Explaining the title. Wrexham FC used to be nicknamed 'The Robins', during the years of success at the club. But since a change of nickname to 'The Red Dragons' the club has suffered bad ownership, administration, hurt, and two relegations in three years. The squad is the current one, minus Jamie Tolley.
Thursday 2nd July, 2009
Wrexham, home. After three successful years studying football management at University, before managing for four years in Non-League, leading teams to success, I have returned to my beloved hometown. I hadn't seen my family during that time, none of my friends, and hadn't even visited the place. I am a life-long Wrexham FC supporter, and when opening the club website, I found the headline 'Saunders Sacked'. Finally, he's gone, time to rise again, time to turn into the Robins we were, time for success, but I can't make sure of that. Well, maybe I could, maybe I could think as far as managing this football club. High pressure, demanding supports (infact, very demanding), and one of the hardest leagues to get out of. It's not going to be easy, but worth a crack but applying. I read at the bottom of the report on the website, that you could apply for the job by turning up at the ground tomorrow and entering club reception. I never thought it would be that easy to apply.
Friday 3rd July, 2009
I turned up at the club car park, in my Vauxhall Nova. Not the best first impressions. Mobile phone turned off? Check, clean shoes? Check, CV, oh christ. I looked around my car for it, no sign of it. Fellow applyers were already entering club reception, as Denis Smith walked in. He should never have been sacked. I gotta stop thinking about that at this moment in time, and get to the other side of town and back in 10 minutes to pick up my CV!
In the end, I achieved that in ten minutes, though I did go 10 miles over the limit when going past a speed camera. Anyway, in I go.
Into the waiting room I went, with three other managers. Denis Smith was one, and the other two I couldn't figure out.
10 minutes had now passed, and Denis Smith was about to come out, nearly my huge moment, my big opportunity, I can't let it pass. As the door opened, I could feel my stomach getting weaker, and sicker. It felt like holding onto a 1-0 lead in a Champions League final with five minutes left! Denis shook Ian Roberts' hand, and walked out of the building with a beaming smile.
"Hello sir, I am Ian Roberts, chairman of Wrexham football club. I take it your here to apply for the vacant managerial role?
"Yes Mr Roberts, yes I am." Ian shut the door behind him after letting me into the room first. "So, before we start, what I your name?". There was a bit of hesitation in me saying it,
"Joe van der Khirkov. I know, but I had Dutch ancestors, and this surename had stuck in the family.
"Ah, I see. Well, hello Mr van der Khirkov, take a seat."
I took a seat, and first he asked me about my expieriences. He looked impressed, I had lead two sides to promotion at the first time of asking, and another to 3rd place after being favourites to go down. I then shown my CV, that I studied Football Management at a university. Then I shook hands with him and walked out. That felt real good, he looked very impressed, and I am very confident about this. The interview went really well. But now the waiting begins, as I drive home, without breaking any speed limits this time.
It was 5PM, 5 hours after the interview had finished, and then the phone started ringing.
"Hullo?"
"Hello Mr van der Khirkov, this is Ian Roberts."
"Ah, hello Ian!"
"You really impressed us in the interview, even with your lack of experience. And taking everything into consideration, even the fact you were a bit late and broke a speed limit, we are very pleased to say you got the job and we have a 2-year contract here, waiting for you to put pen to paper! You will be on £850 per week to start, and if you really impress and get the right results, it could increase."
"Thank you Ian! I have always dreamt of this, I have been a life-long supporter of the club, and now I am managing it! UNBELIEVABLE!"
"Yes it is unbelievable. Anyway I have to go now, so goodbye. And see you at my office at 10am tomorrow morning."
"Bye now."
I jumped up in jubilation, and couldn't believe what I just heard. Before I had even put pen to paper, I was already planning my squad for the season.
---------- Post added at 04:25 PM ---------- Previous post was yesterday at 09:44 PM ----------
PRE-SEASON
RESULTS
Wrexham 3-0 Reserves
Wrexham 0-0 Clyde
Cefn Druids 0-2 Wrexham
Ebbsfleet 1-2 Wrexham
Wrexham 2-2 Norwich
Staines 1-2 Wrexham
Dartford 0-4 Wrexham
Wrexham 3-0 Blackburn Reserves
Was quite a disappointing start to my management, but we picked it up and look in good shape ready for our first game against SOUTHPORT.
PLAYERS IN
NIKKI AHAMED (RB, Loan from Chelsea)
JASON WALKER (ST, £65k from Barrow)
JERMAINE GRANDISON (CB, loan from Coventry)
MOUSSA OUATTARA (RM, LM, free transfer)
I think I have done well here, especially with the Grandison signing, he should be a rock at the back along with Marvin Andrews. I think my squad is definetly strong enough to win the title, and here it is..
GOALKEEPERS - 1. Chris Maxwell, 13. Tom Bainbridge, 27. Scott Shearer
DEFENDERS - 2. Nikki Ahamed, 3. Neil Ashton, 4. Marvin Andrews, 5. Chris Blackburn, 15. Frank Sinclair, 16. Jermaine Grandison, 22. Curtis Obeng, 26. Johnny Hunt.
MIDFIELDERS - 6. Jay Harris, 7. Mouusa Ouattara, 8. David Brown, 12. Dean Keates (CAPTAIN), 17. Adrian Cieslewicz, 19. Kevin Gall, 20. Nat Knight-Percival, 25. Christian Smith.
