KEITH CURLE
The Carlisle boss on managing expectations – and a big cup date
IT’S taken some time, but manager Keith Curle reckons his Carlisle side are now reaping the rewards for all their hard graft this season.
Reaching the League Two play-offs last term – the Cumbrians suffered a heart-breaking 6-5 aggregate loss to Exeter in the semifinals – raised expectations at Brunton Park.
In some ways, that was understandable as, under Curle’s leadership, the Cumbrians have progressed year on year: from 20th in 2014-15, to tenth in 2015-16 and sixth last season.
But their budgetary constraints and isolated geographical location make it difficult for them to compete with the division’s big-hitters.
And there is almost a feeling of starting all over at the beginning of each season.
Embedded
Ex-Man City and Wolves defender Curle, right, said: “I wouldn’t say we had a hangover as such, though we did make a slow start this season.
“We were still bringing in additions a week before the season started.
“We had a freshening up of the squad and limited time in pre-season working together.
“New skill sets needed to be embedded and it’s getting the blend right. Sometimes it takes a bit of time – we are a work in progress.”
But progress is undoubtedly being made. Successive victories over Christmas – 1-0 at Forest Green last Saturday and 3-1 at home against Accrington Stanley on Boxing Day – lifted the Blues to 12th place in the table pre-weekend.
While that might not sound particularly promising, they were only four points off the play-offs and six points adrift of automatic promotion.
Pacesetters Luton and Notts County may be galloping away at the top, but the race behind them is well and truly on.
Yet Curle believes there does need to be a dose of reality where Carlisle are concerned.
“The expectation was high following last season and, if you don’t get immediate results, there’s grumbling and some discontent,” he said. “But when I joined (September 2014) the club were plummeting towards Non League.
“We have tried to build a platform and have made continued improvement. Due to that, people think we have to aim for the top three. That’s all well and good, but if you aren’t investing and other clubs are, then it isn’t going to be easy.
“We were blown out of the water by teams like Lincoln, Luton, Mansfield and Notts County with some of the players our recruitment department highlighted. We couldn’t compete and offer contracts on a similar scale to them.
“Of course, there are other pressures and demands that come with having bigger resources. We need to see investment in the football club and, if we can do that, there’s a bigger pressure and the expectation can rightly be increased. “The expectation this season is to be in and around the top half. Within that, you are talking about 12th to sixth.” Injuries are another factor that can play a major part in a club’s fortunes and Carlisle have been hit by two hammer blows. Influential winger Nicky Adams, 31, suffered a cruciate ligament injury against Yeovil in mid-November and has been ruled out for the rest of the season, while goalscoring midfielder Jason Kennedy, also 31, is set to sit out the whole of 2018 with a pelvis problem that requires surgery.
Curle said: “Nicky and Jason have been key components for us, but we have to try to find other ways of winning games.”
Away from league action, Carlisle have shone in the FA Cup, knocking out two League One sides. They dispatched Oldham 3-2 in the first round at Brunton Park and then saw off Gillingham 3-1 in a replay on home turf after a 1-1 draw in Kent.
Their reward is an attractive home tie against Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.
The Championship club dispensed with the services of boss Carlos Carvalhal last weekend and then beat Nottingham Forest 3-0 with Lee Bullen in caretaker charge.
Impress
Curle is relishing the prospect.
“It’s an opportunity to compete against higher opposition, which we have done with relative success in recent times,” he added. “We didn’t disgrace ourselves against the likes of Liverpool, Everton, QPR and Sunderland. We have always been competitive whoever we play.
“It will be a massive challenge for us against the ability they’ve got. Sheffield Wednesday are going through a management change and sometimes players start performing to try to impress a new manager.”