Graham Alexander shares the latest on Preston North End's search for a new coach
Peter Murphy and Andy Liddell left PNE last week.
Graham Alexander says he has not yet moved to add a new coach to his backroom staff following recent departures, but talks have been held with one candidate.
For the first three weeks of his reign after taking charge on September 28, Alexander left the coaching staff he inherited from Paul Heckingbottom in place, with long-term assistant Chris Lucketti the only coach to follow him from Bradford City.
However, it was announced on October 19 that first-team coach Peter Murphy and first-team fitness coach Andy Liddell had parted ways with Preston, with Alexander explaining afterwards he felt something needed to change in the set-up after initially giving everyone a ‘fresh start.’
The manager also revealed he was only looking to make one new hire to replace the departed duo and has now given an update on how that pursuit is going.
He said in his pre-Stoke City press conference on Wednesday when asked by BBC Radio Lancashire if there’d been any movement in the coaching staff: “No, no.
“We've spoke to one person about potentially bringing in, considering the other two that have moved on, but nothing else going forward.
“I think with the games, certainly the previous week with three games in a week, and then this week sort of trying to take forward what we did in the second-half last week.
“I think it was more important to focus on that. “I've been really impressed with how people have worked in the last couple of weeks.
“So, fingers crossed, that's still the case going forward.”
What Alexander said about coaching staff changes
When asked last week why he felt the time was right to make changes to his staff, Alexander said: "I just feel we need to to change the course of the season so far.
“We have to make changes in to how we work, how we approach things. The first three games in the space of a week have given me a real clear indication of what the players need.
“And ultimately, that's our only target, what the players need. But also understand how competitive we have to be to win games of football at any level.
“How fit we have to be, how organised, how directional we have to be with our messaging, but you can't expect to change the course of everything without other things changing along the way.
“I wanted to give myself a little bit of time and people all the time but I just think it's a natural course of action if you want significant change, 'cause we have to make significant change into the formula of the team if we want to be a successful club. “