CEO updates on the how the search for the new manager is going
Brian Caldwell has admitted that Town’s managerial search has been frustrating for all involved, but may now be moving towards a positive conclusion, possibly before the weekend.The CEO is keen to make an appointment as soon as possible, and he is hoping for a new permanent manager to be announced before Saturday’s fixture with Northampton.
Such is the quality of the applicants for the role; the former St Mirren chief revealed that he would be happy with any of the three final bosses involved.
Speaking about the weekend, Caldwell revealed that it would be down to the new manager as to whether he would want to take charge straight away for Saturday, or whether caretaker boss Danny Coyne would lead the team out for the final time.
“We’ve been very keen to appoint as quickly as possible, we haven’t given up hope of appointing somebody before the weekend.
“If we made an appointment and the manager wanted to lead the team out then that would be his prerogative. We always believe that it is the manager’s decision of what he wants to do.”
“There is a possibility that Danny might still be in charge and that it will be delayed until the end of the week, but we are making every effort to get it over the line this week if we possibly can.”
Caldwell was keen to express his gratitude towards Coyne, after the goalkeeping coach took over when Micky Mellon departed two weeks ago.
“Danny has been absolutely first class. I’ve got to thank him and compliment him; he’s handled everything exemplarily. The players have responded to him very well too, and that just shows the respect that they have for Danny.
Caldwell continued: “Danny’s a great guy, a great person, and he’s been absolutely magnificent in these last two weeks and really helped us at a time where we needed someone to stand up to the plate.”
The application process has admittedly been difficult for the CEO, and he admits that he will be relieved once the issue has been resolved.
“I’ve got a few folk from Scotland coming down for the weekend so it would be ideal if we could get it over the line and I could relax and have a Saturday night where the phone isn’t going constantly.
“It takes up your whole life. You’re trying to do your normal routine and your normal job – which in a football club is a busy environment – and then you’re hit with agents, and people calling at all hours.”
Caldwell even says that he is still receiving applications, even at this late stage, with some initial contact coming at ungodly hours.
“I’m still getting applications, I had an application in this morning.
“I got a text from an agent at 20 to 5 this morning, asking me to phone him when I woke up, but that’s just the way of football.”