Farnie begins rebuilding for next season - EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Friday 13th January 2006

With only thirteen league games of their season remaining, Tunbridge Wells manager Martin Farnie is already in the process of rebuilding for next season, writes Stephen McCartney.

Farnie’s men entertain sixth placed side Erith & Belvedere at Culverden Stadium tomorrow and with his side eleventh place in the Kentish Observer League table with 21 points, but the former Dartford coach is using their remaining games to assess which players he wants to keep or release.

Last season the club, under the leadership of Kevin Metcalf, Martin Telford and Dave Rice, finished in sixth place in the table and there was talk of getting the club promoted into the Ryman League.

Since the trio departed the club earlier in the season, there is no such talk coming from Farnie or the club, that have not resubmitted their application for promotion.

Farnie has, however, added central defender Gary Hemens to his squad, having signed him from Maidstone United earlier in the week and he makes his debut tomorrow. Former Ashford Town midfielder Aaron O’Leary, meanwhile comes in following his lengthy injury lay-off.

“We’re looking to bring some quality players here,” said Farnie. “I’ve had one or two leave me recently for various reasons and I just want to add some quality to the squad.

”We’re rebuilding for next year. I want players here that want to work their nuts off for the football club.

“The league was gone before I got involved with the side so really we’re rebuilding for next year and Gary is a quality player. When they become available you have to try and get them.”

Farnie admitted his side aren’t scoring enough goals – their top scorer, Dave Hassett has only found the net eight times.

”By the end of the season I want to have half a decent idea on who I want to keep and who I want to get rid off and where I need to strengthen,” he said.

”We need to start scoring more goals,” he admitted. “But as I’ve said to the players some of our quality up to our front runners isn’t very good at times so we probably need a couple more midfield players.

”We’ve got some good players here but we just need to get a bit more confidence in ourselves and that might start coming soon.”

With his side unbeaten in four competitive games, Farnie admitted the Kent League is a tough one to be in.

He said: “Every game in the Kent League is hard and people who turn round and say we should be beating Sevenoaks, Erith Town and VCD Athletic are talking a load of rubbish.

”This league is hard as you like. I’m quite happy with the way things are going.

”We need to beat someone up, we need to win three or four nil against someone and it might start ticking over and we may start playing a little bit freeer because we look like a side a bit afraid to play at the moment.”