We need to have match winners all over the pitch, says Ramsgate boss Nick Davis

RAMSGATE manager Nick Davis says he is gearing up for a competitive pre-season which will involve 20 squad players and trialists looking to earn a deal at the Isthmian South East Division club.

“We will have a lot of players with plenty of experience under their belt, coupled with a handful of trialists, during pre-season,” Davis, whose squad report back to pre-season training on Tuesday evening, told www.ramsgate-fc.co.uk.

“Pre-season in itself is a mini-season and with seven weeks of it, me and my coaching staff have the best chance to really cast our eyes over the squad to select the best 16/17 players.

Having signed 12 players so far, the manager was quizzed on whether signing too many players could be a risky strategy this summer. But he  insisted his side needed strengthening.

“We still have eight players from the squad that finished the last campaign,” added Davis. 

“The squad needed strengthening and I need competition in all positions.

“No player should be a shoe in for any position in my side and hopefully myself and my management team can get the best out of this group.”

Of the 12 players signed by Ramsgate so far, four have been forward players - so what does that mean for the likes of Gil Carvalho, Tom Chapman and Kane Rowland? 

“We have to remember that as things stand, there will be no Nigel Neita  or Rory Smith, so we needed to bring in some attackers,” said Davis. 

“We were too reliant on one or two individuals scoring the majority of the goals last season.

“Going forward, that can’t be the case, we need to have match winners all over the pitch.

“My view is to build a squad with as many goal threats as possible, but also ensuring we have many types of threat. That should give me all the options required going into a long season.”

As Ramsgate go into pre-season with a large squad, more arrivals are perhaps unlikely. However, Nick Davis has suggested he is prepared to make a move should a player he likes come available.

He said: “Never say never is what I would say.  If we see a player who is available and we feel he would improve our current squad, as well as keeping us within budget, then we could make a move.

“I have to do what’s right for this club and that means finding the strongest side we possibly can to put out on the pitch.”

Ramsgate kick-off their pre-season campaign with a game against Tunbridge Wells on Saturday 6 July 2019.  The game takes place at Abbey School in Faversham and kicks off at 13:00.

Visit Ramsgate’s website: www.ramsgate-fc.co.uk