Gavin Cowan after leaders in his AFC Telford squad
Gavin Cowan is on the hunt for leaders to fix his AFC Telford United side’s ‘weak underbelly’ during his summer recruitment drive.
Bucks chief Cowan has begun to shape his squad for next season, while uncertainty still looms around the completion of the 2019/20 play-offs and when the following season might get under way.
The National North was cancelled in April with Telford sitting 13th. Cowan feels that much of his side’s inability to hold on to leads, particularly in the closing stages of matches, highlighted mentality issues and a ‘weak underbelly’.
“The reality this year is as a team I thought we did some really good things, but we were our own worst enemy at times,” Cowan said.
“I think everything was there for us, but we had a bit of weak underbelly in my opinion, conceding late goals – that’s a mentality, not an ability or game strategy.
“That’s something we need to address, make sure we’ve got leaders in the team and people who can close out games.
“Because when they go across that white line it’s only them that can do it.”
Cowan has so far re-signed three players for next season, with four leaving the New Bucks Head.
He added: “It doesn’t take a rocket scientist, when you’ve got players of the calibre we’ve had, when we’ve been dominant in possession, working to a strategy that works every time we put it in place, there’s only thing that can be said.
“That’s a lack of ruthlessness and a weak underbelly and it’s something we’ve got to address.
“Some would say that money buys that but I think it’s about individuals that come together collectively.”
