Robbie Winters is stepping up from East Kilbride’s under-18 coaching staff after two trophy wins – and has told his new under-20s stars to target a first-team place at the club this season
The 48-year-old says new boss Mick Kennedy has spoken to the club’s youngsters to tell them the door is open if they’re hungry enough, and that there will be chances for them.
And Winters, from Jackton, says none of his young charges will still want to be in the under-20s set-up by the end of their two years.
Winters signed off at under-18 level by winning the SYFA Regional Cup with the golds against Eddlewood at Broadwood at the weekend, after lifting the Divisional Cup a week earlier.
He said: “My wee team are good boys. I’ve met the 2004s that were there, and their eyes are on the prize, basically. Mick
had a wee word with them in the office at K-Park, saying they’re the future.
“He’s bringing in a lot of players just now, but there will be chances there for the young boys, and I think that’s what their main aim is.
“They want to know there’s going to be chances to get in the first team and play minutes, and that’s all you want as a youngster.
“You don’t want to be just playing and be happy scoring goals in the 20s, you want to be progressing.
“If you’re defending well, if you’re a good goalkeeper or midfielder, or you have a wee goal threat week in, week out, you want to have a door that’s opened a wee bit for the first team. I think one or two of them have been in training with the first team in the last couple of weeks, so it’s fantastic.
“My boys know what they’re expected to do, and hopefully they can fight and get into the 20s team, stake a claim not just for this year, because there will be two years in the 20s.
“But I’m sure a lot of them are thinking they don’t want two years in the 20s!”
Winters is delighted to be part of the coaching set-up at K-Park and though time will tell, says Kennedy appears to have the club heading in the right direction for title success.
He said: “It’s good to be a part of the coaching team. I was speaking to Mick Kennedy and [owner] Paul Kean in the last couple of weeks, so I’m going to drop in at some stage in the next week or so, to have a wee look at the first team in training.
“[Assistant boss] Si Ferry says I can come in with the first team at times, if I wanted to do that.
“It’s a good environment, and I think Mick is putting together a strong squad to challenge.
“Time will tell, but I think they’re in good hands.
“Mick has done well everywhere he has been, he has his team in, and the people he wants, which means it’s in the right direction, so it’s whether they can gel quickly or not.
“It’s all going in the right direction, and he has good training facilities, and with the new stadium getting the go-ahead as well, it’s a good place to be for a young boy, to see the club’s ambition.”
Kilby’s under-18 golds edged out Eddlewood at Broadwood 4-3 on penalties after a 2-2 draw, and Winters says the win was deserved.
He said: “Eddlewood were a tough opponent, they’ve joined Blantyre Vics and taken some of their boys there as well.
“All the teams you play are developing the boys, getting them to play football, which is great at that age – sometimes they can go on different paths.
“The boys have been unbeaten since around Christmas or something like that, so they’ve earned something out of the wee campaign we had.
“I’m looking forward to the 20s. I’m getting a good few boys who were in the 04s last year to join them, so I hope they can produce this season.”
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