Familiarising Faces

THE new manager has been getting to know some new faces – and getting reacquainted with a familiar one – in his first few days of his Home Park reign.

John Sheridan has taken a largely watching brief as his coaches put the Argyle players through their paces ahead of Saturday’s Home Park encounter with Morecambe, and he is pleased with what he has seen

“I have been really pleased with the lads’ attitude and the way they have gone about training,” was his verdict. “They have been nice and bright.

“I think one or two have been out to impress me, which is nice and pleasing. Hopefully that will continue, and the tempo of training we can take into Saturday.

“I know most of the players. There’s one or two I have got to try to get familiar with – younger players who haven’t figured too much.

“That’s why I’ve stood back and Gary [Owers] and Kevin [Nancekivell] have taken the training, watching what they can do.”

One of those younger players is Tyler Harvey, the teenage Plymothian who was given his full debut by previous manager Carl Fletcher on Boxing Day, but who has since suffered a calf injury.

It’s not too difficult. I’m going to give instructions out and how I want us to approach games and hopefully they will take that onboard, whatever team I pick, and take it into the game.

“I like the look of him,” said John. “I’m not bothered if they are 16, 17, 18 – if I feel he is good enough, I will throw him in. That doesn’t worry me one little bit.

“People have spoken very positively about him and he’s a prospect. He’s just potential at the moment, but I like what I see and, hopefully, I can give him different things – the way I think a striker should play – and, if that can benefit him as a player, all well and good. 

“If I feel he’s good enough, he’ll be in and around the squad.”

The old face belongs to Cornishman Jamie Lowry, a Chesterfield regular for many seasons before injury struck and, eventually, John allowed him to move from their previous club to Home Park in the summer.

He said: “In my first season, I think Jamie scored seven goals in eight or nine games. He was flying, then.

“Unfortunately, it was a shame with his injury and it did set him back. I’ve been there myself.

“Now it’s a fresh start. We’re at a new club. I like Jamie as a lad; I think he likes me as a manager.

“He can be a great asset to us.”