the far post and Bennett goes and gets above Sam Lavelle.

“So there were loads of things wrong. Once that second goal went in, we didn't have the strength of character to try and stay in the game. And we got what we absolutely deserved.

“The goalkeeper [Lewis] thankfully made that save [late on], otherwise it could have been even worse.

“So now it's a tough place. It's a tough place as a manager. And all we can do is get back together again next week, regroup and try and come up with an answer that gets some pride back. Because there wasn't a lot there to be proud of today.”

Simpson added that, while the defeat offered no faith that Carlisle could mount an unlikely improvement towards survival, there was still plenty for the Blues to play for.

“I have to agree. It doesn't give you any belief. But we are professional people, we are playing for pride,” he added.

“And if by playing for pride, we get some results, and suddenly things start to close up, then that makes it a little bit different.

“But I've said all along for weeks and weeks now, if we don't win our games, it's irrelevant what everybody else is doing. So we've got to try and get some pride back into this group of people, staff and players, which hopefully will give some pride back to the supporters.

“Because I totally accept the criticism that will come my way and come our way as a group. All I can say is I am trying as much as I possibly can to make things a success. I'm trying it by different ideas, different people. We're doing everything. Next weekend, we might have to put different players in.”