BY ALAN TEMPLE – Capital City Press
Steven Pressley insists coping with brutal cost-cutting at Falkirk has given him the tools to succeed at Fleetwood Town.
The former Scotland international ended his dugout exile on Wednesday when he was appointed as successor to compatriot Graham Alexander at the League One strugglers.
Pressley will be charged with lifting the Cod Army out of the relegation zone, with two points currently separating them from safety.
However, the new gaffer reckons that task will be nothing compared to dealing with his budget being slashed by 75 per cent at the Falkirk Stadium.
Pressley also worked with monetary pressures during two years at Coventry prior to being dismissed in February – and he is relishing the chance to get his teeth into a challenge which is not fraught with financial problems.
He said: “When I was in charge at Falkirk I had to reduce the budget by 75 per cent and at Coventry over a two year period it was 60 per cent.
“These are challenging and difficult situations, but here I come into a club where there does not require a reduction.
“The budget is tight and there isn’t a great deal of flexibility in it at this moment in time, but reducing is not the priority and that was very important.
“I think the five years prior to this have been a great apprenticeship to myself – but I didn’t want to go into a club where again I had to address this situation. Fleetwood is a remarkable story but the great thing for me is that it does stand on its on two feet.”
Former Rangers, Hearts and Celtic defender Pressley reportedly turned down the opportunity to replace Jackie McNamara as Dundee United boss last week.
And the 41-year-old has confirmed that he snubbed several jobs before returning to management with Fleetwood.
“There were a number of jobs that came up and I was contacted regarding several opportunities during my time out,” Pressley told Fleetwoodtownfc.com .”The timing of some wasn’t right, and other clubs were not the right fit. But the fit is good here.”
