YORK City Knights coach Richard Agar has lauded the squad strength at Huntington Stadium -- and has rejected suggestions it could have its downsides.

Agar could well start the season with selection headaches, as the Knights virtually have two proven players for every position on the field. And, as such, it has been suggested he may be faced with a difficult juggling act of keeping everybody happy.

But the new head coach sees squad strength and competition for places only as a good thing in the Knights' search for National League Two success.

"I don't see there being a problem of keeping players happy," he told the Evening Press. "I'm hoping it brings the best out of players.

"The players aren't foolish enough to think they can play in a successful club with only 17 players. Most teams use 25, 26 or up to 30 players in a season. We've got 21 on board at the moment and are looking for another couple.

"Competition for places is healthy, I don't see it as a problem.

"I would be lying if I said everybody is going to be very happy for the entire season but it's the nature of sport and sometimes you have to take the rough with the smooth. I'm not anticipating problems but it's up to the players."

Agar believes he has come into an excellent situation at Huntington Stadium with the club on a sound footing following an exceptional inaugural season, and he is relishing the pressure of a potential promotion scrap.

"From my point of view I would like to come into a coach's role in the circumstances I have," explained the 31-year-old former Dewsbury, Widnes, Rochdale and Featherstone schemer, who is embarking on his first season as a professional head coach.

"Paul Broadbent (former coach) left on good terms, there was the nucleus of a very good side and the club have been able through their own endeavours to strengthen.

"I'm not needing to rehash everything and pick the players up off the floor. I don't think I could have got much more of a better start.

"I would rather have the pressure of expectation instead of the pressure of being in a bad situation. I've been used to expectation as a player and I'd much rather have it that way. I find it exciting rather than pressurised."

Knights chief executive Steve Ferres has denied rumours that former Great Britain forward Sonny Nickle has held negotiations with the club.

Nickle this week admitted he is considering offers from "a couple" of National League sides, and one of those clubs was quickly rumoured to be the Knights.

However, Ferres - who coached Nickle at Sheffield Eagles before the packman moved to St Helens in 1991 - said the Knights had not spoken to the 34-year-old back-rower and had no plans to do so.

However, he added that that situation might change, saying the Knights would be interested in the "right person at the right price".

"Sonny Nickle has had no talks at all with us and we haven't contacted him," Ferres told the Evening Press.

"I would have thought Sonny would be out of our price range but we haven't spoken to him.

"That situation might change. We're looking at what we've got and we're pretty much close to what we want. If the right person came along at the right price we would be interested.

"We're on budget and to go any further it would have to be someone who fits the bill 100 per cent. But we haven't spoken to him (Nickle) and we haven't got plans to talk to him."

Former Saints and Bradford Super League star Nickle spent last season with National League One Grand Finalists Leigh.

Updated: 09:42 Saturday, November 29, 2003