Carlisle United Football Club

“I see Shaun as being different to what we’ve got here,” he said. “He’s a goal scorer and he can create chances as well. He can play in holes, he can play off a striker and he can play on his own up front. 

“He’s a very intelligent player and he’s a bit of a baby-faced assassin. You meet him and you think he looks about 18 or 19-years old. He’s obviously much older than that and he has an air of ruthlessness I like. 

“Add his attributes to what we get from Charlie Wyke and Jabo Ibehre and you start to see that we’re in a good place.”

And on the search for a new keeper, he said: “We’re not looking for an understudy. We don’t want someone to fill a place on the bench. We’re actively looking for competition for Mark. 

“It’s not easy because we want someone who is as good as he is. The good thing is that those we have looked at so far haven’t been better than he is. That means we already have a good keeper here and it shows how highly we rate him.”

Speaking again about the squad already assembled, he said: “The players retained last season were kept for a reason and they’re part of the building blocks and foundations I’ve always said I needed to put in place. 

“The likelihood of us ending the season with the same players we’re going to start it with is low, but it will all depend on how the players face challenges. The first challenge was to earn a contract at Carlisle and the next challenge is now to get into the squad. 

“From there it’s to get into the team and stay there. If that happens it’s because the player and the team is being successful. Gone are the days where you sign for this club and you play because you’re on big money. Nobody has any guarantees at all. You only get picked if you earn it.”