Paul Simpson says he does not believe every player at Carlisle United truly values the “privileged” position they are in.

The Blues manager has questioned whether certain individuals’ approach to their profession is of a high enough standard.

Simpson made the comments as he set the stage for a post-season overhaul of the squad which is sliding to League One relegation.

He said there needed to be “big changes” and that he had long doubted the approach of certain players.

United are 16 points adrift of safety with nine games to go, after losing 11 of their last 12, with a return to the fourth tier looking certain.

Asked what he could get out of the remaining games in the circumstances, Simpson told the News & Star: “We have to get as much as we possibly can out of it.

“I believe that as a footballer, you're always on show.

“Whether you're on show for your own supporters, or whether you're auditioning for somebody else, I believe that you have a duty to go and perform as hard and as well as you possibly can.

News and Star: Carlisle suffered an 11th defeat in 12 against BarnsleyCarlisle suffered an 11th defeat in 12 against Barnsley (Image: Ben Holmes)

“And you've got to realise that we're in a really privileged position in professional football.

“And I'll be honest with you, I don't think everybody in that group do. And that's why we are where we are.

“And there's got to be changes, there will be changes. Everybody knows there's going to be changes. It's as simple as that. And we have to make sure that we make the changes properly.”

Asked if he had felt this way about some individuals all season, Simpson said: “Yes – that’s the quick answer. Yes, I do think that.”

Simpson has admitted United were not ready for the step up to League One, something being underlined by their dismal run of results.

Speaking to BBC Radio Cumbria after the Barnsley game, he went on to ask if players were "doing enough to demand to play" in training and games.

He said players had a "duty" to be "the best professional they can be" every single day, and that he wanted them to "work even harder than they have been."

The manager did say he felt a number of the squad were "giving everything they possibly can for the shirt and the club", but said that the way games were going, "you'd have to ask the question" if others were doing as much as they could in "how they live their lives" and in how they approach aspects such as training and recovery.

Simpson added that addressing the above issues would be at the core of his summer recruitment plans.

“Absolutely. There's going to have to be big changes,” he said.

“We've got a lot of loan players here for a start. And the loans haven't really worked out as well as we wanted.

“I think Jack Diamond has been a positive for us. But we've had season-ending injuries for Jokull Andresson and Terry Ablade.

“We've had Josh Kayode, who hasn't had a season started [because of injury]. That has been a massive blow to us.

“So the loans haven't worked. And we've got quite a number of players who are out of contract. And I think the group needs an overhaul.”