Carlisle United supporters will be underwhelmed by latest news after ruthless Paul Simpson promise: View | OneFootball

Carlisle United revealed their retained/released list on Monday, and, after big promises about what was to come from it, the news wasn't quite as shocking as many would have hoped.

There's a real argument to be made, and many have made it, that Carlisle would be better off without most of the players from this season's squad, and some would stretch to say that some that were signed in January could be included in that as well.

Everybody was aware that Paul Simpson and others inside the club, including the Piataks, knew that this team wasn't going to be the one to bounce back immediately and fight for promotion in League Two next season, following their dismal relegation after just one season in the third tier.

The manager made a pledge that they were going to be: "ruthless," in the decisions that they made when it came to who they felt could help lead the Blues forward next year.

Wholesale change was, and is, needed, but the news that came out yesterday was more akin to a disgruntled family chucking out their broken toys at the skip.

Carlisle United's retained/released list

Josh Emmanuel, Jordan Gibson, Tomas Holy, Paul Huntington, Max Kilsby, Sean Maguire, Kai Nugent and Corey Whelan: those were the players that were handed their leaving notices by the club on Monday.

There were no real surprises.

Even with Huntington, who was the club's captain this season and led United through their play-off run, his departure maybe wasn't what many fans wanted, but there was a whiff about things that suggested that it was going to happen.

The only player at the club who was out of contract at the end of this season was teenage forward Anton Dudik, who Simpson described as a: "punt."

The real hopes of the list were focused on those players who are scheduled to be with the club next season but aren't wanted at Brunton Park. Visions of a transfer list that contained at least three or four players excited many, but they were left disappointed.

Not one of the current squad was publicly listed as being available for other clubs to come and have a look at.

Simpson said, after the announcement, that certain players have been told that they can go and shop themselves around and see if there are any better options out there, but that he didn't want to name who those people were.

Fans were baying for a blood and guts tear up of the team. What they got instead was a disappointing contest between manager and players in which it seems neither has come out on top, nor with any extra credibility.

Mixed messaging around player sales isn't helping Paul Simpson's case

There is absolutely no doubt about it that Carlisle have to get this summer window right; more specifically, Paul Simpson and Gregg Abbott.

The club looks to be in very good long-term hands when it comes to the ownership. The questions that revolve are around the on-pitch activities.

Simpson set out a plan of being harsh and callous with his decision-making on what next season's squad will look like. For someone who seemingly undersold the pocket power of the club not long ago, he seems to have oversold on his promises this time around.

There is still every chance that this ruthlessness could come to the fore over the coming weeks. If there is a steady departure of the underperforming players, then fans will be able to look at Simpson and believe that he honoured his word.

In fairness to him, and the recruitment staff, it's not necessarily up to them in these cases whether a player who is under contract decides to leave. They are under no obligation to find a move for themselves, and are well within their rights to see out their contracts.

But, if there is no marked change in the team, involving a heavy clear out of players who have established themselves as not good enough, then there could be a problem.

For Carlisle to be able to bring in their shiny new toys, they're going to have to move out some of the older ones that are just collecting dust and are making the place look bad.

Failure to do so, after promising that they would, could see the on-pitch hierarchy taken to the dump like some of the players have been already.