Local media once again had the opportunity to quiz club directors about current issues at their regular press conference on Friday morning and, alongside questions about the ongoing first team manager appointment process, there was keen interest in recent rumours which suggest that the Blues are looking to appoint a General Manager.
“The appointment of a manager at a club like Carlisle United is very important and we know we have to get the right man,” John Nixon said. “We won’t comment on the speculation we’re hearing on individuals, but as well as the application list we have asked other people to help us with our search for a manager.
“Hence there’s some speculation around names, which has been surprising, but we have asked people to help us in our quest so that when we get to the final considerations, we know we’ve had the widest list possible to work from.”
On the specific rumours that a General Manager role is to be created, with names already linked to the position, chief executive Nigel Clibbens said: “The immediate issue we have is to get the right manager in place, that’s vital, and anything beyond that hasn’t been discussed.
“That’s something for way, way down the line. The focus is on the manager position right now, because that’s vital. It’s impossible to respond to every rumour but we do understand that people feel unsettled.
“They haven’t got a manager, and we feel exactly the same frustration. However, we know we have to do this right, and we’re prepared to take the extra time, if that’s needed, to get the right end result for everybody.”
“What we’re finding with these rumours is that it’s very difficult for us to be held to account for things that haven’t happened,” he continued. “There’s a journey from speculation, to rumour, to people getting upset, and then to it going away and not happening.
“As that journey is ongoing the criticism flows our way. The messages coming to me are all about ‘if you do this, then this is what I think’ and ‘if you do that, it will be a huge mistake’ and things like that. It’s all based around if’s and maybe’s.
“These things aren’t happening, but we get criticised anyway. The rumours mean that it can become unsettling and people start to think that these things have actually happened.
“All we can do is continue to try to do the right things. That means we will continue to have a thorough process, we’ll communicate what’s happening to the fans in the best way we can, which we’ve been doing on a weekly basis up to this point, and we’ll continue to explain why things are happening.
“I look forward to us maybe one day being given the benefit of the doubt rather than presume that we’re guilty based on speculation. Being honest, it’s very difficult, but I’m very optimistic that when we get the right man in place he’ll take the fans with us and we’ll all move forward to exciting times.
“That’s what it’s all about. It’s about reinvigorating things and about bringing some excitement. Until then we’ll see a bit of choppy waters, but these things are never easy.”
