O'Kelly backs Smith to handle the "bombshells"

Richard O'Kelly today backed boss Dean Smith to guide Walsall away from the League One "bombshells".

The Saddlers assistant manager reckons the Banks's Stadium chief was destined to be a success when they were players together in the 1980s.

And O'Kelly, a senior player when Smith broke into the Saddlers team in 1988, insisted the boss will keep them out of trouble.

He said: "Whether you're at the top level or lower down it's still the same game. A manager needs to manage and manage his staff well. He needs to manage the bombshells which come his way and he does this really well.

"As a young player he was opinionated, had a point of view and knew why he was doing things and why he wasn't.

"From that point of view he was his own man and as a player he was always going to be successful. "He had the capabilities to bring small groups together. He had those leadership qualities and is the sort of person who you wanted to play with or for."

O'Kelly returned in the summer after a spell as Hereford boss following six months helping Smith on a voluntary basis.

Together they signed 10 new players to rebuild a squad which had lost influential players Mat Sadler, Manny Smith and Lee Beevers after they rejected new deals.

But O'Kelly insisted they have assembled the best possible squad and are delighted with their new youngsters.

He said: "The summer was very enjoyable, Dean wanted to build a new group together. Some of the group who were here when I was last season have gone and a lot of influential players have left. Dean is trying to fill those voids on and off the pitch. Everyone brings something to the party and he was meticulous in vetting the players who came in.

"When you haven't got a lot of money to spend whatever you spend you spend it wisely. We're very happy with what we've got. We've got a lot of young ones who are still trying to find their way in their career and their life."