Hi °C | Lo °C Coleraine could be sitting pretty at the top of the JJB Sports Premiership tomorrow but manager David Platt has no desire to hear title talk echoing around the north-west just yet.
Still a rookie in the unforgiving business that is football management, Platt is not willing to get too excited by his side’s promising start to the season.
If Coleraine can win at home to Institute and Linfield fail to beat Dungannon Swifts at Windsor Park, a draw at Seaview would put the Bannsiders level on points with Glentoran and Crusaders.
The Showgrounds faithful may have been reaching for the panic button when Marty Quinn jumped ship in the summer but Platt’s young side have sprinted out of the blocks. The Coleraine chief is backing Glentoran to pip the Blues to the league title but he is determined to maintain his side’s menacing form.
“We have gone on a good run and are something like seven games unbeaten,” said Platt. “Our points tally is good but within the changing room there is always a desire for performances to improve.
“It’s still very tight in the league in the sense that a few defeats could land you in real trouble. Our goal hasn’t changed and that is to record a top six finish. There has been a gradual improvement in our performances but week in, week out we have to make sure we are mentally prepared for every game.
“We still have a young squad with three or four teenagers, three or four lads in their early 20s and I am still a rookie, always learning. When you look at the Glentoran and Linfield squads, you realise that they always have players on the bench who can come on and really turn a game. I also recognise that Linfield can go top of the league tomorrow — I would take that crisis anytime!”
