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MARK IRVINE TALKS TO YOUR WEBSITE.
Malcolm Boyes14 May 2015 - 14:04
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The website managed to have a word with First Team Assistant Manager, Mark Irvine, and here are his thoughts about last season, and the season coming.
Excited for the coming season.
Your website recently had the chance to catch up with Crows' Assistant Manager, Mark Irvine, and we were able to ask him his thoughts about last season, his move up from goalkeeping coach to assistant manager and his views on the club, squad and forthcoming season.
To start with, I asked Mark for his view on how the 2014/15 season went in the end from his perspective, "Well I'd have to say it didn't get off to the greatest of starts and not as well as we had hoped or expected.
"Without being able to give one specific reason why we didn't start as well as Sean, Simon or I had hoped, there may have been some contributing factors, may be it was our pre-season set up wasn't quite right as we played quite a few fixtures which left us with little training time with the players.
"Also, and this is no disrespect to the club, Sean or Simon, having joint managers in my experience makes it very hard for the players as they like to have one boss and one message and with joint managers this is impossible.
"When Simon left to take up his role at Tunbridge Wells and Sean was the manager in his own right, the form of the team definitely improved and although Simon leaving was a loss to the squad, the results would seem to back up that joint managers make the job harder.
"Another factor to our slow start, I feel, was the apprehension within the whole club, from committee level right through to the players, about moving from the Sussex County Football League to the Southern Counties East Football League.
"For most people involved with the club it was a step into the unknown but from my stance, having little experience of the SCFL, and having seen the squad pre-season, the SCEFL, which I knew a lot more about, should not have given anyone cause for concern.
"However, getting that view across to all concerned but especially the players, is not always an easy thing to do and in the end it's something they have to do for themselves, which eventually they did and our form improved considerably."
With Mark mentioning about Simon leaving to join Tunbridge Wells, he's now manager at Chipstead FC of course, I asked Mark about how he felt stepping up from goalkeeper coach to assistant manager and here's what he said, "First of all, I'd like to say how honoured I was that the club and Sean had faith in me and since the move upwards, Sean and I have worked really well together and in the end the season couldn't have gone better, considering that slow start we had.
"I was confident that we would complement each other and that my previous experience of the SCEFL would be of benefit to Sean and the squad as the season went on.
"Everyone at the club had made me feel welcome and comfortable since day one and I can't thank everyone enough and I hope to be around for a long time."
Mark then wanted to finish his retrospective view of last season by saying, "The squad improved as the season went on, the style of the squad became more adaptable to suit, not just the league they play in but for each individual game and therefore, became more competitive as a result.
"Another positive aspect of the club was the arrival of Alan Murray as Head Coach, his impact on the squad cannot be underestimated as his training routines and input on tactical awareness have been first class.
"Overall, it was a very good initial season for the club and the form we showed in the last ten matches bodes well for the start of the 2015/16 season, in fact the 2014/15 campaign finished too early for us but we all need to make sure we build on last season and do everything we can to have an even better season this time."
Your website then asked Mark how his summer break has been going since the season end and he commented as follows, "Not had chance for a break yet as the telephone has not stopped ringing with players from other clubs, both higher and at our level, calling me and asking if they could come pre-season training with a view to joining the current squad.
"I've also made a few calls to some players Sean and myself felt might be able to give us that bit extra and to see if they'd like to come training in June, however, as with all things at this time of year, nothing is definite and we'll just have to see what eventually pans out."
Out of interest, your website asked Mark why he personally felt so many players have made contact with him, wanting to perhaps join, when it's widely known we don't pay players as other clubs do, "Well, some played against us last season and saw the facilities we have here and how welcoming the club is, plus players do talk to each other and perhaps where they are, despite the money they may be getting, is not such an attractive option as we may be.
"Plus, the way we acquitted ourselves last season and the style of play we demonstrated has gone along way in contributing to those players calling me, we'll just have to wait and see what happens."
Your website then asked Mark whether he thinks the current squad needs an influx of players so that it would be in a position to achieve a top six position, something first team manager, Sean Muggeridge, has already gone public about, "No, the squad we have at present has shown what it can do but a few new faces does give everyone a lift, whether they're on the committee, part of the management team, a player or more importantly, a supporter, it gets the juices flowing for all concerned.
"Plus, the U18 and U21 squads provided some players last season to the first team squad and when called upon, those players never let themselves or the team down and showed everyone the potential they have, therefore, we'll be looking to build on that as well, so signing a lot of players is not on the cards."
We then got to the point of looking forward to pre-season training and the new campaign which led to Mark commenting that "I can't wait for pre-season training to commence, with the fixtures we've got lined up and the fact we'll have more time to carry out some training sessions with Alan's (Murray) involvement should make for a very interesting summer as we gear up for the season.
"I feel the club improved as the season went on from when I first joined and is in a far better shape to attack the forthcoming campaign with optimism and expectation, which is a credit to everyone involved with Crowborough Athletic.
"It's now up to Sean, myself and the players to give our fans, who supported us so well last season, even when we perhaps weren't playing so well, a season to remember."
