McKenna urges beleaguered Scorries to step up
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"Step up and take responsibility" is the message from Scorries boss Tom McKenna ahead of Saturday's Highland League clash at Clachnacuddin.
Academy have made a poor start to the new season, having taken only one point from the first three games.
Even more worrying is the goals-against column that shows them having leaked 12 goals so far.
Five-goal thumpings from Fraserburgh and Formartine coupled with a victory being thrown away as two defensive errors handed Deveronvale an unlikely draw does not make pretty reading for Wick fans.
Injuries and player unavailability has not helped either with Davie Allan, Jack Henry, Jack Halliday and Marc Macgregor all on the treatment table with work commitments also impinging on Michael Steven.
While Allan and Halliday resumed light training this week, and with Steven likely to be back for the Clach fixture, McKenna is keen for the rest who are fit and available to step up to the plate and cement their own places in the team.
He said: "If I was a player, I would be fed up reading about this player being out and that player not being available.
"It is hard when you have good, experienced members of the squad out injured but that excuse can only take you so far.
"We've all got to take responsibility – myself included – and step up to plate. We all need to stand up and change our mindset.
"We're not in a good place regarding results. We had hoped to move on from the progress we had made last season and build upon it.
If I was a player, I would be fed up reading about this player being out and that player not being available.
"The boys we have available for Saturday have a great opportunity to go to Clach and get a victory.
"Jack Henry and Marc Macgregor are probably three weeks away from a return but Jack Halliday and Michael Steven could be back for us, while Davie Allan is looking good for next week's match against Brora.
"For the players who are fit and available, we need to get on the front foot and be attack-minded and get a victory at Clach that will bring some cheer back to the club."
In last week's 5-0 nightmare at home to Formartine only three outfield players on the Academy bench – and all three were trialists.
Some have wondered why Wick are not calling upon members of their youth squad who have won the SHFL Under-17 North title for the past two seasons.
The answer to that is a simple one: McKenna would if he could.
He added: "The short reply to that is the summer league.
"In order to get more experience of playing against players older than they would face in the under-17s, the boys play for the various summer teams we have in Caithness.
"Unfortunately for us, that league is still ongoing and it will be at least a fortnight before those lads return to our fold.
"We would like to take a look at them in training with the full squad with a view to hopefully promoting them. But until their summer commitments are over, we have to wait."
