Colchester United boss Danny Cowley says he expects Mike Williamson to lead Carlisle United to the top end of League Two despite the Blues’ poor start.
And the head coach of this weekend’s opponents says United’s appointment of Williamson has shown their “ambition”.
Carlisle head to the JobServe Community Stadium on Saturday for Williamson’s fourth game in charge.
It is also the third time he will have faced Colchester already this season, after two visits with MK Dons in league and cup.
Cowley, speaking to The Gazette, said: "The quirks of football! It'll be three times now so he'll be familiar with our stadium and familiar with our team, for sure.
"We obviously have a good idea of how he wants to play.
"Obviously, he's in the infancy of his role there. I think it shows the ambition of Carlisle United that they're able to take one of the best young managers in the division from one of their biggest rivals.
"We anticipate a really tough game. I know they haven't had the start to the season that they would have liked but you've only got to look at the work of Mike and his staff and also the quality of players that they have to know that they will get it right, sooner rather than later.
"We anticipate them being right at the top of the division.”
Colchester won both meetings with Williamson’s MK Dons, while Cowley - whose squad includes former United loan striker John-Kymani Gordon - is glad to be back on home soil after back-to-back away trips.
The Essex side were beaten 4-0 at Walsall last weekend before earning a 1-1 draw at Port Vale on Tuesday. They sit 15th in League Two after nine games.
"We can't wait to be back at home, after two tough back to back away trips,” added Cowley.
"We're looking forward to trying to put a really good performance together. We've been pleased with our performances at home, on the whole.
"The only defeat has been against Harrogate and it was a game that was probably one of our best performances.
"We want to be a resilient team and be a team that goes to the end and we want to be a team that never gives up.
"We showed those qualities on Tuesday night [when the U’s scored a last-minute equaliser at Vale Park] and now the ambition is to do that relentlessly and be really consistent and that's what I think as a group, we're working towards."
Cowley hopes to welcome back Teddy Bishop, Harry Anderson and Owura Edwards from injury for the Carlisle clash.
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