Elgin City manager Allan Hale is up for the challenge: 'The easy choice would have been to stay where I was'
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Elgin City's new manager Allan Hale admitted that the job is a "challenge" – but one that he and assistant manager Stefan Laird are ready to face head on.
Hale's home debut ended with a thumping 4-0 defeat at the hands of Spartans, with Elgin remaining ninth in the League Two table.
Speaking after the match, the 35-year-old said that the easy choice would have been to remain in post at Highland League side Huntly, where he was in charge for three and a half years.
"The easy thing to do, two weeks ago when the enquiry came in, was to turn it down based on where Elgin were in the league and stay in the position I was in," Hale said.
"To stay in my comfort zone, knowing the squad were well-versed in what we were asking them to do having picked up positive results and had them in a strong position. That would have been the easy thing to do.
"I saw this as a challenge – and it definitely is a challenge – but one we are facing head on and I've got the confidence we will get the performance levels out of the players in the weeks ahead.
"Every club I have been at I have come in during a period where it is similar to where things are now. We will stick to our principles, what we believe in and what we have done over the course of 11 years.
"The one thing I will ask is that the supporters stick with the team. I know that's easier said than done because they have been here a lot longer than me and witnessed things a lot more than I have.
"But the players need confidence and confidence will come from the crowd appreciating chances when were giving them to them."
Elgin have lost 4-0 in Hale's first two matches in charge and travel to league leaders Stenhousemuir this weekend.
Nothing has taken the new management team by surprise, though, and Hale is certainly going to stick with the methods that have brought him success in previous roles.
"I wouldn't say there is anything that has surprised us," he added. "We did our research before we came in, which means we have watched a lot of games.
"The easy thing to do would be to say we will revert back to type in being organised and being really defensive and difficult to break down – but I don't believe playing that way will keep us in the league.
"I don't think we are going to create enough chances and get enough wins by playing that way.
"If it comes to the end of the season and that doesn't go to plan then that's on me, but I've got a way I believe we should play and we will coach that into the players.
"We are going to try to do things the way that we believe in, the way we have done for the past 11 years. It is something that will take time and the players are prepared to do it.
"There's a good group here but we need confidence instilled in them and need to believe that the way we are asking them to play is going to be the right approach.
"There is a lot of work to do, but the players are ready to fight and are on board with what we are trying to do. If we keep working them then I'm confident we will get out of it and things can change."
