'Something to consider' - Interim Preston North End manager drops hint for Swansea City

Interim PNE boss Mike MarshInterim PNE boss Mike Marsh
Interim PNE boss Mike Marsh | CameraSport - Dave Howarth
PNE beat Sunderland in midweek and now head to Swansea City

Interim Preston North End manager Mike Marsh could switch to a back four against Swansea City this weekend.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Lilywhites beat Sunderland 2-0 on Tuesday night, in the Carabao Cup at Deepdale. Marsh took charge of the game, one day after Ryan Lowe’s departure as manager was confirmed. The 55-year-old, alongside Peter Murphy and Ched Evans, now has a Championship fixture to plan for.

And, it’s a return to one of his former clubs. PNE director Peter Ridsdale has explained how the next North End boss will need to be flexible tactically - and Marsh wasted no time in deploying Preston in a back four. He liked what he saw in midweek, and that shape is therefore on his mind for Saturday.

“It will be a tough game, they are a good side,” said Marsh. “I know quite a bit about Swansea, having spent two years down there as a coach. It will be good to go back and see some old faces, but nothing will please me more than turning them over. We’ve got three days to prep; I’ve been here for two-and-a-half years, I know the players really well.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“So, not much is going to change. There will be slight tweaks here and there, but it’s not going to be a massive difference from where we’ve been previously - just a different voice. I have got lots of ideas about how you want to play in certain games. I am not rigid, sticking to one formation or shape. I will pick a team and tactics I think is right for the game.

“I spoke to the players and said we need to be more flexible. I thought we were brilliant, going from a 3-5-2 into a 4-2-3-1 in a heartbeat really (against Sunderland). I thought we were better in a four and it’s obviously something to consider. I don’t want to go too early and give the cards away for what we’ll go with against Swansea, but I think everyone could see it was an improvement from where we’ve been.”

There’s a new signing in the building, too, in Jeppe Okkels. The 25-year-old has signed from FC Utrecht and will offer North End a natural option on the wing. The Dane watched from the stands on Tuesday night, but could be in contention for the trip to the south coast of Wales.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Marsh added: “Ever since he went back to Basel, we’ve been looking for a replacement for Liam (Millar) haven’t we? We have been looking for a similar type of player. He is not a direct replacement, but he is a similar type. I think he will make us a bit stronger.”

Related topics:

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.