Keith Curle on contracts offered and retained and released players
United manager Keith Curle has today offered contracts to six of his current squad, including two of the loan players who made a huge impact during the vital end-of-season run-in.
Boro defender David Atkinson and Bradford midfielder Jason Kennedy have received offers in principle following the successful conclusion of their loan spells.
Current squad members Mark Gillespie and Brad Potts have been offered long term deals, and striker Derek Asamoah and defender Nathan Buddle have been offered short-term contracts as their respective deals draw to a close.
Six players will not be re-engaged on conclusion of their current contracts during this summer period - David Amoo, Stephen Elliott, Josh Gillies, Sean O’Hanlon, Matt Robson and David Symington.
Currently contracted for the duration of next season are Patrick Brough, Kyle Dempsey, Danny Grainger, Dan Hanford, Connor Hammell, Steven Rigg and Charlie Wyke.
Players under contract who have been made available are Troy Archibald-Henville, Mark Beck, Gary Dicker, Anthony Griffith, Danny Kearns, Courtney Meppen-Walter, Billy Paynter and Antony Sweeney.
Loan players Paul Corry, Jeffrey Monkana and Matt Young will return to their parent clubs as their spells at Brunton Park come to an end.
Meanwhile player-coach Paul Thirlwell was informed this afternoon that his contract will not be renewed, bringing an end to his eight-and-a-half year stay with the club.
Manager Keith Curle said: "I haven't re-engaged his playing contract but I think it's acknowledged that he's been a fantastic servant for this football club.
"He has gained a lot of experience as a player-coach, with having a foot in both camps, and he has handled that really well. He's been able to see first hand how managers work and I think now is an opportunity for him to take that further.
"I think he's ready for that, because he is a very professional individual, and I wish him well as he moves on."
On the other decisions made, he said: “It’s a part of the job most managers don’t like and I’m no different. You’ve got to do it with a level of honesty. You try and leave the players with a positive if they aren’t being offered anything, and that’s to tell them to go out there and prove you wrong.
“It happened to me when I was 16. A manager told me I wasn’t going to have a professional career but I went on to play over 700 games. I didn’t do that for anyone else, it was completely for me. When I was told there was nothing for me I realised I needed to play football and used what I’d been told as motivation.
“It was no longer the case that I just wanted to play football. I actually needed to play and, as I said earlier in the week, there are players here who have good ability, but I question whether they need it enough.”
“I’ve met all of the players individually, which is the right thing to do,” he explained. “It’s an opportunity for me to thank the players for their efforts on behalf of the club and also on a one-to-one basis. It brings the season to a close in the right way and allows me to do things in a professional manner.”
“With the decisions I’ve made, I know where I want to take the football club,” he said. “Things need to be done differently. It won’t be a case of wholesale changes because I know people in Carlisle don’t like change. It’s about doing things slightly differently with the aim of improving everything we do. This isn’t the time to talk about individuals, but I can assure everyone this hasn’t been done as a knee-jerk reaction. I know what we have and I know where I want to get to. The offers and decisions have been made with that in mind.
“I still need to talk to the remainder of my coaching staff, and that will be done later in the week. Once we’ve finished this process, and the dust has settled, the focus will be entirely on me moving this club forward and to having a successful season next time round.”
Read more at http://www.carlisleunited.co.uk/news/article/keith-curle-on-contracts-offered-and-retained-and-released-players-2439904.aspx#wrK3M3E5ex5zj6z1.99