By Jonathan Brown
VALLEY Rangers manager David McKee says he’s content with his side’s start to the season and has praised his young squad for helping to propel the Bignian Park outfit to the top of the MUFL Intermediate A table.
“We’re not in bad shape to be honest.
“Results have been a wee bit mixed, cups have been our downfall and we’ve struggled a bit in those, but your bread and butter is the league, and we’re at the right end of the table.
“I’m happy at the minute,” McKee explained.
Valley currently sit top of the Intermediate A table, but they’ve already been dumped out of the Irish Cup, the Bob Radcliffe Cup and the Premier Cup, which is a source of frustration for former youth team coach McKee, although he admits league form is his main focus.
“We always aim to try and go as far as we can in the cup competitions, certainly in the Irish Cup, and with the Premier (Cup) being an Intermediate A only competition, we were thinking we had half a chance in that, but it is what it is.
“I’d far rather have the bread and butter of the league. If you’re doing well in the league, you’re showing your consistency, but in the cups, anybody can beat anybody on their day.
“League is first and foremost.”
Fielding a consistent starting line-up has been one of the main challenges McKee has faced so far this season.
“When you’re an amateur outfit, it’s hard for boys to commit every week and to have a settled squad.
“We’ve used a lot of players already this season, and we’re only a dozen games in.
“It’s all about working out how to get the best from what you have any given week”, the manager explained.
In the full story manager McKee details their player development approach this season, which is more important than ever.
