John Deehan has been “delighted” by the response of Plymouth Argyle’s manager and staff since joining the Devon club as director of football.

In his first public interview with the media, the former England Under-21 coach said that he had been impressed and touched by the welcome he had received at Home Park.

Ahead of the Pilgrims’ npower League Two clash at Macclesfield Town tomorrow, Deehan admitted the spirit among the players, both playing and on the training field, belied a side who are in one of the two relegation spots.

“I think there is a very good team in there,” said Deehan when asked if the squad is good enough to retain their Football League status.

“There is a great deal of experience in the side, with Darren Purse, Nick Chadwick and Paul Wotton, that a lot of clubs in this division won’t have.”

Deehan insisted his core job is to coach and help the manager, Carl Fletcher, but it is the responsibility of the Pilgrims’ boss to select the team.

“My remit is not to pick the team – that is Carl’s job,” Deehan insisted. “I’ve been invited to come here to advise, and try and help secure players.

“Carl and his coaching staff have been extremely open to me giving my opinion and allowing me to watch training,” the 54-year-old added. “But there’s no way I would over-burden the staff by saying: ‘You know what, I think you ought to do this or do that’ – that’s not why I’m here.”

The former Aston Villa striker and ex-Norwich City and Wigan Athletic manager also insisted that no one was under any illusion about Argyle’s plight being anything other than precarious.

Deehan said that, before Fletcher was made player-manager at Home Park, assisted by long-serving goalkeeper Romain Larrieu and first-team coach Kevin Nancekivell, “just about anyone had written off” Argyle’s chances of staying up. He believes, if Fletcher and his back-room team can keep the Pilgrims in the Football League, they will become Home Park legends.

Deehan has been impressed by Fletcher’s pre-match straightforward managerial style which gave the players a clear understanding of their roles. “My role is basically to help Carl, Ro and Kevin as much as I can, suggest things in training and at half-time,” Deehan explained.

“Also, because they are new to this role, when they get to situations which they probably have not come across before, I can offer my years of experience.

“I’m quite sure there will be issues Carl might have to deal with and the board of directors might have to consider, too.

“I’ve been trying to support Carl as much as I can and I respect the honesty of the club’s owner [James Brent], who has told me he’s not an expert on football.

“I can also try and help him and to ease the burden that is on the club at the moment, so they can move forward and not make a mistake along the way,” Deehan concluded.

Fletcher, as usual, was coy when asked about his squad for Macclesfield match, but it is expected that he will keep to the line-up which started last Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Southend United. That would mean a front-two pairing of Chadwick and Juvhel Tsoumou, who is on loan from Preston North End.

Former Plymouth striker George Donnelly has returned to full training with Macclesfield after a calf injury, and could feature for the home side at Moss Rose tomorrow.