Last updated at 12:51, Thursday, 09 August 2012

Frank Simek can see a day when young pretender Brad Potts is starring at Brunton Park – but the American isn’t going to surrender his shirt without a fight.

Frank Simek

For the first time since his arrival at Carlisle two years ago, Simek faces genuine competition for the right-back slot in the form of exciting 18-year-old prospect Potts.

A twisted ankle he suffered on Durham City’s artificial pitch two weeks ago kept Simek out of back-to-back friendlies against St Mirren and Middlesbrough, handing Potts a golden chance to show he is ready for the step up to the first team.

However, Simek comfortably came through 90 minutes of Tuesday night’s friendly at Morecambe to put himself in contention for Saturday’s opener at home to Accrington Stanley in the Capital One Cup at home.

Described as a “model pro” by manager Greg Abbott, Simek’s consistency since his arrival two years ago from Sheffield Wednesday could see the Missouri-born right-back edge closer to his 100th appearance for the club after signing a new one-year deal this summer.

After clocking up a personal tally of 55 out of 56 games in his first season, last term he had to overcome hip, calf and ankle injuries which wrecked the first half of last season.

But the 27-year-old finished the second half of the campaign strongly – pushing his tally to 81 appearances – and hopes he can play a key role in helping United make another play-off challenge next season – even if he is looking over his shoulder at the presence of an eager emerging star.

“Brad is a good footballer, he’s done well in the couple of games he’s played and looked really comfortable on the ball,” he said.

“There are some really good youngsters coming through like him, Mark Beck and David Symington.

“Brad is young and is learning his position and he has slotted into the position well which is a real credit to him.

“He certainly hasn’t looked out of place in games he has played in.

“There’s a lot of competition for places, and that’s what you want because it helps everybody when the squad is strong.

“We still don’t know what the team will be. I think everybody did well during pre-season and there have been some very good performances so the manager has a difficult job to do.

“A lot of players have given the manager something to think about.

“But that’s healthy for the club and very positive. You have to go out and prove to the manager you want to be in the team and that you deserve to be there.

“We all want to hang on to our shirts but it is a long season and the whole squad will be used.”

Carlisle’s love affair with the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy took a dramatic twist last season when they suffered a 3-2 defeat at the hands Accrington Stanley.

Five months on from lifting the trophy on a sun-drenched day at Wembley, the Blues were dethroned on a rainswept night at the Crown Ground – a week after their Carling Cup defeat to another League Two side Aldershot.

Two good reasons why Simek insists Carlisle won’t be going into Saturday’s game thinking it will be a breeze against lower league opposition.

“It will be a tough one, you can guarantee that,” agreed Simek, who missed last season’s encounter with Accrington through injury.

“We will play our own game and hopefully that will be good enough on the day.

“If we can take our form from pre-season into the Accrington game that will be a good thing.

“Teams from our league have to earn the right to play. You can’t expect to pop it round every Saturday, and we will have to match Accrington.

“It is important that we get a cup run. Financially it’s very important for the club to get money and as a player it is nice to do well in cup competitions.

“Accrington will come and fancy their chances of nicking something, but we have to make sure we progress.

“We need to make sure we start in the right manner and carry it into our first league game because winning becomes a habit in football.”

After cantering through the early part of pre-season with victories over Kendal, Workington Reds, Barrow, Durham City and St Mirren, United go into Saturday’s cup tie on the back of successive 2-1 defeats to Middlesbrough and Morecambe. Past experience forces Simek to resist all temptation to read anything into friendly results.

“You always want to do well in pre-season but as a pro I’ve experienced doing well with teams and then losing the first six games,” he said.

“I’ve always known it be a nightmare in pre-season and then the team has started well.

“You do all the work pre-season and really look forward to getting games that really matter started.”

First published at 11:30, Thursday, 09 August 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk