30 November, 2007

Brian Little Wrexham FC

OK, i'm signed in, it's late, am a little bit pissed from a trip round a few Conwy public houses (more stories attached, i'll divulge them shortly!), but... I had to log on and tap in about Wrexhams new boss, Brian Little.

I was fortunate enough to get into Wrexham FCs Centenary Club last night to hear the open-forum/discussion with the new manager. This is a regular, 2/3 times a season opportunity,the fans get to chat and question the manager of the club; this was Little's 1st. He spoke at great length about his background as a player and as a manager, this guy is seriously experienced in the football world - and seriously could talk all night long about it! It seems almost fate that he and Brian Carey are working together at Wrexham: Little bought and managed Carey at Leicester, the two seem to be a good match-up. He seemed to have genuine ambition with Wrexham FC, I hope he's not just putting himself in the shop window at Wrexham - but his talk persuaded me he isn't!

What I did find very interesting was his method of team selection prior to his first game, and this wasn't just any old 1st game, but notorious fierce derby, and current high-up-the-table: Chester City FC. His selection and management process was thus: "I will not look at previous team sheets (a stressed no no! and I believe he didnt!), I will watch the lads all week in training, watch the international call-ups "who clearly must have something about them" (Steve Evans, Neil Taylor and Marc Williams) on their return in training and select a team based on training efforts and abilities in the 10 days between taking charge and the 1st game".

This resulted in a fantastic team selection against Chester. As a fan of defensive systems and players myself; seeing Steve Evans, Richie Hope, Shaun Pejic, Neil Taylor and Wes Baynes run out I was delighted... except for my question of, who's he? (Wes Baynes). I'd seen a few pre-season reserve games, and hadn't noted Wes Baynes! But, he was a player who had obviously impressed Little. This was a player from the youth system and a reserve regular, he was given his debut in the 1st team under Littles 1st game in perhaps the biggest derby, he'd not even figured as a sub previous to last Sunday! Testament to Little's selection process.

A question from the floor of "What do you make of the drinking culture amongst players around the town?" - a question which definitely took Little by surprise (thankfully!), and one he said he would ask the question about and "get to the bottom of, if there is any truth in the allegation".

Can I just say too - Neil Taylor, who i do seem to go on about far too much, was fantastic last Sunday running the left-back position, and out-pacing any winger/striker and putting in his now (for me) trademark "hard sliding tackle".

Will I regret this post of bigging up Brian Little and the seemingly re-juvinated Wrexham FC, after an away defeat tomorrow afternoon to Rochdale, probably not! Little came across as, and I beleive is, a genuine bloke with a genuine ambition with Wrexham at heart. Please prove me right, and again, mid-table anonymity this season = great strives forward!

Singing off, bit pissed.

1 comment:

David said...

Ahhh! The Centenary Club. Spent many a Thursday night there in my student days. Use to love seeing all the old Cup Winners Cup match programmes up on the wall. Wrexham v Benfica...get in!

Looking forward to a round up of the drunken Conwy stories!