Cans hoping for better weather this weekend

Mechanics coaches Kenny Hendry and Charlie Brown completed the SFA C Licence course at Dingwall at the weekend along side manager Charlie Rowley who was refreshing his qualification that he had initially gained 5 years ago.

The focus was on building up a range of shooting and finishing drills on Sunday and these two strikers both know what it takes to score the goals which helps a team win the Highland League.

Back in 1999-2000 Kenny Hendry was a part of the Keith team which pipped Fraserburgh and Buckie Thistle while ten years later Charlie Brown helped the Jags end their 50 year league title drought, ending Cove Rangers’ hopes of winning three in a row.

The Gazette caught up with the two of them to see if what they learned during those successful seasons could be applied to the Mechanics dressing room today. We begin with Kenny Hendry whose experience included the clear message of “take nothing for granted.”

Hendry began, “We were actually twelve points behind the leaders at Christmas so I am not taking anything for granted in terms of our current situation. It is just all about getting points. You just need to keep grinding out the results and if you win the league, you win the league.”

Meanwhile during Charlie Brown’s time at Buckie it was the Hoops who lead from the front, finding themselves in a similar situation to the one the Mechanics are in now in terms of the league standings.

Brown added, “What we did at Buckie is exactly what we are doing at Forres which is to just go out and try and win every game we are playing. You need to win the battle all over the park and at Buckie that is what we did so that even when we weren’t on top form we didn’t look like losing too often.

“Here it has been the same, we have not conceded goals, we are scoring goals and have scored goals from midfield as well and that will be doubly important because we are lacking key figures from our strikeforce but the guys who are coming in will make their mark.

“The dressing room in Buckie had a lot of big characters, good players and players who were on a lot of money so they were expected to do well. In our dressing room we have a lot of big characters who just want to play football.

“They are good pals with each other, they have nights out together and we have a really really strong bond which is totally different to what it was like at Buckie. We have a good bond of players who enjoy each other’s company and who enjoy having a good time together and enjoy winning together.

“That is what makes it great for us as coaches because they are turning up at training and enjoying training and like being together and that is what we are taking on to the park on a Saturday.”

The loss of another game to the weather on Saturday was a blow and when asked how the players should deal with that Brown continued, “Everybody is going to look at tables, we know that, but we try to get the boys not to look too far in front. In the next two weeks we have got Huntly and Wick and they are very tough games for us. We just go out there and try and win every game we play. Your aim at the start of the season is to try and win as many games as we can.

Hendry added, “It was handy that it wasn’t just our game was off on Saturday. It is frustrating when the games are off because you just want to get another game ticked off and then another one and hope that other teams do you a favour as you try to get closer to the line. For us it is just about taking games as they come there is no point in speaking about anything else.”

One of the key factors during the Maroon’s title success in 2000 was the emergence of Keith Robertson in the second half of the campaign and Kenny believes there is a great deal of similarities between the teenaged Robertson and the emerging talent, Matty Davidson.

“When he first came he was as raw as anything. He has improved beyond the level that I thought he could have got to and he is now playing at a level where he is chapping on the door of the starting line up.

“The impact he is having from the bench has been just what we have been needing at this point in the season. There are opportunities for him and he will have a big part to play in the second half of the season.”

“There are a lot of similarities to Keith Robertson who came in to the Keith team at about the same time. They way they play the game is similar, Keith was big, strong, fast and direct just like Matty. He wants to do something every time he gets on the park.”

Rounding off the interview the two returned to the topic of coaching. Having just achieved the qualification that is required of SHFL managers under the club licensing criteria the two were positive about what they had learned and the future.

Hendry, in his first season as a coach, noted that he was thriving on being back in the game that he loves, “It is the next progression when you finally come to the end of your playing career. If you want to be involved in football you have to be involved in coaching. When Charlie Rowley game me a call and asked if I wanted to be involved it was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down so I am going on a few courses and am looking to do as well as I can.”

While Brown welcomed the opportunity to bounce around ideas with new arrival Russell McFee, “It is something I have been looking forward to getting involved in. Russell has came in and he has some great ideas and that can help us develop further as coaches and help the players develop as well.”

This weekend the Mechanics travel to Christie Park to take on a Huntly side which defeated Keith 3-1 in their last outing and are set to face Aberdeen University in an Aberdeenshire Shield first round tie tonight.

At this stage the weather looks favourable and there are high hopes for a full Highland League card. Manager Charlie Rowley is likely to have a full squad available with the exception of long term absentee Lee Fraser. Young loanee Steven Ross will be added to the squad.