But Preece wants to plan for the future. He said: "I have to look long-term and that’s why I have to be interested when these jobs come up.”
The striker has five goals in seven starts this term and would be missed at Carlisle. It now seems that the Town board may be in the process of producing a shortlist of potential candidates, after the beleagured troops went down 4-1 in the LDV Vans Trophy last night.
Caretaker Chic Bates said of the performance: "The scoreline was harsh on us but it was a night where Southend took their chances and we didn't take ours and they punished us."
Bates also claimed the result could just as easily have been 5-4 to the Shrews.