'I know every single player, I know their best position': Preston North End boss Ryan Lowe has fully assessed his squad

Even taking into account the period over Christmas when the training ground was shut due to Covid, PNE boss Lowe says he has had the right amount of time to assess what he has got to work with.

Ideally, Lowe would like to do some business during the January transfer window – in and out – ready to tackle the second half of the season.

But overall, his impression of the players has been a very positive one.

Lowe said: “I’ve assessed the group, I know them because I’ve been here five or six weeks now.

“I know every single player, I know their best position, I know if they will play for me, I know if they won’t play for me but that will stay in-house.

“There are lads who are champing at the bit to get into the 18-man matchday squad let alone the starting XI.

“If one or two knock on my door and say, ‘Gaffer there is an opportunity go and play football’, provided it is right by the club and it doesn’t leave me short in certain areas, then I will look at it.

“Otherwise they will be here and committed to Preston North End. ”

Prior to this evening's clash with Sheffield United, Lowe had given game time to 18 of his first-team squad.

There has been one reserve game for him to cast his eye over too, together with all the training sessions at Euxton.

Lowe feels he is making his mark at North End, with him having settled well.

It is a work in progress and getting his points across is a challenge he’s loving.

Said Lowe: “The minute I walked through the door it had to become home.

“I wanted to put my marker down, get across what I wanted to do. It’s not just me, I always want people around me working together as a team.

“We want to become as one, when we have meetings and debriefs it is always constructive and aimed at us getting better.

“We are slowly and surely putting our authority down, you can see that the football has changed drastically with the last few games.

“I have to make sure I do the job to the best of my ability, starting with what I do with the players.

“ We are slowly changing things in and around the club, at the training ground with what we want, the culture and the style.

“It just doesn’t happen overnight, it takes a little while but it is definitely on the way at the moment.”

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