Monday 5th July 2015 will always be a special date in my life. It was my first job and my first opportunity within football. I was amazed that Stewart decided i was the right man for the job but i wasn't about to ask him to re-consider.
I had stopped up pretty much all the night before studying Eastleigh. Its history, the squad and its facilities.
My first day i remember with great fondness. I was unveiled to the office staff as the new manager of the football club and i was pretty well received. Stewart sat me down with a young girl called Hayley. She was to be my personal assistant and who was responsible for setting up my working week. She explained to me that pre-season training started on the 7th July in just two days and that my first friendly was on the 18th July against St. Neots. That meant i had 48 hours to plan what i was going to do and set out my plan for the season ahead. This was all so fast paced for me. I have always been a methodical person who likes to plan and plan again, but perhaps the adrenalin of given such a opportunity made me see past that.
I Met with my Assistant and he gave a me various folders and dossiers on the playing squad along with it a USB stick with potential transfer targets. My desk was a mountain of folders and paperwork. It was up to me to install a way of organising this mess. I must have stayed at the office until nearly 11pm that day i collected my coat and left for home to sleep.
The next morning i woke up and decided to take the morning off to study my squad from home. Over a bowl of cornflakes i began to write my own notes. I noticed that we had little strength in depth. Our first choice goalkeeper was injured for 3 months. I also wanted to bring in a first choice right back. I Phoned up Matt my assistant and told him over the phone that i had looked at his usb and decided to install trust in him by getting in two of his targets he had put on the stick.
My first two signing as a football manager were both free transfers not exactly the millions the big boys were spending but i was thrilled. First off was a goalkeeper. George Curca. He was a romanian goalkeeper who had played for Dinamo Bucharest he was about to sign for Corby Town when we got in and changed his mind.
The second player was Liam Marrs. He was part of Sunderlands academy but didnt break into the first squad and found himself at Boston United he was quick and postive going forward so he was snapped up too.
I felt that i could get a few more in and go in to pre-season with a positive attitude.
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(George Curca and Liam Marrs. My first two signings.)