Following his appointment last month, new information about Mike Williamson’s contract at Carlisle United has emerged. The ex-MK Dons boss has not been handed the long-term contract to ensure he and his staff had stability for seasons to come, which is rather bizarre.
Williamson has had a very impressive rise through the management ranks going from Gateshead, to MK Dons and now back in the North East with Carlisle. The former Premier League defender is now hoping to create more memories and craft out miracles in Cumbria with his side currently outside of the bottom two.
Bizarre Mike Williamson contract news emerges
It’s not been a dream start to life at Carlisle for Williamson having overseen one win and two defeats, although they’re still above the relegation zone. The Cumbrians are now tasked with two consecutive away league games against Colchester and AFC Wimbledon respectively, so the job is not getting any easier.
Many may have viewed the move to Carlisle as a step down for Williamson who was managing in League One at the time. However, relocating back up north where he’d previously spent 11 years as both a player and manager was something too good to turn down.
Something more surprising in Williamson’s decision to join Carlisle is that he’s on a rolling contract, according to the News & Star. This means that every summer the Cumbrians will review his tenure and decide whether to keep him and his staff on for another year.
Why would Williamson accept this Carlisle contract?
This sort of deal – while admittedly it is an unusual one – does work out for both parties. Carlisle can cut ties with Williamson if the team don’t start to perform with very little compensation to be paid out.
However, Williamson also has a rather easy out-clause knowing he’s not tied down long-term in Cumbria. As seen by his managerial career thus far, the 40-year-old is not afraid of jumping ship and moving to a new club, which would be relatively easy with this deal.
So, while both will want this relationship to be a long-term one, a rolling contract does not scream confidence from the hierarchy. Also, Williamson may already have one eye on leaving Carlisle, especially if they fail to get away from the threat of relegation.
