Perform or go!
STANLEY manager John Coleman has told his squad that they can either buy into what the club are trying to accomplish or they can leave. The Stanley squad have returned to pre-season training this week ahead of the forthcoming 2017/18 League Two campaign.
Coleman is once again setting his sights high and wanting to achieve a lot during the latest campaign, and he has told the players that if they don’t give it their all then they may be shown the door.
“We sat them down and we told them where we want to go and they have got to either buy into that or ship out,” he told the club’s official website.
“The players have had long enough off and some of them are ready to come back, so we’ve got to get them into the mind-set of believing what they will do will lead to a successful season.
“We’ve got a lot of big characters in the squad who I know are keen for success and they’ll be more encouraged to work hard and see the benefits they can get for themselves.
“Our aim is to be able to challenge on as many fronts as we can next year.”
Coleman has a new face alongside him for pre-season training, after former player John Doolan was announced as the new first team coach.
“I know what a quality coach John is and I know it will benefit us. Historically we have always done well when we have had a first team coach,” said Coleman. “We operate on a small staff as it is and a lot of other teams in our league have dietitians, analysts, fitness coaches and more.
“We don’t feel we need to go that heavy but it’s an opportunity to have another pair of eyes and hands to help us and we think it will improve us.”
Along with Accrington, Doolan also had a lengthy spell at Wigan Athletic during his playing days in the 1990s, and he’s now looking forward to joining the coaching set-up at Stanley.
“John Coleman gave me a call at the end of the season, said he had a position, asked if I was interested and the rest is history,” he said.
“I am glad to be here, there has always been a great feeling around the club and obviously I share some of the history here.
“The squad are in great shape, there is the core of the squad from last season when they narrowly missed out on promotion, and it’s another big season for us.”
‘Our aim is to be able to challenge on as many fronts as we can’