Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
N and family keeper Andy ewry are as club began
situation before and when you are down there, things tend to go against you. We were playing in the cup there on Tuesday night against Portadown and three boys went off in the first half injured, you couldn’t write that sort of thing.
“And even when you go back to the Warrenpoint game, we were winning 1-0 and they scored with nearly the last kick of the game so things are just going against us.” From the outside looking in, one of the major concerns for Newry is their lack of experience, with so much of their squad comprised of players who have made the step up from the lower divisions.
Elsewhere, at the likes of fellow strugglers Dungannon and Ards, there are players who have been here before, in the trenches, and know what it takes to dig themselves out.
Coleman acknowledges that is a legitimate concern, but insists he has no doubts about the character or mentality of his teammates.
“We’ll not feel sorry for ourselves, that league has a way of swallowing you up if you sit and start complaining and making excuses, we just have to work harder to fight our way out of it,” said Coleman.
“I know the younger lads will be looking to myself and the likes of John Boyle and Darren King (both above left) to stand up and make a difference. It is a young squad there with not too much experience but some of the young lads would be very confident in themselves, they wouldn’t be shy and everybody knows we have got a real good togetherness.
“I’ve been mates with these boys for years, not even through football, just from knowing them from being about the town. That was a big incentive for me to sign back because we are all so friendly so hopefully that stands by us throughout the season and hopefully we can dig each other out.
“Me, John and Darren have hundreds and hundreds of Irish League games between us so hopefully we can take it by the scruff of the neck and help us get a few wins.”