Mark Bower has right attributes to manage - former Guiseley assistant boss Mark Ellis

Mark Bower replaced Steve Kittrick (left) last week

By James Grayson (Twitter: @jamesAgrayson)

Former Guiseley assistant manager Mark Ellis believes Mark Bower has the right attributes to manage the Lions, if he is given the job on a permanent basis.

Bower, a former captain of Bradford City, currently holds the caretaker role following the sacking of Steve Kittrick last week and Ellis sees a future manager in him.
“He has been there a while now and although I don’t know him that well, I know lads who know him and they all say he is a good lad,” he said.
“I know they haven’t had the best of starts, but I hope he does well. (Going into management) is something I think he wants to do.
“I’ve only seen Guiseley play once this season, against Bradford City, and wasn’t totally impressed. Bradford won at a canter really. I don’t know whether they have added to their squad since, but they are obviously struggling a little bit at the moment.

“I’m sure Mark will do alright if he is given time. With what I know and with him being a captain, he’ll have good leadership skills. It is like the lad (Lee Duxbury) we have at Eccleshill, he has been a captain all over the place and he’s doing a great job. If he’s in the same mould as him, he’ll do well if he gets the chance.”

Ellis, who played for Bradford and Halifax during his playing career, served as Terry Dolan’s assistant before taking charge of three games after Dolan departed in November 2007.

He won two and lost one of the three matches as caretaker boss – holding the fort until then Ossett Town manager Steve Kittrick was appointed.

Kittrick went onto lead Guiseley to unprecedented heights and Ellis, now the director of football at the Richmond International Academic Soccer Academy, was surprised by his departure.

“I was quite shocked really because he had been there so long and it is so early in the season,” he said.

“But, they want success and they have been unlucky in the last three seasons so they probably thought it was time for a change. It happens as every manager has a temporary job, eventually it is going to come to an end.

“He (Kittrick) did well because he got them promotion. I know the owners quite well and I know they are pretty ambitious to go higher. Even though the budget has been cut, they still obviously believe they can do it with what is available now.”