Ian Burchnall interview

[laddo]

As most on here know I've wanted stability at the club and in particular at managerial level for a while now as I was sick to the back teeth and frankly embarrassed with the way the club was run and the crazy turnover of managers each and every season.

We all want promotion that's a given but to achieve that you need a little patience and a clear plan of action. This has to be a plan that the head coach and owners are both onboard with and are in tune. We've clearly got that. There are so many examples of clubs at this level and above which shows patience pays off.

Everyone knows including the head coach that promotion ultimately is the only true measure of success for our scenario but that happens just once a year so we are allowed as fans to judge success or failure during the season using other barometers. That's where IB has been so impressive to date with some of the skills/abilities he's shown as identified by so many on here.

The Burchnall Bandwagon was set up on Day One obviously prematurely as all bandwagons should be and it's not surprising to me that so many have openly joined and have been suitably impressed with the PE Teacher who has never played at professional level, and has no experience of the English game let alone the National League. Anyone still still undecided it's not too late to become a rider#choochoo

I know you read this board Ian so please keep doing what you are doing on the training ground where you appear to excel as well as with the media, as the support and togetherness of the fanbase is on the up as is the club as a whole IMO.

" If you build it he will come"

[nw6pie]

What’s particularly infectious about IB is his love of the game. Here’s someone who’s clearly passionate about his work, and is looking to improve both himself and his players. He also doesn’t seem to take himself too seriously (no references to “the special one” or referring to himself in the third person).

Delighted we’ve got such a forward-thinking head coach. I just hope we get the bit of luck you need to be successful, especially with so many teams throwing money at the challenge this season.

[the_anticlough]

To make it in football coaching and management without a professional playing background means you're probably very good indeed, because that's quite an obstacle to overcome. Still early days, but it's turning out to be a masterstroke on the part of the owners...

I've just totted up the stats in NL games (90mins) since Ross departed.

W 8
D 4
L 1

13 games, 2.15pts a game, on pace for a 95pt season.

[cher1]

To make it in football coaching and management without a professional playing background means you're probably very good indeed, because that's quite an obstacle to overcome.

That's a really good point, hadn't thought about it before. It must be particularly hard to break into the game as a completely unknown entity.

[SaltySeaDog]

That's a really good point, hadn't thought about it before. It must be particularly hard to break into the game as a completely unknown entity.

the new coach we have just employed comes from a similar path I believe?

[SaltySeaDog]

The emotional comment is a great note. Looking at it from the perspective of his players, they know if he makes change prior to or during the game he’s doing so because he believes that’s what’s needed to win the game. This reduces the chance of players sulking or falling out with him. He does what he needs to do, as you pointed out, without emotion.

We all know football can be a very emotional game, but you want the guy in charge to have a clear head. Yeah I would hope the players would be well on board with this approach. Plus the fact we have a smaller squad, everyone should be involved at some point.

[cher1]

We all know football can be a very emotional game, but you want the guy in charge to have a clear head. Yeah I would hope the players would be well on board with this approach. Plus the fact we have a smaller squad, everyone should be involved at some point.

Taking about smaller squads, we don't have any loan players do we. That's pretty unusual.

[CamPie]

Taking about smaller squads, we don't have any loan players do we. That's pretty unusual.

It is and should also leave us scope to strengthen in areas if we need to.

[Hoppie]

Taking about smaller squads, we don't have any loan players do we. That's pretty unusual.

Indeed, he appears to have the stance that says a loan player now with his squad fully fit would imply we got our recruitment wrong or signal a lack of belief in the players. Despite being largely underwhelmed by the transfer business this summer (probably Cameron and Palmer aside) i am starting to think that maybe they really did get more of first choice targets than I thought?

Still don’t get Francis. Openly volunteering to be the one who gets hammered on here when he turns out to be the non-league xavi! 🙏

[Elite_Pie]

The Burchnall Bandwagon was set up on Day One obviously prematurely as all bandwagons should be and it's not surprising to me that so many have openly joined and have been suitably impressed with the PE Teacher who has never played at professional level, and has no experience of the English game let alone the National League. Anyone still still undecided it's not too late to become a rider#choochoo

I'm one of those who is still undecided, and bandwagons and hashtags aren't my thing. I really like what Ian Burchnall and the owners are trying to do and it would be brilliant if it worked, but I have my doubts that it's the blueprint for gaining promotion from the National League. I'm enjoying the journey so far, but for all our attacking power I think we concede soft goals far too easily, and we have a lightweight midfield. On that basis, my glass is both half full and half empty. I would love nothing more than to be eating a big plateful of humble pie at the end of the season, but I'm just saying it as I see it.