Aaron Connolly has taken interim charge of East Kilbride Thistle, but says he has no idea what will happen after Saturday’s clash against Carluke Rovers.
The 31-year-old former Ayr United and East Kilbride striker says management wasn’t on his radar, and he in fact turned down the EK Thistle job before Garry O’Hanlon was appointed.
O’Hanlon was sacked on Sunday following a poor start to the season and less than four months in charge.
Connolly has been asked to take the reins, but says he’s working on a day-by-day basis.
He said: “I’m taking training this week, with a view to the Carluke game. Beyond that I have no idea at this point.
“I was as shocked and surprised as anyone on Sunday, and found out through Garry’s message, and on our group chat.
“I’ve tried to get round to the players, speak to them, and do my best to try and steady the ship a little bit.
“The club have asked me just to hold the fort, I think is the phrase, so at this point only two days into it, I’m still none the wiser and have no idea what’s gone on.
“I’m still pretty shocked by it myself, and just trying to keep the squad together and prepare for a game on Saturday.”
When asked if he would want the job full-time, Connolly said: “I have no idea. I said ‘no’ to the job in the summer, prior to Garry being appointed, so being a manager wasn’t on my radar.
“We came to a conclusion in the summer that me and Gary would work together and I’m at the stage where I don’t know.
“I helped bring a lot of players to the club and I don’t want to walk away from the players.
“I have an affinity with the club, so I don’t want to walk away from that.
“But in terms of what happens beyond this week I actually have no idea, or even what the club thinking is at the moment.
“I think the committee have come to a decision during last week and acted on it on Sunday, and I’m in the process of trying to help pick the pieces up of that, for the players, myself and the other staff who remain at the club, like Colin Hutchinson remain and we’re bringing Mark Steele in from the under-20s to help out this week.
“We’re just trying to do our best for this week and take it from there, but my long-term thoughts, I have no idea.
“I said ‘no’ in the summer, and I’m not sure that my mind has changed on that.
“There are a whole load of factors that obviously could alter that, so I’m not going to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ at this point.”
Thistle are 13th in the 19-team West of Scotland League Third Division, with just one win, three defeats and three draws from seven games.
Connolly knows that has to improve when Carluke Rovers visit the Showpark on Saturday.
He said: “It’s a big game. Obviously results haven’t been good, we’ve not shied away from that, but it hasn’t been good enough for a long time and there have been results that have been particularly poor.
“I thought we were slightly better against Vale of Clyde, however I think we’ve still got a way to go.
“We’ve got a big game on Saturday and I’ve just tried to put all of my focus onto that and the players, as best I can.
“I’m just trying to focus on what is going to happen on the pitch, and beyond that I have no thoughts around it.
“I don’t really know what’s happening at this stage, and we just need to try our best to win the game on Saturday.”
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