Wisker has the potential to be the best in the league, says Seager

WHITSTABLE TOWN boss Marc Seager is pleased with his players work ethic after switching to two nights per week training, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Oystermen trained on Monday and last night and Seager, speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk tonight, also watched Saturday’s opponents, Crowborough Athletic beat Corinthian-Casuals 2-1 on Tuesday night.

“The lads have worked hard this week,” praised Seager. “I can’t fault the lads’ efforts. Last season, and in the past ,we’ve only trained one night a week, but the players have to earn the right to train one night a week.

“To me, it’s no coincidence since we’ve gone two nights a week (training), our results have picked up. At this level of football you should be training two nights a week.

“We have to work within our budget, you can’t get (training) places for nothing. As the weather’s been good we’ve been training on our pitch.

“The pitch is absolutely fantastic, gets better every year. Joe Brownett and Bruce Smith work ever so hard on it so they don’t want us to train on it, but the main thing is to (bring) success for the first team.

“We’ve got to use the pitch, which is great, and the players being in and around each other has been good.

“We won the Kent League training once a week, but the players’ took their eye off the ball and they’re in for two nights a week and they’ll do that until things turn around and are on the right track.

“The players work hard and I’m hoping the players will get their rewards for their hard work that they deserve. The last month has been the hardest my players have had to work under me to be honest.

“What I’m looking for is consistency. One thing we wasn’t last year was consistent and we haven’t been that this year. My biggest aim is to get consistency. We’ve shown this season we’re good enough to beat anyone.”

Seager blamed defensive frailties for their FA Trophy exit last weekend, going down 4-3 at home to Brackley Town.

“Brackley were a good side and it was a tough test for us,” admitted Seager, when speaking about their second qualifying round tie against the British Gas Business Premier League side.

“We should be in the next round and looking forward to going to Northwood, but due to poor defending, which has been our own fault this season, has knocked us out.

“If you analyse the game we scored three very good goals from open play and when you analyse their goals, they’re all defensive mistakes.

“It’s something that I have to address. I’m looking to strengthen the backline, but the type of player that I’m looking to bring in our budget doesn’t meet it.”

Seager is without Tom Parker (family holiday); Paul Ainsworth (knee); James Campbell (groin) and Dave Cory (calf) for the visit of Crowborough Athletic on Saturday.

The newly promoted Crows leapfrogged over Corinthian-Casuals with that midweek win and are now one place above the side that they beat.

Whitstable Town, meanwhile, are one place above the Crows with 10 points from 12 games, but Seager denied claims that this game is a six-pointer.

“I don’t believe in six-pointers in the middle of October,” he said. “If we’re talking after Christmas, yes.

“The league table doesn’t lie. We deserve to be where we are at the moment because of our poor defending.

“We deserve to be where we are but we’re getting stronger and stronger every game. There’s a few new signings over the summer that’s taken a little bit longer than I hoped, but they’ve settled in and we’re looking a good side.

“In our last four games, two wins, a draw and a defeat, it’s not too bad.

“Even though I don’t believe in six-pointers it’s a big game as they’re in and around us but if we keep doing what we’ve been doing over the last few weeks, we’ll enjoy Saturday evening with three points.”

With four players missing against Crowborough, Whitstable boss Seager has high hopes for Dan Wisker, who scored two goals against Brackley.

“If he fulfilled his potential he could be the best player in the Ryman League,” Seager said of the contracted 20-year-old midfielder/forward.

“For 25 minutes he was the best, he was the best. He’s a great prospect, getting stronger each game.

“He’s had eight games on the trot and it’s down to him now. I don’t want him to get carried away and he has to do the business.”

Visit Whitstable Town’s website:  www.whitstabletownfc.co.uk

Whitstable Town v Crowborough Athletic
Ryman League Division One South
Saturday 25^th October 2008
Kick Off 3:00pm
At The Belmont, Belmont Road, Whitstable, Kent CT5 1QP