New Rothes manager Ronnie Sharp is recharged and ready to take on MacKessack Park challenge alongside his ex-Nairn County assistant Mike Rae
Ronnie Sharp says he feels “rejuvenated” for the challenge of steering Rothes away from the Highland League relegation trap door.
The two-time former Nairn County boss was appointed as new manager of the Speysiders this week, with fellow ex-County man Mike Rae as his assistant.
Sharp is well aware that a young squad at MacKessack Park has fallen on tougher times this year, but he aims to use Saturday’s vital home win over Turriff United as a solid foundation to begin his rebuild.
That victory took Rothes off bottom spot, with the team finishing at the foot of the table at the end of the season possibly facing a play-off to keep their place in the Highland League.
Sharp is determined to keep his new club away from danger, and has already pinpointed the need for more experienced players in an effort to achieve more positive results.
“With the relegation threat always around now, at the moment it is all about getting results,” said the 58-year-old.
“That is the short-term aim, but we kind of have to rebuild at the same time so we have to do it both ways.
“We are working hard to see if we can get some experienced players in.
“The chairman and committee are working with me on that to see if we can more of the experienced guys in to help the young ones. There’s some talented young lads in there but they do need help.”
Sharp played for many years at Nairn County, also enjoying a spell at Clach. He became Nairn’s player-boss in his first managerial spell, moved into junior football with Nairn St Ninian then answered a second call from his local Highland League side to take over the managerial reins.
The onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, and a spell of ill-health saw Sharp take a well-deserved break from the game.
He returned this season for a short-lived spell as Bobby Beckwith’s assistant at Strathspey Thistle, with the pair dismissed by the Grantown outfit after just four games in charge.
“I got tired, but I am rejuvenated now and the break helped,” Sharp said
“Being at Rothes now it’s a great chance for me to further my managerial career. when the chance came to get involved, I was really keen and I’m just delighted to get the job.”
He spoke about his partnership with Rae, the 43-year-old former goalkeeper who had a spell at Rangers in his youth and served between the sticks at Forres Mechanics, Lossiemouth, Buckie Thistle and Nairn.
“We’ve had quite a few years together. I signed Mikey as a player before we teamed up for the management side of it, so we go back a fair while.
“Mike has got plenty of experience and knows the game inside out. It will probably be easier that we have worked together for so long, so you are not trying to gel a new coaching partnership.
“We talk about everything, we discuss it together and I will make the final decision. But Mikey certainly has a strong voice.”
The new management team take charge for the first time in Saturday’s Highland League Cup tie at home to Formartine United - a side which won 10-2 in Rothes in a league meeting earlier this season.
“We are hoping we can get going in the first weeks,” Sharp added. “We’ve got just over half a season in games so there is a long way to go.
“I met the players at the first training session on Monday. Myself and Mikey, we will just evaluate them over the next couple of weeks to see what we’ve got.
“The league is getting stronger every year and you see the players who are coming in from full-time football into the Highland League, which makes it harder and harder.
“Hopefully we can get some in to help the lads out. There’s quite a few injuries as well so it’s a matter of getting them back as well to strengthen the squad.
“The first couple of weeks, four training sessions and the games will tell us a lot.”
Sharp wasn’t at MacKessack Park to see Rothes pick up their first home win of the season with a 3-2 success over Turriff.
He is happy to kick off his Speysiders’ career in one of the cup competitions.
“In a way it’s quite good to start with a cup game. The tempo will be high and everyone wants to do well in this cup so it’s an ideal chance for us to see what we’ve got at the moment.
“We know Formartine are strong but have maybe been a bit more inconsistent this year. On their day they can beat anybody in the league and I would imagine they would expect to be near the top of the league.
“I haven’t checked the previous result (the 10-2 league loss) but I won’t be saying anything about that one.
“I don’t know what happened that day so I won’t be bringing it up. We will go on the positives from last Saturday and hopefully we get the same endeavour from them.”
