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TerrasBlog 18/06/08 - Terras Assistant boss talks to TerrasBlog

Wednesday, 18 June 08, 07:02 PM

After the success of our recent interview with Weymouth FC Chairman Malcolm Curtis a couple of weeks ago, we have been pointing our dictafone at the Wessex Stadium again this afternoon.

Assistant Manager Alan Lewer took time out from trying to sign new players and plan pre-season to answer our questions about the club, Non-League and football in general.

Enjoy !

Hi Alan and thanks for talking to TerrasBlog.

Can I ask firstly what you think of the state of the Non-League game?. Clubs like Nuneaton and Halifax (with a good pedigree) are going to the wall. Is there a fear in the industry about what is happening in football?

The Conference have recently removed the ABP (65% wages to turnover ratio) method of financial control on clubs and will now be checking that N.I, V.A.T, P.A.Y.E etc are kept up to date, I think this will help and shows that non-league football is trying to get it's house in order.

 And to follow that up, I would ask whether you think players will get more realistic in their demands as time goes on?

Players will never get realistic! It is up to clubs to operate within their means.

What is John Hollins like to work with?

Total Professional

Without giving too much away …Do you prefer a set formation such as 4-4-2 or is the objective with the players we have to be more fluid and adapt to match situations?I love to see ‘old fashioned’ wingers!

We work to have a team on the pitch that can adapt to any formation as the need arises during a game.

Historically, Weymouth’s geography has been used as a reason why players would not join our club. Is this a myth? Or does our location make it harder for John and yourself to get the right players?

It is difficult to get some players to come down here BUT Weymouth is such a lovely place that it becomes much easier if we can get them to visit the town... especially if they bring their wife with them.

Who is the best player you have ever worked with?

Two at this level, Daryl Clare as a striker and Danny Collins the center back who went on to Sunderland.

Could you tell us (as the Chairman did in our last interview) a typical day around the club for you?

Every day is different, but if you take today as an example... I was talking to a player that we are interested in at 7 this morning, since then I been on the phone pretty much constantly to players, Gary (Calder), agents and so on.

I have been at a meeting to organize our training facilities for next season, I have been planning our pre-season training and then met a player at the club with Gary. It will be more of the same for the rest of the day and I expect Gary and I will still be working till gone 10 tonight.

There is a lot of debate about the English Premiership at the moment and the amount of money people are taking out of it compared to how much fans have to put in. Do you think that Non-League clubs such as our own could exploit that? And do you think it has made non-league better having loads of overseas players ? (i.e. the British talent has been forced down in to the lower leagues).

Yes players have been forced to play at a lower level but so too have the wage expectations. We have spoken to players who were in league 2 last year who are asking for wages that are frankly ridiculous.

Finally, I asked the Chairman if you would give me five minutes in a pre-season friendly and he said to ask you!!! So can I ?

NO! our pre-season is far too important I'm afraid.

Many thanks for your time and answers. And good luck for next season.
No problem, thanks.

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