It's been a tough season, admits Chatham boss Paul Foley

Friday 04th March 2011

As Chatham Town this week slipped into the bottom four of Ryman League Division One South for the first time this week, manager Paul Foley has been talking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk about his trials and tribulations since taking over at the Maidstone Road Sports Ground last summer.

In an exclusive interview with the Chats boss, Mike Green found that a season that Foley hoped for so much seemingly has imploded in on itself.

After taking VCD Athletic so close to the Play Offs in Ryman League Division One North last season, the first question was somewhat easy – North v South? Which is tougher and would you prefer to be in the North?

Almost with hesitation Foley replied, “As I think I’ve said to you before the South is a more demanding league in my view but there is not a single stand out like Lowestoft as there was in the North last year.

“Would I prefer to be in the North? I thought the catchment for players would be better in the South but it has worked out to be the opposite in fact. With the cluster of sides just over the water you can attract players from around that area maybe as the ones in Kent are either tempted up to Ryman Premier sides or down to the Kent League where there is less travelling and commitment.”

We then looked at the Chats squad – a squad that is now somewhat different to the one that he started the season with, as the manager agreed. “Our squad is completely different now from the one that not only started the season, but also the one that was meant to start the season.

“We lost our two forwards in the same game during pre-season who were critical to the way we had set the side up and in Danny Penny (our captain) we lost some of the side’s ‘soul’.

“Those types of players are very difficult to replace as they give you something other than their ability with the ball. Losing Pens was a big loss and Uche has struggled with his fitness ever since getting injured at Hythe.”

Taking stock, Foley continued, “Since then, during the season, we have lost the services of Gary Cook, George Mitchell, Callum O’Shea, Lee Maskell, Kevin Winchcombe, Ryan Restell, Matt Solly, Leroy Huggins and Ray Powell. That is practically a team of players right there! The reasons for these departures are varied but it is very unusual for me as a manager to lose so many players in a season.

“I think the grind of the league with some of the travelling and commitment required paid its toll in the end, combined with the attraction of higher wages in some cases.”

On the plus side, he added, “We have drafted players in like Craig Wilkins, Kane Rice, Billy Shinners, Aaron Firth, Jason Dolby, Francis Tshikaya and Billy Parkinson who are all good players but seven of the ten that left had all played together before, and that makes a difference definitely.

“We’ve had more than our share of injuries and suspensions this season and that clearly has affected our league position. Without exception we have suffered injuries or suspension to each and every player. That is unparalleled in my experience as a manager. Every single player (even including the keepers) has missed games through injury, suspension or some strange reason for work, weddings, bamitzvahs, baptisms and the like!” the Chats boss added almost with a smile on his face.

He continued, “You expect this as a manager and talking to a couple the other night at a ‘Respect’ course put on by the league, others have had the same. The difference with us is we have suffered all season and with every single player at some point! There is not a player in the squad of 19 that has not missed games for some reason.

“Unfortunately we cannot go out and get two or three new lads in either. We have to just get on with it as we have done all season as moaning will not solve it!”

As the club were passed by three clubs this week, Foley is facing a tough end to his first season at Maidstone Road, and we asked what options he had in relation to bring in new faces to help with the points target for Ryman safety?

The manager’s answer might alarm some Chats fans, as he said, “Not really! A couple of local Ryman Premier side have ‘released’ a few players in the last month to 6 weeks and they would all have made a positive impact on the squad with the games we have coming up.

“Having spoken to three of four players recently released we could not even begin to start talking about loan signings as their wages were unbelievably high! When you are offering nearly a quarter of what they are getting on a contract as part of a loan deal you may as well get your old boy out and try urinating in a force 9 gale!

“The lads were keen enough to play and enjoy their football again but money talks unfortunately. I have no idea how clubs afford to pay out these sums. I didn’t even bother ringing the fourth lad!”

“Where would we be in the league if we had all of our key players available for the whole season? Much, much higher that’s for sure. Last weekend against Met Police, when Brad (Potter) and Uche (Ibemere) got injured early in the second half, I looked at the bench and we had a young 18 year old defender who’s coming back from a long term injury; an experienced midfielder who was also coming back from a long lay-off; a centre half who has missed a huge chunk of the season following a mistaken identity red card playing in a reserve game that suffered from a lack of discipline... and me!

“When you need to maintain a game-plan with pace out wide and a player man-marking their key player that is like having your arms tied behind your back while someone slaps your face!

“The side that played the first half were the better side on the day, which is a tribute to them when you remember that they (the Police) are second in the league. That is the season right there in a nutshell.”

