What next for The New Saints after Harrison exit?

With long-serving managing Craig Harrison leaving Park Hall for the Hartlepool United, the question on everyone lips will be what is next for the reigning Champions?

The club will have had a contingency plan in place with Harrison linked with a number of jobs over the last few years after the success Harrison brought to the club.

But influential coach Carl Darlington who would have been seen as a possible replacement for Harrison should he have left, departed the club for Wrexham earlier this month.

The club may have to brace themselves for possible departures, with some of The New Saints current squad having experienced playing at National League level.

APPOINT FROM WITHIN? 

For the moment it will be Scott Ruscoe to lead the club through the Saints pre-season schedule as well as prepare the side for the Champions League Qualifiers.

The partnership of Scott Ruscoe an Steve Evans could prove to be a successful one if given the opportunity. Roscoe knwos the league inside outside after spells with Newtown where he scored 17 goals in 92 appearances.

The benefit of appointing Roscoe would be that the players are familiar to him and it could help ease the club through a period of transition. He’s the clubs record highest appearance maker and his loyalty and dedication to the club could be rewarded if he were to be appointed manager.

He also buys into the winning mentality at the club, winning the league title eight times, the Welsh Cup four times and the League Cup five times as a player.

A stumbling block though could be that Ruscoe does not possess the necessary UEFA Pro Licence.

RIVAL MANAGERS?

Similar to how Harrison was appointed, the Champions could look to managers currently in the league and identify them as their next manager.

The lure of managing a team on a full-time basis and the opportunity to work with a talented and young squad, as well as managing in the Champions League Qualifiers could be a potential deal swinger for any managers interested in the job.

Colin Caton, who is no stranger to The New Saints after masterminding a 2-1 Welsh Cup win over them could be seen as a posible target after the transformation he has delivered at Maes Tegid over his long-tenure at the club.

Andy Morrison could be a target for  the New Saints also after taking the Nomads to their highest ever finish in the Welsh Premier League, finishing 2nd in the Welsh top flight this season.

LOOK AFAR? 

With the club losing a manager to the English leagues, there’s no reason why the club couldn’t look to England for a replacement manager.

The club as mentioned boasts full time status which could offer job security to a manager currently plying his managerial trade in the conference.

(Featured Image: Bala Town FC)