Graham Coughlan a good fit for Newport County - James Clarke

Coughlan was appointed as Exiles manager on Thursday, met with his new players at Spytty Park this morning and will lead them for the first time against Colchester at Rodney Parade tomorrow (kick-off 3pm).

The Irishman has been appointed as replacement for James Rowberry and is charged with ensuring the club don’t endure a battle against the drop to the National League.

READ MORE: Q&A with new County boss Coughlan

Clarke played under Coughlan at Bristol Rovers in 2018/19, when he successfully steered them away from a relegation scrap and then turned them into promotion contenders.

“He did an unbelievable job at Bristol when I was there and he is exactly what we need,” said Clarke. “He is straight-talking, honest with you and organised, everything that I feel we need right now.

“I can't speak any higher of him for the job he did at Bristol because we were so far off it at the time – lacklustre, down on confidence – and he came in and turned it around. I am sure he can do the same here.”

BOSS: Graham Coughlan in the County dugout (Image: Submitted)

Coughlan is getting his feet under the table and is straight into a hectic period that pits County against fellow strugglers Colchester in Newport before trips to his former side Mansfield and another promotion contender Northampton.

In time, the former centre-back, who was a Plymouth legend in his playing days, will work the squad hard on the training pitch.

“He demands respect off the boys and will demand that we are all fit and ready for the fight,” said Clarke. “He will put us through our paces and we will be organised.

“It will be different to the last manager but it's probably what we need right now. A fresh pair of eyes, different ideas, philosophies and ways of training and preparing, sometimes that is what a changing room needs.”

That isn’t a dig at Rowberry, Clarke has previously spoken about the squad letting their former manager down and stressed they hadn’t “downed tools”.

County defender James Clarke (Image: Huw Evans Agency)

“Unfortunately, the results haven't been good enough, even when the performances were there,” said the 32-year-old.

“It may have improved down the line but at some point they need to act and they did that early. It's not a crisis but we want to be higher in the table.

“I have said it before, it is the players that have been underperforming and sometimes fresh ideas can galvanise the changing room. It's a clean slate but everybody has to hit the ground running.”

Coughlan is straight into a key game against a Colchester side that are one place above the drop zone but would leapfrog the hosts if they repeat last April’s 2-1 triumph at Rodney Parade.

“It will be a tough game. They are in a similar position to us with a new manager in charge,” said Clarke.

“It will be a fight and something the gaffer will get us riled up for. The fans deserve something to cheer about because they have stuck with us through this sticky patch.

“It's about time we repaid them and hopefully they can get behind us and the gaffer to cheer us through to a win.”