Chris Beech says new frontman Gime Toure is happy at Carlisle United – after a bracing start to life with the Blues.

Beech says the ex-Hartlepool man was given a gruelling introduction to training ground with at United.

But the Carlisle boss says the summer signing’s early weeks at the club are giving the 26-year-old a good understanding of what will be expected.

Beech said of the French attacker: “He’s had a shock to the system.

“He came in on the hardest footballing day we’ve done, and his hands were on his knees.

“I didn’t want to put him on as early as we did [in the friendly] at Wigan. Then he played a bit longer because of Brennan Dickenson’s injury at Sunderland.

“The game against Liverpool’s under-23s…it would be wrong to say it was less competitive, but in terms of how we set up to play, it was more of a training day game for us, and I really split everything up in terms of looking after the likes of Aaron Hayden, who had played back to back minutes against Sunderland and Wigan, while Lewis Alessandra and Jon Mellish didn’t play.

“But Gime did. He’s got that under his belt now, he’s rested and has a smile on his face.

“I’ve just had a conversation of understanding what I want from him and what I would consider his, ours and mine, and what’s expected of him on the pitch.

“It was good. We talked about Nicolas Anelka and Thierry Henry so we’ll see what he does…”