Short summer break for Elgin City as manager Gavin Price steps up preparations to ensure slump season is not repeated
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AFTER his worst season as Elgin City manager, Gavin Price says he will “leave no stone unturned” in his mission to return the club to a challenging position.
City’s bleak campaign went out with a whimper on Saturday as they lost 2-0 at Stranraer to finish ninth in League Two.
They completed their programme with less points than achieved in a 22-match season last year, when they reached the play-offs after finishing third.
Price immediately pinpointed his team’s poor preparations for the campaign last summer and said he is already excited about plans to get his current players in prime condition and bring in a raft of fresh faces.
He said his squad will get just a two-week rest before beginning a fitness programme in mid-May to get them ready for the return to full training on June 9.
The manager also revealed that his club has invested in a set of GPS sports vests, which measures the players’ fitness performance during their programme.
“We have underachieved as a group and we need to make sure that we get things right next season.
“The players will start much earlier this year, and we will make sure there is no stone left unturned in our efforts to get things right.
“The board have been really good in helping us get these GPS vests and everyone will be monitored through May and early June, so that hopefully we get everyone back fit and ready to go and can go straight into the football in pre-season.
“We also need to make sure that we get the right additions into the squad that will give us a right chance next year. I still believe that we’ve got the core of a squad that is capable.
“We will learn from this season and every detail is so important for injury prevention and ensuring that players can last 90 minutes in games. I think we’ve got to turn our focus towards that as professionally as we can and everyone at the club has been supportive of our ideas for that.
Already City have lost captain Euan Spark, who has rejected a new contract to remain closer to his family and business commitments in Brechin.
Price has offered deals to Kane O’Connor – who is exploring full-time possibilities – Rabin Omar and Matheus Machado.
He said he has no concrete deals on new players yet, but has had positive talks with a number of targets.
Price said ex-boss Jim Weir, who returned to the club late last season to help on match days, may agree to continue his support by networking transfer targets and some involvement with the first-team squad.
