Coughlin: “We’ll Be A Young Side Next Season”

Manager John Coughlin has admitted that the ‘Gers are most likely to be a young side next season as he aims to improve on nine seasons of mid-table finishes.

Discussing his team’s likely make-up next season, John admitted: “I’d like to keep the majority of the squad here. Money is tight at the club at the minute.

“But the lads have went from a team that have went from a mid-table or maybe even lower half of the table side, to a side that look as though they could contend for the top four.

“So fit makes sense for me to use the funds I have to keep the players that I think can make a contribution at Shielfield Park.

“Fans will band names about and probably already are, but I think we’ll be a young side next year. The budget dictates that to a certain extent, but I’ll look after the players that are here just now because I don’t think we’ll be able to compete with other clubs for the players that will make a difference.

“We’ll need to be frugle with what we do. So the concentration will be more on what we can do on the training ground, getting the best out of the players we do have and ensuring we can get as much determination from them as possible.

“There will be some changes – some will come and some will go. The players who were deemed not good enough at the start of the season are now good enough, and for me I think it was a cajolling of their attitude that maybe turned things around for us.”

And John’s belief in attitude being the most valuable asset in any player at this level was demonstrated when he said: “So we’ll keep working at that. It’s about the players – I can put them in to a shape and try ensure they’re working hard but after that it’s up to them.”

John also discusses Allan Walker’s impressive return to the first-team fold, Blair Henderson’s future with the club and more.