Kids are ‘Kee’ for boss

‘You don’t win anything with kids’ ex-Liverpool legend Alan Hansen famously said about Sir Alex Ferguson’s youthful Manchester United side and Kee is hoping those words, like then, will once again be wrong.

“I’m happy within reason with the squad but there is always going to be room for improvement, but with the financial environment we are in now there has to be a development of youth and we did that last year.

“I think there were good lessons learned from last year but I still think we can introduce more young players this year, it will have to be obviously timed well, but I think if a young player makes a break through then they have a chance of making it big across the water.”

Last season teenager Aaron McEneff broke into the Institute side and a few months later he signed for Premiership giants Tottenham Hotspur and Kee feels there are more players in the Drumahoe set-up like the Northern Ireland under 17 international.

“We have a lot of young players of that ilk at the club at this minute in time and we’ll be looking to promote them into the first team squad this year,” he added.

“Aaron Patterson has good potential and he will get opportunities, as will James McClay.

“It says something about the Championship when a young player like (Aaron) McEneff comes in and ends up getting a deal with Spurs. He came into what is a physical Championship league and when he had his trial at Spurs he stood out not just because he could cope with the physical stuff but because he’s a talented player.

“He has set a good bench mark for any young player and I think Aaron’s time with us is a good lesson to any young players.”

The Waterside men along with Carrick Rangers, Newry City, Ards and Bangor are likely to be battling it out for the title and Kee is well aware of this.

“Carrick will be looking to go straight back up, Ards have invested money and although Pat McGibbon has left Newry City, I think there is good people there who will keep the wheels turning,” he conceded.

“Bangor will be up there too, their form seems to have been a wee bit in-different during pre-season but you can’t really take that into consideration and there is always another team who surprises everyone.”