John McGlynn is adamant Arbroath have always been more than a one man team as the Lichties embark on life after Joel Nouble.
The shock Championship leaders visit Raith Rovers on Saturday without Nouble, with their talismanic loan star having been recalled by parent club Livingston.
Rovers boss McGlynn is fulsome in his appreciation of the powerhouse forward, insisting there are few attackers that possess Nouble’s heady mix of pace, physicality and potency in the final third.
The Englishman notched five goals and four assists during his 23 outings for the Gayfield side, while his affable personality and willingness to engage with the local community made him a cult hero.
Yet, McGlynn has cautioned that, even without Nouble, Arbroath retain plenty of threats throughout their side.
Raith will move level on points with the Angus outfit with a victory.
Thank you @ArbroathFC ❤️ pic.twitter.com/5DaBERlDoe
— Joel Nouble (@OfficialNoubz) January 10, 2022
“It’s incredibly difficult to replace Joel Nouble,” McGlynn told Courier Sport. “There aren’t many footballers going around like him.
“He absolutely bullied central defenders for the whole first half of the season.
“[Raith veteran] Christophe Berra, a top defender, said he was as difficult an opponent as he’s played against, with that physicality and intensity he brings to the game.
“So, because of that, it might be a slightly different challenge — but it will still be a very difficult game. We know we’ll have to be at our very best to give ourselves a chance.
Options
“Arbroath have a lot of good players beyond what Nouble brought to the side.
“Michael McKenna is having the season of his life and they have some excellent players in midfield. Jack Hamilton is back, Luke Donnelly is an option and you seldom get change out of that back four.
“All you can do is compliment Arbroath on being different class. We need to be ready for that, while looking to cause them problems. If we want to continue to challenge at the very top, you need to win games like this.”
McGlynn added: “Arbroath have been magnificent all season. I saw Dick Campbell receiving manager of the month this week — but for me, he’s manager of the year already.”
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