No ‘quick fixes’ for Poppies as boss McDonald has one eye on the future
Liam McDonald has reiterated he will not be signing players for 'quick fixes' as Kettering Town build a squad capable of competing at the top end of the Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central.
The Poppies boss has been in charge for close to six weeks now, and has brought in a group of new players to bolster the squad, with the latest addition being Eddie Panter from Bedford Town.
But there perhaps hasn't quite been the influx of players arriving at Latimer Park the Kettering faithful would have anticipated.
The Poppies boss confirmed he had the chance to sign 'a couple of bodies' last week, ahead of Saturday's 1-1 draw at Halesowen Town, but he rejected the opportunity as they weren't right for his long-term vision for the club.
"We need some bodies in the building, we know that, and we have had the chance to take a couple of bodies in but chose not to," McDonald told the Kettering Town YouTube channel.
"That is on the basis that we are not just trying to sign players for the sake of it.
"This season is important, but next season is also important, and building for the future and making sure we are getting the right players in, and not just for quick fixes.
"The squad have done well, we have taken four points from two games, and that has been a positive.”
Sitting 11th, Kettering are seven points off the play-off places with Saturday's home date with 16th-placed Bury Town marking the halfway point of the campaign.
After a sticky run of three straight losses, the Poppies have bounced back well to claim four points out of six, and McDonald is pleased his team is doing the hard yards.
"Saturday was a high-tempo, exhausting game," he said. "The boys have exhausted themselves to get a point, as have Halesowen. Top teams have to do that and we want to become one of those top teams.
"We are not there yet, there is still loads of work to do, and I felt on Saturday we got tired physically.
"It would have been easy for us to chuck the towel in, use the excuse that we have wingers at fill-back, and a right-back at centre-half, but they didn't do that. So we now dust ourselves down and look to go again."
Following Saturday's clash with Bury, the Poppies are also at home next Tuesday when they hsost AFC Sudbury, before rock-bottom Royston head to Latimer Park on Saturday, December 20.