SADDLERS IN BATTLE TO KEEP THEIR STAR TURNS
SHOULD Jon Whitney’s role with Walsall continue, he has vowed to marry flair with fight after his side wilted under the promotion pressure.
The interim head coach revealed his future is still being considered after stepping in for the sacked Sean O’Driscoll back in March.
In a rise reminiscent of Nigel Adkins at Scunthorpe, Whitney, both physiotherapist and assistant manager before his appointment, swiftly got the Saddlers on the mend.
Though wellplaced in fourth, Walsall were on a six-game winless streak at the time and Whitney took them on a run that finished just a point short of automatic promotion.
The 45-year-old now wants to remain at the club in some capacity and, after being pummelled by Barnsley 6-1 over two legs, has already identified exactly what needs to be done.
“I hate losing and I have had a decent win record,” he said.“I want to install more steel into these players. It’s great to be technical and tactical, but I need to make sure they have a bit of guile.We have to teach these kids how to deal with adversity.
“It’s easy to work on the technical, tactical side, but it’s that steel that is coming out of football.”
The first worry for whoever takes the helm over the summer is to keep the squad intact, amid growing speculation that midfielder Romaine Sawyers is set to join former Saddlers boss Dean Smith at Brentford.
Preston and Reading are also rumoured to be looking at Wales striker Tom Bradshaw, while teenage left-back Rico Henry has earned headlines for showing maturity beyond his years this season.
It all means that, if Whitney does stay in charge, he won’t promise Saddlers fans the world. “We are a developing club. We have over-achieved this year and it has been a great season for the lads,” he added.
“We are going to try to keep the squad together if we can, but it might be a big ask.
“This was five years in the process this season. It doesn’t just come and we have to be realistic about what we can achieve.
“But we will only be able to judge that when we know the players we are keeping and we know the players we are bringing in.
“It’s all ifs and buts, but we have a philosophy at this football club which we aren’t going to change.”