It remains a hot topic as safety edges ever closer - what happens next?
“There’s been conversations had, but they haven’t gone anywhere so far because there’s still lots of things that need to go on off the grass if I’m going to be really honest,” manager Paul Simpson said today.
“We’ve had really early talks at the moment. But it hasn’t left me in a position where I’m thinking show me the paper and I’ll sign it, we haven’t got to that stage.
“There are rumblings of other things that are going on, which have been rumbling for a while in the background, but in football things rumble along all the time. Nothing happens with some of them.
“It’s still too early, far too early to talk about it. I will say the same as I’ve said all along, I was asked to come here for 15 games, that’s still my remit at the moment.
“Whether anything goes any further than that, but for me to stay at Carlisle United, everything has to be right. I’m sorry to say it, but it has to be right for me.
“This is a situation where I have to think about me and my family. Me and my wife spoke about it coming up here, if anything was to happen, we would be moving up here to come and throw ourselves into it, as we have on about 24 occasions through our married life.
“We’ve moved into an area, and I am not prepared to move here and put myself in a situation where I could be sacked very soon because I can’t put out the fires that need to be put out. If it’s not right for me, I can’t take it, and that’s where I stand.
“People might think that’s really selfish, but that’s me being really honest about it, it’s where I stand in the situation. I’m in a point in my career, and my life to be fair, which has made me realise that.
“In the summer when I got diagnosed with cancer, I realised I have to do what’s right for me. If it’s right for Carlisle United at the same time, brilliant. If it's not we shake hands, move on and see what comes.”
“It’s not the case of needing assurances, the football club has to be right,” he added. “When I came in, in February, there were all sorts of rumblings of loads of discontent going on in the club.
“Results have managed to stifle them a little bit but it doesn’t mean they go away, there are still issues need resolving.
“I can’t go into it, but at no point have we sat down and I’ve been told all those issues have been resolved, at no point have I been told what sort of budget it is for next season.
“I’m quite sure between now and the end of the season those conversations will happen. But it won’t change anything. If we sit down in the next 48 hours and someone tells me some information that isn’t right for me, and I decide I’m not staying, it doesn’t change anything at all.
“My remit is to get as many positive results from now to the end of the season, and that’s what I’ll continue to do. There’s really nothing more I can say about it.”
When asked if there had been any interest shown in him from elsewhere, he commented: “No, there’s nothing more than that, it’s just conversations that go on.
“It isn’t any club in particular ringing me, but you get enquiries from different places. I suppose it’s a reflection of the players who’ve put me into that position because of how they’ve gone about it. Really, that’s nice.
“If we hadn’t done well, nobody would be talking about me. At this moment in time, it isn’t about me, but when it comes to making the decision, whether people like it or not, it will be about me and my family, what’s right for us.
“Because that’s the first thing I always consider now. Maybe in the past I haven’t done that. Now that really is important, that’s it’s right for me and my family, to make the right decisions.
“Who knows, I really don’t know where it’s all going to end up, but it has to be right for all parties, for me, for Carlisle United, and we’ll see where we all end up.”
And, of course, also to be discussed are the futures of a number of the playing squad.
“I haven’t actually asked the players if it’s on their mind, but it’s got to be,” he confirmed. “Everybody knows when their contract finishes, staff do, I know my contract finishes after Bradford.
“Everybody who’s fighting to get either something here or show people in the rest of football, whether that be in England or worldwide, that they’re capable of doing something and able to be effective.
“We all know where we are, where we stand. The big challenge is to make sure we get the results to keep us in the league.
“If you do that, that’s going to help whatever situation you find yourself in the summer. I just hope we do continue in the way we have been. The players have been superb.
“It’s not just me who’s noticing, everybody’s noticing. The supporters are coming in their numbers because they’re noticing the players have stepped up in the right way.”