Your website would like to thank Mark for sparing the time to talk to us and like him, let's hope we have a great season to look forward to.
Your website recently had the chance to catch up with Crows' Assistant Manager, Mark Irvine, and we were able to ask him his thoughts about last season, his move up from goalkeeping coach to assistant manager and his views on the club, squad and forthcoming season.
To start with, I asked Mark for his view on how the 2014/15 season went in the end from his perspective, "Well I'd have to say it didn't get off to the greatest of starts and not as well as we had hoped or expected.
"Without being able to give one specific reason why we didn't start as well as Sean, Simon or I had hoped, there may have been some contributing factors, may be it was our pre-season set up wasn't quite right as we played quite a few fixtures which left us with little training time with the players.
"Also, and this is no disrespect to the club, Sean or Simon, having joint managers in my experience makes it very hard for the players as they like to have one boss and one message and with joint managers this is impossible.
"When Simon left to take up his role at Tunbridge Wells and Sean was the manager in his own right, the form of the team definitely improved and although Simon leaving was a loss to the squad, the results would seem to back up that joint managers make the job harder.
"Another factor to our slow start, I feel, was the apprehension within the whole club, from committee level right through to the players, about moving from the Sussex County Football League to the Southern Counties East Football League.
"For most people involved with the club it was a step into the unknown but from my stance, having little experience of the SCFL, and having seen the squad pre-season, the SCEFL, which I knew a lot more about, should not have given anyone cause for concern.
"However, getting that view across to all concerned but especially the players, is not always an easy thing to do and in the end it's something they have to do for themselves, which eventually they did and our form improved considerably."
With Mark mentioning about Simon leaving to join Tunbridge Wells, he's now manager at Chipstead FC of course, I asked Mark about how he felt stepping up from goalkeeper coach to assistant manager and here's what he said, "First of all, I'd like to say how honoured I was that the club and Sean had faith in me and since the move upwards, Sean and I have worked really well together and in the end the season couldn't have gone better, considering that slow start we had.
"I was confident that we would complement each other and that my previous experience of the SCEFL would be of benefit to Sean and the squad as the season went on.
"Everyone at the club had made me feel welcome and comfortable since day one and I can't thank everyone enough and I hope to be around for a long time."
Mark then wanted to finish his retrospective view of last season by saying, "The squad improved as the season went on, the style of the squad became more adaptable to suit, not just the league they play in but for each individual game and therefore, became more competitive as a result.
"Another positive aspect of the club was the arrival of Alan Murray as Head Coach, his impact on the squad cannot be underestimated as his training routines and input on tactical awareness have been first class.
"Overall, it was a very good initial season for the club and the form we showed in the last ten matches bodes well for the start of the 2015/16 season, in fact the 2014/15 campaign finished too early for us but we all need to make sure we build on last season and do everything we can to have an even better season this time."
Your website then asked Mark how his summer break has been going since the season end and he commented as follows, "Not had chance for a break yet as the telephone has not stopped ringing with players from other clubs, both higher and at our level, calling me and asking if they could come pre-season training with a view to joining the current squad.
"I've also made a few calls to some players Sean and myself felt might be able to give us that bit extra and to see if they'd like to come training in June, however, as with all things at this time of year, nothing is definite and we'll just have to see what eventually pans out."
Out of interest, your website asked Mark why he personally felt so many players have made contact with him, wanting to perhaps join, when it's widely known we don't pay players as other clubs do, "Well, some played against us last season and saw the facilities we have here and how welcoming the club is, plus players do talk to each other and perhaps where they are, despite the money they may be getting, is not such an attractive option as we may be.
"Plus, the way we acquitted ourselves last season and the style of play we demonstrated has gone along way in contributing to those players calling me, we'll just have to wait and see what happens."
Your website then asked Mark whether he thinks the current squad needs an influx of players so that it would be in a position to achieve a top six position, something first team manager, Sean Muggeridge, has already gone public about, "No, the squad we have at present has shown what it can do but a few new faces does give everyone a lift, whether they're on the committee, part of the management team, a player or more importantly, a supporter, it gets the juices flowing for all concerned.
"Plus, the U18 and U21 squads provided some players last season to the first team squad and when called upon, those players never let themselves or the team down and showed everyone the potential they have, therefore, we'll be looking to build on that as well, so signing a lot of players is not on the cards."
We then got to the point of looking forward to pre-season training and the new campaign which led to Mark commenting that "I can't wait for pre-season training to commence, with the fixtures we've got lined up and the fact we'll have more time to carry out some training sessions with Alan's (Murray) involvement should make for a very interesting summer as we gear up for the season.
"I feel the club improved as the season went on from when I first joined and is in a far better shape to attack the forthcoming campaign with optimism and expectation, which is a credit to everyone involved with Crowborough Athletic.
"It's now up to Sean, myself and the players to give our fans, who supported us so well last season, even when we perhaps weren't playing so well, a season to remember."
Your website would like to thank Mark for sparing the time to talk to us and like him, let's hope we have a great season to look forward to.
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