Peters - Heggs is right man for the job

Paddy Davitt

King's Lynn defender Mark Peters is interested in joining new boss Carl Heggs' backroom team at The Walks.

The 36-year-old was short-listed for the top job at the Unibond Premier Division club, but Peters would relish the chance to link up with his ex-team mate.

Peters is now poised to discuss a potential assistant manager/player role with the Linnets after Redditch coach Heggs was announced as Keith Webb's successor earlier this week.

Heggs was part of the same Rushden & Diamonds team that finished runners-up in the Conference in 2000 and Peters is convinced Lynn have the right man at the helm.

"He's a very bubbly, very infectious character who is confident in himself and his own ability," said Peters. "He was a very good player as well when I was with him at Rushden.

"He isn't the sort of bloke who will have a go at players to get the best out of them, especially younger lads, because that can destroy players. From my experience he'd rather coach them to try and iron out mistakes to make them better.

"He's got a good work ethic as well and he is very thorough in everything he does. Carl played non league to a good level and he has been in and around it at Redditch for the last couple of years. Whatever his title at that club I know he was probably doing a lot more on the management side."

Peters is currently completing a Uefa 'A' coaching course this week in Belfast as he takes the next step in his own coaching career.

"Hopefully I can have a chat with him later this week to see what his thoughts are," said Peters. "I'm sure I can offer something in an assistant/player role. It is something that would interest me but it depends on what Carl has in mind and how he might see that working. I certainly feel I could go on the pitch in games and be confident of doing a good job as a player.

"Last year I felt perhaps I could pass on my experience to the likes of Luke Graham, Bradley Thomas and Greg Crane and I think I could offer that again in a coaching role.

"Looking after the younger players was something I enjoyed but it will probably come down to the budget and the situation with the finances. My Uefa 'A' course has been very tough. You're outside coaching for six or seven hours a day in 30 degrees and then in the evenings you have to do the theory as well but it's an area I want to get into."

Peters insists Lynn's rookie boss will have his work cut out to plot an instant Conference return.

"It's going to be tough because the majority of clubs will have very similar budgets," he said. "It won't be a case where you can go out and spend money to bring in exceptional players at that level - you almost have to make the players exceptional and that is something the club will be looking for the new manager to do.

"The travel side is another massive issue and the thing with all this now is Carl only probably has about a month or so to the day before it all starts again. He is right up against it with other clubs having already started to sort out their squads. He's on the back foot but there was nothing the club could really do because of the ridiculous delay in getting the ground situation resolved."

Peters admits Lynn's failed FA ground grading appeal leaves a bitter aftertaste.

"I just find it a totally baffling decision because we had one of the best grounds in the league," he said. "You look at the stadium and the pitch and it's a strange one.

"Obviously other things around the ground clearly needed to be addressed but these things take time and the football club and the council said all along they would do the work. I don't know the full ins or outs but it seems the money was available.

"All I can stress is we that played at lot worse grounds last season but that is the decision and you have to get on with it now."