LOVE ME SLENDER
Coyle: Margins between Scottish and English top tier are so narrow that I’ll adapt with ease
OWEN COYLE is confident he can adapt to managing a more modest calibre of player back in Scotland given the slender margins between superstar and solid pro.
The new Ross County manager, who will step straight into the dug-out today at Rugby Park, spent eight of his 14 managerial years at the sharp end in England with another two in the United States.
During those years, he worked with players of the calibre of Andy Cole, Marcos Alonso and Gary Cahill among many others.
But having played at all levels and cut his teeth in the technical area with Falkirk, Airdrie and St Johnstone, Coyle reckons the principles of football remain the same no matter the standard.
From April 2005 to November 2007 and a move to manage Burnley, Coyle steered St Johnstone to Scottish Cup and League Cup semi-finals and was narrowly pipped to SPL promotion by Gretna. He said: “I knew, as a player, the game is the same game wherever you go. There are different levels, and the Premier
League in England is probably the best in the world for competitiveness.
“I had three years at the highest level but it is the same principle at different levels.
“There are boys who have played in the Scottish Premiership who have as much technical ability as boys playing in the English Premier League.
“But the differential is they probably don’t have the same pace and power.
“I use myself as an example. When I went to the Premier League with Bolton, myself and John McGinlay, who is now helping with recruitment here at Ross County, were in among some terrific strikers.
“We scored a lot of goals in the Championship. I played at about 10 stone and could score a goal and everything else. What I didn’t have, in terms of Premier League level, was that real power.
“I always sum it up like this: if I went through one-on-one on the keeper and a defender like Gary Cahill was on me, he’s that quick he’d make the recovery tackle. “Whereas, a level down, they might not be quite so quick and you’re able to go one-on-one with the keeper. “I probably had the same finishing ability as some of those unbelievable strikers, but not the pace and power. It’s fine margins. “That’s why they pay such huge money at the highest level. They have the technical ability but also the pace and power. “Take as an example Kylian Mbappe. His technical ability is unbelievable but so is his pace and power. “When he goes beyond a defender, they’re not coming back to him. All of a sudden you have a better chance of scoring goals. “So it’s the same game, just different levels. Here at County, we’re in the highest level in Scotland and we want to make sure were doing club and community proud. “That’s important. You want to be reflective of the community, with the same values and principles. This club has those in abundance.” Coyle had no thoughts of taking a seat in the stand at Rugby Park and was thrilled to get back out on the training turf immediately after his unveiling in Dingwall on Thursday. He said: “There was no point saying, ‘I’ll sit in the stand and watch the game’. I’m here. Let’s get going and try to turn those defeats into victories – and then kick on. “The best thing for me is getting out on the grass. “I’ve been really lucky during my break that my oldest daughter has had a baby and I’ve become a grandad. I’ve had some fantastic time to spend with the little one. But when your whole career has been spent on the training ground, you miss it.” Coyle will look to stamp his own mark on the County squad when the time is right but for now the onus is on the existing players to impress. He said: “I have now inherited a group of players and we will have to look at that. “Everybody wants their own flavour and it is up to the players to show me they will be part of it. Everyone will get their chance.”
I probably had same finishing ability but not the power. It’s fine margins OWEN COYLE