Ryan Dow reckons the new Peterhead manager will have plenty of talent to work with, in the wake of Jim McInally’s departure.
McInally’s resignation over the weekend came as a surprise, bringing to an end his 11-year reign at the club which was the longest tenure in the SPFL.
Assistant boss Davie Nicholls is in temporary charge of the team until a new manager is found.
Dow is McInally’s son-in-law and has a personal relationship with the former boss. Training without him leading the session on Tuesday night felt like a strange experience.
It will now be up to chairman Rodger Morrison to source a successor, a task which should be helped by the players that the new manager would have at his disposal.
“Jim stated that we are a young group – there’s only myself, Paul Dixon, Ryan Strachan and Sandy (Wood) that are over 30,” said Dow.
“You’ve seen in the last couple of weeks that we’re up and down a wee bit but there’s talent in the squad. We just need consistency to get a wee run together.
“We don’t know when it (a new manager) might happen but if he’s watching games, he will be looking at the squad and of his own ideas.
“There’s plenty to work with and good players there. It’s just getting consistency, rather than doing it every other week.”
Peterhead players ‘gutted’ at McInally’s departure
McInally had seemingly made the decision on the back of the 3-0 defeat to Montrose, however there were signs of encouragement again in last weekend’s 1-1 draw against Airdrieonians.
He leaves with the club bottom of League One but still with plenty of time remaining in the season to turn things around.
“Getting the news was strange,” said Dow. “Jim has done it for his reasons. I think it surprised a few of the boys on the back of that result against Airdrie.
“The boys are gutted about it and I wish he would have stayed, but it was his decision.
“I speak to him every day and I think he just wants a break. He was the longest-serving manager in Scotland and he just needs a break away from it.
“It will be strange playing without him but in football you’re never surprised by anything.”
Dow is in his second spell at Peterhead, having been brought back to the club by McInally in the summer.
His initial stint at Balmoor came in the second half of the 2018-19 campaign, helping the club achieve promotion back to League One.
A common theme emanating from the tributes to McInally in recent days has been his generosity, in giving up his time to help players, the club and the community.
“The chairman will probably tell you what he’s given to the club,” added Dow. “It’s not often in a part-time or full-time environment you get to manage for such a long time.
“It just shows you the type of person he is and the relationships he had with people up there.
“Peterhead have not had to go and get a manager for 11 years and it will be something new for them. At other clubs you are maybe looking at 18 months to two years (between managers).
“I’m sure they will not be short of applicants.”
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