Playing for keeps

JOEL COLEMAN: big future

JOEL Coleman will be pushed all the way for his number one spot, despite already having caught the eye of new manager Darren Kelly.

The 19-year-old goalkeeper was the star of Athletic’s end-of-season game, with a series of increasingly confident performances that kept Blackburn ’keeper Jake Kean on the substitutes’ bench.

Coleman’s character, as much as his ability, has been praised by the club’s backroom staff since he broke into the side and stayed there.

For Kelly, it is important that a new goalkeeper, who will be brought in this summer, keeps the youngster focused on the sort of improvement that can ultimately take him to the top.

“Joel has a fantastic future in the game,” Kelly said. “That is up to Joel too, and how he manages that. He will be supported all the way here. In the games I’ve seen him play, he has been absolutely fantastic.

“If he is the number one, he needs to work even harder to retain that. It’s the same all round. If you are in the team, you have to work to stay in the team.”

Speaking in his new office at SportsDirect.com Park, Kelly admitted there is work to do to convince supporters he’s the right man to move the club forward.

“Let’s be honest,” he said. “The jury is out and I have to win them over.

“I have no doubt that I can do that, but it all starts from a base of absolute hard work.

“The players will buy into that or will be left behind. I chatted to them and told them what I expect and everything is very positive.

“As much as I’m a rookie manager, I still have a lot of experience. I have been in a lot changing rooms with managers and have created my own methods. It is about these guys trusting in what I do for us to go and achieve something at this club.”

Kelly is set to announce his retained-player list today. Decisions are expected on the future of George Elokobi, Adam Lockwood, James Dayton, Connor Brown, David Mellor, Rhys Turner, Jordan Bove, Jack Truelove, Jonathan Forte and Amari Morgan-Smith. Of those, Elokobi, Dayton and Morgan-Smith could be set to depart, while Lockwood may make the move to first-team coach.

As far as backroom staff are concerned, Anthony White, Tom Hart and Steve Cross have all signed extensions.

twitter: @Matt_Chambers_