ATTACKERS - 9. Andrew Mangan, 10. Mathias, 11. Andrew Morrell, 14. Jason Walker, 18. Gareth Taylor, 23. Obi Anuruo.
August update coming up. ^^)
Thursday 2nd July, 2009
Wrexham, home. After three successful years studying football management at University, before managing for four years in Non-League, leading teams to success, I have returned to my beloved hometown. I hadn't seen my family during that time, none of my friends, and hadn't even visited the place. I am a life-long Wrexham FC supporter, and when opening the club website, I found the headline 'Saunders Sacked'. Finally, he's gone, time to rise again, time to turn into the Robins we were, time for success, but I can't make sure of that. Well, maybe I could, maybe I could think as far as managing this football club. High pressure, demanding supports (infact, very demanding), and one of the hardest leagues to get out of. It's not going to be easy, but worth a crack but applying. I read at the bottom of the report on the website, that you could apply for the job by turning up at the ground tomorrow and entering club reception. I never thought it would be that easy to apply.
Friday 3rd July, 2009
I turned up at the club car park, in my Vauxhall Nova. Not the best first impressions. Mobile phone turned off? Check, clean shoes? Check, CV, oh christ. I looked around my car for it, no sign of it. Fellow applyers were already entering club reception, as Denis Smith walked in. He should never have been sacked. I gotta stop thinking about that at this moment in time, and get to the other side of town and back in 10 minutes to pick up my CV!
In the end, I achieved that in ten minutes, though I did go 10 miles over the limit when going past a speed camera. Anyway, in I go.
Into the waiting room I went, with three other managers. Denis Smith was one, and the other two I couldn't figure out.
10 minutes had now passed, and Denis Smith was about to come out, nearly my huge moment, my big opportunity, I can't let it pass. As the door opened, I could feel my stomach getting weaker, and sicker. It felt like holding onto a 1-0 lead in a Champions League final with five minutes left! Denis shook Ian Roberts' hand, and walked out of the building with a beaming smile.
"Hello sir, I am Ian Roberts, chairman of Wrexham football club. I take it your here to apply for the vacant managerial role?
"Yes Mr Roberts, yes I am." Ian shut the door behind him after letting me into the room first. "So, before we start, what I your name?". There was a bit of hesitation in me saying it,
"Joe van der Khirkov. I know, but I had Dutch ancestors, and this surename had stuck in the family.
"Ah, I see. Well, hello Mr van der Khirkov, take a seat."
I took a seat, and first he asked me about my expieriences. He looked impressed, I had lead two sides to promotion at the first time of asking, and another to 3rd place after being favourites to go down. I then shown my CV, that I studied Football Management at a university. Then I shook hands with him and walked out. That felt real good, he looked very impressed, and I am very confident about this. The interview went really well. But now the waiting begins, as I drive home, without breaking any speed limits this time.
It was 5PM, 5 hours after the interview had finished, and then the phone started ringing.
"Hullo?"
"Hello Mr van der Khirkov, this is Ian Roberts."
"Ah, hello Ian!"
"You really impressed us in the interview, even with your lack of experience. And taking everything into consideration, even the fact you were a bit late and broke a speed limit, we are very pleased to say you got the job and we have a 2-year contract here, waiting for you to put pen to paper! You will be on £850 per week to start, and if you really impress and get the right results, it could increase."
"Thank you Ian! I have always dreamt of this, I have been a life-long supporter of the club, and now I am managing it! UNBELIEVABLE!"
"Yes it is unbelievable. Anyway I have to go now, so goodbye. And see you at my office at 10am tomorrow morning."
"Bye now."
I jumped up in jubilation, and couldn't believe what I just heard. Before I had even put pen to paper, I was already planning my squad for the season.
---------- Post added at 04:25 PM ---------- Previous post was yesterday at 09:44 PM ----------
PRE-SEASON
RESULTS
Wrexham 3-0 Reserves
Wrexham 0-0 Clyde
Cefn Druids 0-2 Wrexham
Ebbsfleet 1-2 Wrexham
Wrexham 2-2 Norwich
Staines 1-2 Wrexham
Dartford 0-4 Wrexham
Wrexham 3-0 Blackburn Reserves
Was quite a disappointing start to my management, but we picked it up and look in good shape ready for our first game against SOUTHPORT.
PLAYERS IN
NIKKI AHAMED (RB, Loan from Chelsea)
JASON WALKER (ST, £65k from Barrow)
JERMAINE GRANDISON (CB, loan from Coventry)
MOUSSA OUATTARA (RM, LM, free transfer)
I think I have done well here, especially with the Grandison signing, he should be a rock at the back along with Marvin Andrews. I think my squad is definetly strong enough to win the title, and here it is..
GOALKEEPERS - 1. Chris Maxwell, 13. Tom Bainbridge, 27. Scott Shearer
DEFENDERS - 2. Nikki Ahamed, 3. Neil Ashton, 4. Marvin Andrews, 5. Chris Blackburn, 15. Frank Sinclair, 16. Jermaine Grandison, 22. Curtis Obeng, 26. Johnny Hunt.
MIDFIELDERS - 6. Jay Harris, 7. Mouusa Ouattara, 8. David Brown, 12. Dean Keates (CAPTAIN), 17. Adrian Cieslewicz, 19. Kevin Gall, 20. Nat Knight-Percival, 25. Christian Smith.
ATTACKERS - 9. Andrew Mangan, 10. Mathias, 11. Andrew Morrell, 14. Jason Walker, 18. Gareth Taylor, 23. Obi Anuruo.
August update coming up. ^^)