Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
KINCAID ON EDGE WITH 1ST BANGOR
TOMMY Kincaid has pledged to wipe the slate clean and give everyone a chance to prove themselves after taking over at relegation-threatened 1st Bangor.
The former Ards boss was appointed as John Johnston’s replacement at The Drome on Sunday evening, with the club languishing precariously second from bottom in the Premier Division with just four points from their first 12 league games.
It was always a difficult job for Johnston, stepping up to manage in the Premier Division for the first time and faced immediately with a rebuilding job after a summer exodus of players.
And just five months into the new season that challenge now lies with the experienced Kincaid who, far from seeing it as a daunting proposition, can’t wait to get started.
“I was down watching Sirocco on Saturdays and standing watching them, it gave me a feel for it again,” said Kincaid, who owns the distinction of being the only Glentoran manager with a perfect record, two wins from two when he replaced Roy Coyle as interim boss in 2006.
“I thought I’d be okay just watching but it’s hard, if it’s in your blood, it’s in your blood. As a manager, you say why am I putting myself through this again?
“But for whatever reason, you just can’t help it. You just love the game and you’re standing watching on a Saturday and you feel you’d just love to influence what is going on and when you are just a spectator, you can’t obviously.
“It’s a big job I’ve taken on, they are not in a great position obviously, and they had another defeat yesterday [Saturday], so yeah, it’s a big job but the remit is to stay in that league if we can.”
Indeed, as he surveys what lies ahead at 1st Bangor and how he can revive their fortunes, Kincaid resisted the temptation to promise wholesale changes, insisting instead that coaxing the very best out of the current squad is his first priority.
“You have to look and see what you have got,” explained Kincaid, a Pro-licence coach.
“In the Amateur League, if someone tells you they are able to bring 10 or 12 players in, they are telling you lies.
“You have got to find out if the players that are already there can do a job, so I never say that, the first thing I have to do is make what we have got better – and I will make them better.
“And then we will see what we can do from there.
“There’s got to be a reason they are where they are, for whatever reason, but I’ve been told they have a good enough squad so it’s a new manager’s job to go in there, find out what’s going on and see if he can help fix it and as soon as possible.
“But 1st Bangor are a good club, they always had a reputation as a good club so I’m looking forward to it.”