KEITH Curle is focused on giving Latics fans a team to be proud of amid calls for a boycott of games at Boundary Park next season.

Oldham fans’ group Push The Boundary wants supporters to hit owner Abdallah Lemsagam in the pocket next season and focus their efforts on backing their side on the road come August, as part of their plan to ‘back the team, but not the regime’.

It comes after nearly 3,000 signatures were added to PTB’s open letter calling for the Moroccan former football agent to sell Latics, a move which has passed without public comment from the club.

Curle however maintains his attention is solely on controlling what he can control, and that is events on the field.

“I inherited a situation when I went to Carlisle whereby there was politics there and right from day one I stated I was not there to get involved in the politics, I was there to improve the football club, improve the football team and give them a football team and department that they could be proud of,” he told The Oldham Times.

“I think a year and a half later we played Liverpool away (in the cup) and we took 6,500-7,000 supporters there, Everton in the FA Cup we had 18,000 there so it shows the love for the football club eventually when things settle down, you don’t take that support away from supporters.

“Yes, they get upset, they get annoyed, but ultimately we need to create that love affair where they start falling back in love with the football club and that comes with results.”

Curle insists he is determined to build a relationship with fans and wants to be an open book in the weeks and months to come.

“I met Paul Hughes (from the Oldham Athletic Supporters’ Federation) and the first conversation we had was about me wanting to engage with supporters,” the Latics boss added

“We need to have a ‘Meet the Manager’ evening whereby supporters get first-hand opportunity to come and speak to me, come and meet me, come and see the environment we’re trying to create.

“I want to meet the supporters, I want them to get to understand a little bit about me and the desire and passion I’ve got to make their football club successful again and to make them be proud of their football club again.”

The 57-year-old has seen plenty in his playing and management days and knows getting up close and personal with supporters, especially given the disconnect at Boundary Park, will come with difficult moments.

“I’m a good listener,” Curle said. “As much as I’m a good talker I’m a good listener as well.

“I give people the opportunity to vent their frustrations, vent their angers, explain to me what they’re disappointed about, and then ultimately it’s about their support of the team.

“True supporters support their team and give the backing to the players that represent their football club and give them every opportunity to be successful, and as a manager that’s all you can want, is supporters to enjoy their football club.

“I can’t change what’s gone on in the past, but I can very much have an influence on the success that we strive as a football club to achieve now.”