Colin’s Comments (Part 2)
In a two part series, the Official Website gives you a detailed look at the comments made by new Clyde boss Colin Hendry during Wednesday’s press conference at Broadwood.
In this second part, he talks about the job in hand and his gives his thoughts on the First Division:-
“I think in general I’m a more calm and reflective type of manager but if I have to ‘throw the cups’ I’ll do it. I think you’ve got to be constructive in the criticism you give out.
“We’re only going to have a limited number of players to choose from so we’ll have to keep them all on board. Everything will be done as professionally as we can.
“There’s no magic formula but the first thing you can do is make sure the players feel wanted. I want for them to do the best that they can do. If I get that from them – and I give the same myself – the football club will benefit and, most importantly, the fans will be watching a successful team.
“The majority of players here have taken a step backwards to go forward, as I did as a player, and they are progressing again. They’ve done well over the last two years and I have to try and continue that.
“They will be given every encouragement from myself and the Board, who are in regular contact with them, to make sure they work hard and get things right. It’s their playing careers that are at stake. Most of them have had some knocks already and nothing would give me greater pleasure than them kicking on and being successful.
“Footballers, as I did as a player, believe everything and if they hear a whisper that someone is interested in them they will think it’s true. If the team are doing well that’s going to happen and it can be a problem on its own but at the same time we’ll be progressing as a club.
“There’s an amount of money been committed to boosting the squad and that’s fine. I’m not looking to come in and change things like that. There are no great changes going to be made and the players more than anyone will probably be happy to hear that. Even if there was lots of money available I still wouldn’t make big changes; it’s about adding little things, maybe a bit of experience and a goalscorer. At the same time as doing that we have to provide the squad with a coaching regime that will allow them to continue developing.
“Without a shadow of a doubt I’ll be looking to use contacts in England and Scotland to bring players here on loan. We’ll be keeping all our options open. Of course, when you are asking a ‘bigger’ club for players on loan usually the demand is that you have to play them. If you bring a number of players in on loan you are then governed by other managers so you have to be careful and get the balance right.
“I’m trying to fill the Assistant position with someone who has the experience already mentioned. I want them to be able to get involved in the coaching side but also play an active part in the team. Looking at one or two things during my homework, it seems there was something missing in certain matches and that might be some experience in the team.
“The First Division is an extremely competitive league. I think there will be a few ‘cup finals’ to be played, if not every single match. Sometimes the build up to a game will be like that deliberately because it is very, very competitive.
“One of the things I was asked about during the interview stage was promotion. That’s understandable because whenever a new manager comes in to a club everyone wants to know how well you think you are going to do.
“As far as the club and I are concerned there aren’t any targets set at the moment. I think if you set yourself a target publicly that can be problematic as it puts pressure on you and that doesn’t help. It can be different within the confines of the club. The one thing we don’t want to do is go backwards and that’s vitally important. I am looking to go forward; that’s the only way you can be in football.”