Teale knows he is playing game of risk as a manager
“Could I have played my last game? You never know”
FOR Gary Teale, this is an all-out attempt to make the grade in management. The consequences could mean the curtain may have already fallen on his playing career.
Teale’s focus on his role as interim manager of St Mirren is such that he has no intention of selecting himself f or action. With that commitment, however, comes something of a gamble.
The risk is that the Paisley club look elsewhere for a permanent replacement for Tommy Craig and the former Scotland winger returns to being a squad member.
At the age of 36, and having been out of action for a decent spell, there would be obvious issues in terms of his readiness to play, beyond the disappointment of being overlooked.
It is a scenario Teale hopes he won’t have to face as he aims to land a lengthier spell in the Saints technical area.
‘It is a difficult one and I’ve not really thought that way,’ he insisted. ‘I’m concentrating on being a manager just now. If that happens, I’ll deal with it then.
‘Could I have played my last game? I could have, you never know. But I’ve not really thought about it because there has been too much else going on. That has been my focus rather than if I will be playing in two weeks’ or a month’s time.
‘At this point in time, I have no thoughts at all about playing. Credit to Alex Neil, because he has carried on as player-manager at Hamilton. Maybe, though, he has been doing the coaching side for a lot longer than I have.
‘I am fit, but I’ve done nothing for the last four or five weeks. And the older you get, the longer it takes to get back up to match-fitness. If we can get results and play the way we have in the last couple of weeks, then I don’t feel the need to be playing.
‘The young boys who have come in have done very well and we have another couple sitting on the fringes.
‘You reach a point in your career when you can be a block to a young player’s development.’
Teale has still not been given any timescale on how long he will remain in charge at Saints.
Ongoing interest in the sale of the club to an Argentinian consortium provides a further layer of doubt about what will happen next.
Yet results like last Saturday’s 3-1 win over Dundee can only bolster his case. That victory lifted Saints off the foot of the Premiership and included a glorious solo goal from Stevie Mallan, one of the youngsters Teale is so keen to promote.
Tomorrow’s home meeting with Kilmarnock now provides a chance to build precious momentum and provide further proof that his ideas are bearing fruit.
He has mined some of his former managers for advice but the same nugget keeps cropping up. In the end, this is a lonely game.
‘I have spoken to Paul Jewell and Billy Davies. I’ve probably gone to them the most,’ said Teale. ‘I’ve also spoken to Sheffield United assistant manager Gary Crosby. You take advice from all these guys.
‘But all of them say: “Be your own man. We can offer you opinions but, at the end of the day, it is down to you”.
‘They have been through it and they have had success. But they say go with your gut instinct a lot of the time.’
Teale hopes to be in a position to land a striker, a centre-back and a midfielder next month — all likely to be loan deals — if he remains in place.
Permission to identify targets has been granted by the current board but, again, the situation remains fluid amid the takeover talk.
It is far from an ideal circumstance, but Teale’s trial run at management still places him one step ahead of Lee McCulloch, his old friend from their days together at Wigan and the national team.
McCulloch was promoted to player- coach at Rangers to aid Kenny McDowall in the wake of Ally McCoist being placed on gardening leave.
And, while relegation f ears continue to swirl around St Mirren, the situation at Ibrox is even more desperate.
McCulloch was at the centre of the Rangers defence as it crumbled in their humiliating 4-0 defeat from Hibernian last Saturday to fall 15 points behind Hearts at the top of the Championship.
The multi-faceted crisis at the club, which is infecting all areas both on and off the pitch, shows no sign of abating.
‘I’ve not spoken to Lee,’ said Teale. ‘With everything going on there, I’d imagine he has a lot on his plate. He will have more on his mind than phoning me up for any advice!
‘Lee has done his badges and was doing his pro-licence this year. It is another natural progression he will want to make.
‘Not many opportunities arise to move into coaching while you are still a player. In fact, not many opportunities arise to get into coaching or management at all in football.
‘When you get the chance, you have to snap it up. I’m sure Lee will be enjoying the fact he is doing it, but the other side is the problems Rangers have. It’s a learning curve, no matter what the situation is.
‘The circumstances can be tough. Things are always t here to challenge you as a person and to see how you can deal with the pressure and stress.
‘Personally, I’m enjoying it. But I am not naïve. I know I am sitting here because our results weren’t good enough.
‘And if results don’t pick up, I won’t be sitting here for long. To strengthen my case, we need to find a level of consistency in the next couple of games at least.’