Michael McKenna insists Arbroath can be a top-end Championship club – but only if ALL their top stars are on the pitch.
The Lichties succumbed to a 4-1 defeat at the hands of The New Saints (TNS) last weekend without six key players, including captain Tam O’Brien.
The Gayfield skipper is expected to return for Saturday’s Scottish Cup clash with Spartans, but they will remain without Jermaine Hylton and Leighton McIntosh.
With Dick Campbell’s side looking to find their mojo again, McKenna hopes they can return to winning ways.
The 32-year-old said: “I’ve said this to people – I think a fully-fit Arbroath side is a top-end Championship club.
“We don’t have the depth of full-time teams and that shows. When we’re a weakened squad then we’re probably a League One club at best.
“We’ve trained well this week and there was a clear-the-air discussion at training – it’s the Scottish Cup which is motivation and at this level momentum is massive. There was a lot of reflection for us all on the bus back [from TNS}
“We started so well last weekend but we have to be more streetwise when the opposition’s on top, we have to manage it rather than capitulating two or three goals.
“There’s a lot of players learning this level I feel and need to learn the small details. For example, winning a header in the air thinking your job’s done isn’t enough, you have to go through and win it with intent.
‘Stand up to the test’
“You have to play the game with intent, if you do all the small things right then you’ll get success. If you slacken off then you’ll become a weak side, the small things within a game can cost you and that’s what’s happened in the last few weeks.
“We understand it with the position we’re in, every part-time team aspires to be us because of what we’ve achieved, we have to stand up to the test and make sure we’re not looked at as a scalp.
“Spartans are a good side and could definitely kick up the leagues, they have a bit of financial backing and it’s a well-run club but we’ll focus on ourselves.”
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