Carlisle United boss Mike Williamson on new coaches
Mike Williamson believes his latest coaching additions will have a big impact on Carlisle United.
The head coach this week drafted in goalkeeping coach Tom Weal and Toby Frost from MK Dons.
Weal is United’s new goalkeeping coach while Frost is now head of performance at Brunton Park.
They fill the roles previously occupied by Glen Johnson and Jake Simpson respectively and take the influx to United from MK Dons to six, along with Williamson and coaches Ian Watson, Chris Bell and Carl Magnay.
On the appointment of Weal and Frost, Williamson told the News & Star: “They’re big personalities and they’re massive for us.
“It was a very short period working with Glen, who was fantastic, a great guy, professional and gave everything – I’m really thankful to him.
“But it’s the nature of football. I’ve obviously worked with Tom and Tobes at MK, and they bring a lot of experience and a lot of ambition and detail, and I feel like they’ll have a really big effect on the club.”
Both new coaches were involved in the backroom team for the first time at Tuesday’s defeat to Notts County.
Williamson says he does not anticipate any further changes to the backroom staff as things stand, but says he will always be looking to improve things at United.
“For the moment, we’re happy,” he said.READ MORE: Carlsle United boss reveals stance on free agent market
“The staff here have been fantastic, and everyone’s really buying into it and adapting to what we’re asking and what we’re looking for.
“But in football, on the playing side and the coaching side, you’re always looking to improve, so we’ll never say we’re fully done, and we always want to push the bar and try and get the best people we can.”
United’s head coach, who is preparing the team for the trip to Colchester United on Saturday, says the coaching additions are part of his aim to make Carlisle better in the long term.
“We’re still taking time, we’re assessing everything, and we want to make as many short-term wins as we possibly can, but this is a project and it’s about making sure that we install strategies and structures that are going to maximise our output and our longevity – and we want to be fitter,” he said.
“We want to drive standards in every area through the roof, so when the boys do go on the pitch, the concentration is naturally there, they’re in tune and they’re fresh, and get to a point where the game’s the easiest side because training’s so hard.”
The Blues, meanwhile, are still to give an update on their search for a sporting director.
Owner Tom Piatak, on September 16, suggested an appointment was close but it’s understood that Carlisle’s target, Liam Sweeting, then opted to remain at MK Dons.
Latest reports from Football Insider claim Barrow’s Iain Wood could be a contender for the position.
