Curle won't surround himself with 'yes men' at the Cobblers

Cobblers boss Keith Curle has revealed his dislike of 'yes men' after discussing the recent coaching role taken on by defender Alan Sheehan in his backroom team.

The experienced defender, who completed his UEFA A license shortly after joining the Cobblers in the autumn, has made no secret of his desire to one day become a manager.

Sheehan took on a player-coach role at Northampton and has regularly been seen in the dugout during his absence due to injury in recent weeks.

"Alan has got an opinion and that's something I want in my staff - I don't like yes men," said Curle. "I don't give my opinion until last because I don't want people just to agree with my opinion.

"I want to know what people think individually so they all give their individual views and then we have a debrief when they explain their thought process and then I pick the bones out of the information they give me.

"Together, we come up with a plan. Information is key and being prepared to give your own opinion and not be swayed by anybody else is a requirement that I like with people in and around me - I don't like yes men."

Discussing Sheehan's role in his backroom team, Curle added: "Even though he's not been training or participating in games, Alan has been furthering his education and knowledge on the other side of the game.

"He's understanding the structure of the coaching week and the individual training measures that players go through and the information we give to the squad.

"It's another set of eyes and another opinion when we're watching the opposition and when we're watching games back. It's an education for Alan.

"As a player, you might watch your good clips back for about 15 or 20 minutes but as a coach, you watch the whole game back from a coaching view, individually and collectively, and then you're looking at the opposition.

"All the coaches watch two or three games of the opposition so the Saturday nights and Sunday mornings are completely different for a coach than a player and Alan is understanding that transition now."