"Under pressure" - Pundit reacts to Mike Williamson, Carlisle United developments | OneFootball

Carlton Palmer has weighed in with his thoughts on Mike Williamson's exit from MK Dons to Carlisle United.

Carlisle United have appointed Mike Williamson as their new head coach after MK Dons agreed to a compensation package of around £200,000, with Carlton Palmer impressed by the 40-year-old's managerial credentials.

The Cumbrians endured a miserable campaign last time out as they were relegated from League One after finishing bottom of the table under Paul Simpson, and it appears as though this season has brought more of the same form into League Two.

A 1-0 win over rivals Barrow has been the highlight of a poor campaign thus far, and is one that will continue to get worse if a new manager is not brought in quickly. There was an expectation that they would bounce back, but they’ve had a very difficult start to the season in the fourth tier, losing five of their other six league games.

Simpson's side finished bottom with just 30 points, 11 off Port Vale, who finished 23rd and 16 points from safety. Therefore, it is no great surprise that there has been a hangover from the persistent defeats the squad faced last year.

Simpson left after the defeat to Tranmere on August 31. Attention has since turned to naming a successor, and it became apparent that Williamson was the number one target. Journalist Alan Nixon revealed that everything was in place for Williamson to take over at Brunton Park, with the 40-year-old keen on the switch from MK Dons.

Having joined from Gateshead - after catching the eye in the National League - when the club were in the bottom half of the table, the former Newcastle United defender turned fortunes around to see them finish fourth in League Two.

Now, he is moving back north in the form of Carlisle, which is an easier commute for someone who has been based in the North East for the majority of the last 15 years.

Carlton Palmer reacts to Mike Williamson appointment

Williamson has developed a reputation as a very exciting young coach who has a clear style of play, so Carlisle will want the new boss to lead a long-term project. With a focus on ball-playing, expansive football, his sides are known to score plenty of goals and take risks in possession when building the ball up from the back.

For many, he is a manager destined for a higher level at some stage. Williamson will hope to get off to the best possible start this weekend, and Carlisle are back in action on Saturday when they make the trip to take on Swindon Town.

Ex-England international and current EFL pundit Carlton Palmer believes time will tell, but he has been impressed during the first years of Williamson's burgeoning coaching career.

Speaking to Football League World, he said: "Carlisle have sacked Pual Simpson after a disappointing start to the season and five defeats and just one victory.

"They sit just outside the two relegation places but have moved quickly to now appoint Mike Williamson.

"Williamson has left his role at MK Dons after he took over in October 2023 and led them to fourth place last season.

"He was at Gateshead as player-manager and led them to the National League North title in his third season as manager and was named manager of the season the same year.

"He then took the North East club to their first FA Trophy final where they eventually lost to Halifax Town.

"Listen, at the end of the day, they have decided to make a change.

"He's proved that he can do a very good job. He's taken MK Dons to fourth last season, which was a big statement of what he can do.

"When you ask if he's a good replacement? Only time will tell. It's always difficult to make a change like that after five games, when the league hasn't taken shape.

"But when Carlisle have won just once, you're under pressure. It remains to be seen if he can replace Simpson's work but he comes with good credentials."

Despite things turning sour for Simpson by the end of his time with Carlisle, he left big boots to fill in terms of his reputation and standing amongst the club's supporters.

Williamson is one of the hottest young managers in the EFL right now, having masterminded MK Dons’ run into the League Two play-offs at the back-end of the season. He inherited a side in the bottom half of the table, but a fine run under his guidance saw the side reach the play-offs, where they were beaten by winners Crawley over two legs.

In many ways, it is a real coup for Carlisle and one to be excited by, despite MK's difficult start to the campaign. Williamson is a big family man, and you would think that has also come into his thinking as well, but it gives Carlisle the opportunity to build something in more than just the short-term.