'If we can' - Ryan Lowe assesses his Preston North End journey so far and next step challenge

Preston North End manager Ryan Lowe always knew he’d get time at Deepdale - now the test is to push higher in the table.

The Lilywhites appointed the Liverpudlian in December 2021, and he guided PNE to a 13th placed finish that season. In his first full campaign as boss, Preston finished 12th and last season saw North End climb to 10th. Lowe is well aware of the challenge facing him and the team this year, after two-and-half years in the hot seat.

“I have been here for some time,” said Lowe. “And I knew I’d be here for some time, because of the ownership and Peter (Ridsdale). I have had reassurances, many times. Tough times don’t last; tough people do. When you’ve got a good owner and good boss in front of you, then that’s why you end up being there a long time.

“I get frustration. Sometimes I get frustrated myself, and frustrated along with everyone else sometimes - because of where we’re trying to get to. But, the one thing this football club has got is diehard fans who stick with them through thick and thin. They’ve got a diehard owner, who 100 per cent backs what we are trying to do.

“And we’ve got a CEO/Director of Football - whatever Peter’s title is or becomes - who is a good good, fantastic leader. He leads the whole company and organisation, on the football side and HR department. And then, I think I’ve got fantastic staff and fantastic players. Overall, we are a fantastic football club, well run, with fantastic fans.”

When asked what’s needed to take the next step, Lowe said: “Good question. I think you need consistency. I think you definitely need a little bit of luck in there, as well. And, you need to stick to your principles. We are working on some principles in and out of possession, now, that can hopefully help us.

“If we can get an extra two per cent, from back to middle to front, it gives you six per cent. And two per cent, whether it is decisions that go for you. The league is so crazy and so bizarre. Peter has spoken heavily about budgets and where you should finish. Where our budget is and where we’ve finished for the last three seasons, I think is good.

“We obviously want to try and get higher, of course we do. That is credit to the players as well, because they overachieve and they give us everything. Lads have played injured before, putting their bodies on the line - and then we’ve suffered injuries. To get to where you want, it’s not rocket science what you need.

“We probably need a bit more depth in the squad and quality. So, the quality players we have got, we need to add players just as good as them - not players who are under par. Because, if one comes out, the one that goes in has got to produce. I haven’t got the answer for it, because I haven’t done it in this league just yet.

“It obviously helps if you can go and buy a striker for five, six, seven or eight million pounds. But, that is not always the case and it doesn’t always work. You look at teams that have spent big and never got there. Parachute payments play a massive part in promoting teams. If you look at the past five years and teams that have gone up, they’ve always been up and down.

“So, it is tough, but what we try and do is overachieve, be sustainable and have that bit of know-how - potentially - of what it takes when you’re in those last six or seven games. That is something I am trying to learn to be better at. So, next season, if we are in that position again and have the injuries, what does it look like? There are loads of factors in it, but ultimately you are up against some monster clubs and teams with big financial packages.”