We then turned our attentions to budget cuts and tightening of the purse strings which of course has happened all the way across the County, and not just at Maidstone Road, and Foley was forthright in his views, especially concerning the departures of Leroy Huggins and Ray Powell in mid January.

He told us, “We are no different to a couple of other clubs in having budget limitations and I knew it would be tough when I took the job on. We are one of the smaller clubs and like many others we have been hit by lower gates; having every cup game drawn away, which I still find incredible; midweek home games instead of Saturdays, you name it – we’ve had it!

One thing that must be remembered is that the Chats were originally schedule to play in Ryman One North this season, and were only effectively “saved” from moving when Ashford Town pulled out of the Ryman League.

It was bad news for Kent football, and ultimately it’s not proved top be the best “move” for the Chats either, as Foley attempted to explain.

“We picked up the ‘tab’ of being a late change in the fixtures following the sad demise of Ashford,” he said, “and were switched from North to South with Maidstone sharing their ground. Ironically, we would probably be no worse off attendance-wise had we ‘stayed’ in the North. Everyone tells porkies about their budgets as that is the game but the majority of budgets in this league are decent and the league table tells you the story generally.

“As for Leroy and Ray, it is true we could not compete with the amounts they had been offered at East Thurrock and Dulwich Hamlet. We were miles apart. “

Like many other clubs, the Chats budget has been cut reluctantly during the season, but there was a rumour heard on the terraces of the Maidstone Road Sport Ground in previous visits that Foley had been asked to cut right back and only have three subs for games – a suggestion that was quickly refuted by the manager.

Foley said, “Not sure where you got that information from. It would be unfair to go into details on budget or club’s wishes on number of subs etc. Suffice to say our expenses total is much lower than it was. It is fair to say though that we have fewer subs these days.”

The club did struggle to secure training facilities for previous boss Alex O’Brien the previous season, so it seemed natural to quiz Foley on this.

He told us, “I don’t know the ins and outs of last year apart from a few conversations held with Alex before and after taking on the job so I can’t really comment on what went on before. We have trained once a week when there is no midweek game and the training budget is restricted like any other element so that brings its own challenges. Would I like to train twice a week? I think you need to for the demands of this league but that does add a fair amount of money.”

The club recently appointed a new reserve team management, and at most clubs the first team manager can have some say in this appointment.

Foley told us, “In a word No – I wasn’t involved.” He went on, “We were talking to a couple of people that would have been perfect in my view given their credentials with excellent youth players. One ‘ready-made’ side with 5 or 6 very good young players had become available coincidentally a week or two before the job had become vacant. They would have come with free 3G Astro training facilities and excellent gym usage also free as part of the arrangement. They even had two minibuses that could also be used free of charge for travelling to games etc. This could have been great for the club killing two or three problems in one go but it wasn’t to be. But rest assured whoever the club has put in place we will work with them and hopefully improve the situation with youth progression.”

And what is the progression of the Youth team players looking like at the moment? Again the manager was forthright in his views. He explained that in his view, “There are some good young players further down the line but not quite ready for the demands of the South.

“The youth structure at the club is critical if the budget restrictions do not allow you to go and bring in the players you want. We are fortunate to get the likes of Ryan Laker through the system who is now a regular starter in the side but we need to find another 3 or 4 more Ryan’s if the club is planning to invest money into the ground improvements and work within a tight playing budget.

“We brought 18-year-old Uche (and George Mitchell) with us and have drafted in the likes of Francis Tshikaya and Billy Parkinson who are also both 18, as there did not appear to be similar players in existence at the club. Hopefully that will change with some recent changes made at the club.”

We attempted to finish on a cheery note and enquired as to the overall health of Chatham Town FC. Foley said, “The immediate future is to get the necessary points required to stay out of trouble. The return of key players from injury is essential in doing this, as we are unable to draft in any new ones.

“Beyond that the club is planning to improve the main stand with some capital investment, which is good for the long-term future of the club.

“It is a tough call to make but setting up the infrastructure of the club is the best way of securing some longevity but the risk is what happens on the pitch. This is why the youth system must be as good as it can be as the home grown lads will save the club money in the long term, unless someone is willing to plough money in which is very rare these days.”

Visit Chatham Town’s website: www.chathamtownfc.net

Fleet Town v Chatham Town

Ryman League Division One South

Saturday 5th March 2011

Kick Off 3:00pm

At Calthorpe Park, Crookham Road, Fleet, Hampshire GU51 5FA