by Alfie Irving
As we close in on two weeks since the announcement of the Piatak family’s successful takeover of Carlisle United, it is time to digest what they have discussed in the media over the past week or so.
This article will give you a breakdown of what the family have stated in their engagements with local and national media in the aftermath of the takeover.
Recruitment and the upcoming transfer window
In the simplest of terms, the family have described the newly proposed transfer budget as a “step up”.
Tom Piatak Sr stated in interviews with News and Star, BBC Radio Cumbria, and the official club news channels that, he had “sat down with the management team, with Paul, and said what is needed? That was the question- ‘not here is what is going to be put in’.”
Piatak confirmed that, “Paul has the budget necessary to go and affect that [the club’s league status] and I trust him in his judgement of players’ capabilities.”
There was also confirmation that the club had “pulled the trigger on StatsBomb”.
For those of you unfamiliar with StatsBomb, it is a piece of software that allows clubs to have access to data that is effective for player recruitment. Prior to this, the club had to rely on eyewitness reports to scout potential transfer targets.
StatsBomb is used by over 300 football teams globally as “their primary source of data for player recruitment”.
My opinion: The early signs seem encouraging and although we will have a clearer idea of this after January, the Piatak’s have made a clear step towards trying to retain the club’s league safety. If the budget and StatsBomb are used effectively, then the club is well placed for success. SCORE: 7/10
Training facility
This is something that the majority of fans have recognised as a key point for the Piatak’s to address in order to breed further success.
Tom Sr stated that the family “are putting together the vision and the plan [for the training facility]”.
Yet, he implored fans to not get ahead of themselves by stressing that the project was going to take time. There was a clear indication on the desire for quality rather than rushing the process.
In the short term, Tom Sr has expressed a desire for a temporary facility for the Blues to use. He highlighted that the reliability of the current training pitches was limited due to the risk of flooding. He expressed that he didn’t want the club having to use facilities at Gretna multiple times a week.
My opinion: This is one of the main things that I wanted to see when the family took charge of the club and the fact that they have explained their approach with detail and honesty to fans is immensely promising. This will be a huge step up for the club and an indication that the Piatak’s want to take the club to the top. SCORE: 9/10
The debt issue
This is something that all fans saw as a major stumbling block in the Piatak family completing their acquisition of the club. Their tweet claiming that “the most significant hurdle is now in the rearview mirror” marked a huge step for fans in the club being taken over.
However, the fans did not know how this debt had been dealt with until the Piatak’s spoke over the past week.
Tom Sr outlined that the family “funded Castle Sports Group and Castle Sports Group purchased the debt from Purepay.”
This debt amounted to £2.6 million and was a huge hurdle in any progress that the club could make.
Tom expressed that it is his “commitment [that] it will not be a burden on the club in any shape or form” and that “there will be no interest payments, the club can move freely as if it’s not there”.
My opinion: I never believed that the club could have been successfully purchased due to the lingering burden that the debt had on the club. The fact that the Piatak’s have been able to not only rid the club of it but are committed to it not being a burden on the club is fantastic. SCORE: 8/10
Management of the club on a day-to-day basis
This was a more minor point but one that many fans were interested in the family discussing, particularly as the family hail from Jacksonville, Florida which is over 4,000 miles away from Carlisle.
However, the family have stated their commitment to the club and being open to be flexible depending on what the club and the staff need.
The family stated that it was their intention to “dissect and understand the organisational structure and what everybody’s responsibilities are, what the requirements are for the club, put the plan together and make sure we have the resources, put the goals together and monitor how it’s going.”
They also outlined that they intend to fly back into the country for the home game on 16th December against Northampton and then stay until the early stages of the new year.
My opinion: This remains my only sticking point about the takeover. How are they going to be able to manage the distance between their hometown and the club but then again, everything they have said so far fills me with confidence that they will manage the distance perfectly. SCORE: 5/10
Stadium and fan experience
This is one of the elements of the takeover and the change in ownership that could be seen first-hand in the very early stages of the Piatak regime.
They modernised the fan zone before the Charlton home game, installing a large screen to broadcast the early Premier League kick off on, alongside a canopy in case of rain.
In addition to this, they installed some portable toilets for use for the Warwick Road End, a change which was welcomed by those in the stand.
The Piatak’s have made a raft of promises to enhance both the stadium and the match day experience in the future.
They have stated that they will improve both the concessions and the bathrooms in the Warwick, whilst maintaining some of the Warwick open-air toilet that is beloved by so many fans, as a sing of the stadium’s history.
They also stated that they were looking at ways to project the sound out of the Warwick in order to improve the atmosphere at the ground.
Elsewhere in the stadium, they have committed to completely finishing the East Stand. This involves finishing hospitality boxes and putting training classrooms in place.
In addition to improvements on the East Side, the Piatak’s have confirmed plans to improve the West Stand as well.
They have confirmed that a players’ area will be put in place on the ground floor, as well as work been done to bring home and away dressing rooms and the referee’s room into the modern era.
MY OPINION: This is a visual and concrete marker that the Piatak’s mean business. It shows a care about the fans and the wider community. If the match day experience is enhanced, then fans will continue to want to come back. The improvements to the players’ areas are timely. The family’s proactiveness with this has been really pleasing to see, it makes the ground feel much more welcoming. SCORE: 10/10
A final word
The Piatak’s have made a resoundingly positive start to their tenure at the club. Their communication has been nothing short of perfect and everything that they have touched so far looks positive. We will really get to see their ability as owners over the next few months and the transfer window is vital to the club’s ambition to improve. However, it is a very exciting time to be a Carlisle fan and I for one am ready for the rollercoaster.