Matthew Cooper has backed Gavin Price’s impact on Elgin City as the manager clocks up his 100th game in charge this afternoon.
Price was assistant manager to Jim Weir before succeeding him in the Borough Briggs hotseat in October 2017, with Cooper believing he has been able to put his own stamp on the team.
The milestone comes in an away game at Cowdenbeath, with a victory for the visitors enough to close the gap on the play-off places in League 2. Elgin have finished sixth and eighth in Price’s two seasons in charge but the belief in the squad is they can make the play-offs for the first time in three years this season.
Cooper, who joined in Elgin in 2014, has been impressed with Price’s time in charge and pointed to his faith in youth as reason to celebrate his tenure.
Cooper said: “It’s well-documented how hard the transition from assistant to manager can be at times and he has came in and put his stamp on the team. You can see it starting to take shape, this season especially.
“I’ve always had a decent relationship with the manager, as have most of the boys so that has helped the squad knowing what we can get out of each other to be at our best.
“The other big impact the gaffer has had is with the youth lads. The other week proved that, where the whole bench and a few of the first team all came through the academy, so he’s shown that the chance is there for the young boys.”
With a summer recruitment drive that brought Shane Sutherland back to the club, Russell Dingwall in after his release from Ross County and Daniel MacKay on loan from Caley Thistle, Cooper said the squad is close to hitting top gear.
He added: “There is a good energy in the changing room this year. We know what we are capable of – we just need that little bit of cutting edge to see games out. We are close to being at our best and we just need to trust the process and what the gaffer is doing with us every week at training, to start picking up more points.”
MacKay is highly thought of at Championship side Inverness and after overcoming an ankle injury, has been a regular in Price’s side. Having made a similar switch himself, Cooper can see the potential of the 18-year-old.
He said: “It’s clear to see since Dan has came in that he’s a talented lad. When he’s on his game he’s unplayable and has shown that in spells throughout his loan. A couple of injuries have stopped him showing his full potential but with a run of games we know the threat he gives us out wide.”
