Stags boss Murray weighs up options for new assistant

He admits he is still open as to whether to bring in an experienced older head or to give the role to a young and eager coach with fresh ideas.

Stags fans were shocked when Murray released first team coach and former Stags assistant boss Micky Moore on Saturday to free up the new No.2 vacancy which Murray sees as vital to help him guide the side to success next season.

“I’ve spoken to a couple of experienced heads that have worked at very high levels in the No.2 role that I’m looking at,” he said.

“But also I have people that have been in the Football League and played in the Football League and been around the top levels that I have around me already that are maybe a little bit younger.

“I had a chat with somebody yesterday who is a little bit more of an older head than me who has been there and done it at Championship level and been to World Cups and stuff. So it’s a major experience that could be of benefit to the group.

“On the flip side of it I have got a young and hungry couple that are eager to learn and come in with new and fresh ideas which I think from the Academy upwards we have all benefited from.

“You look at the first team staff this season and they’ve all been young, which gives you a new impetus on the game.

“The game moves rapidly and at the current time it’s going at a rapid pace of evolvement. We’ve got to stay with that, so these are interesting times.”

Murray admitted at the weekend that telling Moore his contract would not be renewed in the summer had been tough and emotional.

“It was a massive decision for me personally, forget the football club. It’s still a little bit raw,” he said.

“As a person Micky was huge for me in a lot of ways, as a player, a coach and a manager now. But it’s one of these decision I’ve taken on my back that we might need a new impetus in terms of another voice or a fresh face.

“This staff has been together a long while now, so it was a case of adding something new.

“The decision to do it now with six games to go was, one, for the respect of Micky as I didn’t want him left ‘in the turd’ come the end of the season, without a job and the season over.

“At least now he’s got time to get his name out there. Everyone will know what a good football person he is.

“At the same time it gives me the opportunity to look at things without having to make any quick decisions.”

He added: “It’s not like it’s the summer and I am thinking Mick’s left and I’ve got to bring someone in. You are gambling it’s going to work without trying it.

“So the timing was to give everybody that breathing space to get their head around things and look at different options - whether it will be experience or whether it will be hunger and energy we will see.

“We are doing it as we speak now. That’s not a case of it was pre-planned and this or that was going to happen.

“It was a case that we didn’t have time to waste.”