Trialists say Au Revoir to Invicta

Folkestone Invicta travel to Herne Bay this weekend as the start of the 2006/2007 Ryman Premier League season draws ever closer, writes Andy Bown and Tom Marchant – www.folkestoneinvicta.co.uk

 

Manager Neil Cugley confirmed this week that the trialists which the Invicta management have been casting a watchful eye over in recent games will not be offered contracts at the Buzzlines Stadium.

Cugley said: “We’ve seen the trialists and we don’t think they are any better than what we’ve got really.

“The thing about us is that when we have everyone available, although we’ve got a small squad, we’ve got a great bunch of lads that get on really well. We haven’t seen anything that will improve that.”

Contract discussions were held with French trialist Amadou Pame, who had showed some promise during his trial period.

Cugley explained: “I’ve been impressed with him but financially we couldn’t afford him. I had a meeting with him and ideally I suppose you would like to keep him but I’m afraid financially it’s beyond our limits.

“But he hasn’t been outstanding to the point where you start saying he’s so much better than a couple of our players.

“Financially we’d struggle to find the wages he wants and he also wants somewhere to live and then thirdly you’ve got the language barrier.

“But he’s a smashing lad to be fair and I’ve just been out with him now for an hour or so having a chat.

“But I think it’s too much of a risk to start paying out the money he wants for a player that we aren’t 100% sure on. I think to afford him we would’ve had to let two or three go and we haven’t got that sort of depth to our squad.”

The Invicta boss did confirm that the Ryman Premier League club were still in the market for a loan player and possibly a new forward but that any new arrivals would be likely to mean players leaving the Seasiders to make way.

“You are always looking for forwards as goal scoring is an area we would like to think we can improve on as I think once we get everyone back we will be difficult to beat again,” said Cugley.

“I am talking to a forward to see if he is interested in coming and whether we can afford him but if anyone comes in then we would have to maybe let some go”.

Folkestone go into Saturday’s friendly on the back of a 4-1 defeat by Ryman One side Maidstone United at the Buzzlines Stadium on Monday night.

Combative midfielder Michael Everitt scored Invicta’s only goal in the early seconds of the game before the Stones hit back.

Former Folkestone player Nick Hegley scored a brace and could’ve had a hat trick if he had converted a penalty in the final minutes of the game. It was certainly not Invicta’s most convincing performance of late, with Cugley admitting: “It was very disappointing, especially defensively. We didn’t defend very well at all but I think it does show sometimes what good players we have got when they are not there.

“Adam Flanagan, Steve Norman and Kevin Watson were all not available against Maidstone and it showed really.

“To be fair Maidstone aren’t a bad side though and I certainly think they had a more experienced side than we did out there Monday night!”

Creative midfielder Stuart Myall and strong centre back Adam Flanagan are still away on holiday. Sweeper Kevin Watson and Dover based forward Matt Carruthers will return to the squad for the game against Chatham next Monday night (7th August) at the Buzzlines Stadium.

Cugley revealed that he will be fielding his strongest side for the game against Chatham Town and the match against Dartford – the final two pre season games before the League kicks off for Folkestone on the 19th of August at home to Harrow Borough.

Neil remarked that he has worked out his starting 11 for the first League game of the season saying, “To be honest nothing has changed and that’s the disappointment; people haven’t taken the chance to push themselves to get right in contention for a regular place.

“Of the team that will start for the first game season, there were several of them that weren’t even playing last night against Maidstone which is basically over half your team missing.”

Recent bookmaker odds predict Folkestone to endure a tough season in the Ryman Premier League, despite comfortably consolidating their position in the previous season.

Cugley mused: “First game of the season we’re at home and I’ve heard us and Harrow are favourites to go down or are the least likely to win the league or something! It’s ironic though that we always prove people wrong – we’re determined to do well and the players are really looking forward to the season”.

Along with the six players that were unavailable for the Maidstone friendly, ex Welling defender Lee Shearer and local midfielder Martin Chandler are unlikely to be in the squad for Herne Bay due to a back problem and a groin strain respectively.

Young centre back Liam Friend is hoping to be fit after injuring his toe against the Stones Monday night.

Cugley added: “Since we’ve let the trialists go the younger lads like Ben Sly, who I think has done well, will get a chance over the next three games to show us what they can do and they fully deserve their chance. We’ve just had to be patient recently while we go through the process of taking on trialists as you never know – you can sometimes get a special one that just comes out of the woodwork. You never know in football!”

* Chatham Town visit the Buzzlines Stadium, Cheriton Road next Monday, 7^th August, kicking off at 7:45pm

Herne Bay  v  Folkestone Invicta
Pre-Season Friendly
Saturday 5^th August 2006
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Winch’s Field, Stanley Gardens, Herne Bay