Ross Draper is urging his Elgin City players to learn from their punishing Viaplay Cup experiences – because League Two will be their stage to shine.
The Black and Whites finished pointless at the foot of Group G after losing 2-0 to top-flight Motherwell, 3-1 against League Two favourites East Fife, 2-0 against League One Queen of the South and 5-0 at Championship runners-up Queen’s Park on Tuesday.
It was a perfect storm, for Draper, with his team low in numbers in terms of squad depth and age and experience right now, against teams better placed and, mainly, higher ranked.
Viaplay Cup Queens Park v Elgin City at Lesser Hampden pic.twitter.com/TAcPo5xL1M
— Elgin City F.C. (@ElginCityFC) July 25, 2023
The player/manager, who only took over the helm permanently this summer, has been gradually rebuilding the squad with the aim of being top-four play-off contenders.
Squad rebuild taking shape for City
Last season, Draper, alongside coaches Charlie Charlesworth and Steven Dunn, helped dig City out of the mire, securing just enough points to avoid a relegation play-off in May.
That revival and the former ICT and Ross County star’s desire to improve the Moray club convinced the board to hand him a three-year deal.
Talisman striker Kane Hester moved to League One Montrose, while Draper released experienced defender/midfielder Darryl McHardy, who then joined Highland League contenders Buckie Thistle.
Draper raided the Premiership for rising star loanees, with midfielder Blair McKenzie and striker Liam Harvey arriving from Aberdeen alongside Ross County midfielder Ryan McLeman.
Last week, Draper added former Dundee United and Brechin City defender Nathan Cooney and is closing in on more targets ahead of Tuesday’s SPFL Trust Trophy tie against St Johnstone B.
Hardest possible cup group for Elgin
With the new league season kicking off with a home clash with Stranraer next week, the City boss has reflected on how the four Viaplay Cup losses should be assessed.
He said: “I have to take into consideration what a young group we have. We’re a learning group in terms of age and numbers.
“I said to the boys on Tuesday night, we’re not going to be playing against this calibre of opponents every week.
“For me, although I didn’t say it before, this was always going to be a tough group for us, possibly the hardest group when you look at all these teams.
“East Fife are possibly the strongest team in League Two, while Queen of the South will be right up there in League One. Look at what Queen’s Park did last year, when they nearly won the Championship, and we began against Premiership side Motherwell.
“We are short on numbers and still short in terms of our recruitment. To play against these teams was always going to be tough.
“I won’t look negatively at what has happened over these four games and we will stay positive.
“When recruitment improves and we get a few more in, which is just about to happen, I am sure we will be all the better for it.”
Punished for mistakes in cup-ties
Draper stressed that, although the draw wasn’t kind to Elgin, his emerging pool of players must do better.
He added: “There are things to work on, such as how we concede goals.
“Regardless of our age and experience as a team, we need to work hard and take pride in not conceding cheap goals. I’m not brushing anything under the carpet, but we do need to be realistic about the opposition we’re playing against.
“We’re doing video work, looking at what we can do better. There were good spells in every game. It’s just at times our decision-making has let us down.
“When you make wrong decisions against good teams then you will get punished. If you give the ball away cheaply, you don’t get it back for two or three minutes.
“Against teams in our league, it’s more of a leveller and we’ll look to compete from the very first game next week.
“We’ve had four games within two weeks. We’ve not had a break until this weekend, so the boys returned to light training on Thursday night this week and will do the same on Saturday in preparation for St Johnstone on Tuesday.
“We will pick a team for that then build up towards the Stranraer game.”