New Coach Quits Spitfires
Read article in full in today's Daily Echo
BLAKE CONSIDERED A REPLACEMENT:
EASTLEIGH have sounded out their former coach Mark Blake about a return to the Silverlake Stadium following the departure of Phil Handford after just three months in the job.
Director of football David Malone has confirmed that Blake is one of "three or four people" the Spitfires have considered turning to for help after Handford resigned in the wake of last Saturday's 3-1 reverse at Welling - Eastleigh's fourth defeat from five in the Blue Square South.
A QUOTE FROM PHIL:
Handford, an ex-Welling United, Gravesend & Northfleet and Margate coach, said it was too soon to comment fully on his departure, but claimed: "Although I did resign, the damage was already done and it was irreparable. But David Hughes (team manager) has been brilliant for me and backed me 100 per cent."
DIRECTOR OF FOOTBALL DAVE MALONE SHEDS SOME LIGHT:
According to Malone, the coach's decision was made after the four-way conversation involving himself, Handford, Hughes and football manager Paul Doswell which followed last Saturday's defeat.
"I was as vociferous as anyone in saying our performances were poor and the way we were playing was poor, but Phil thought the way forward was to keep playing the way we were and he was intransigent about that," said Malone.
"But the general consensus was that either four or five players should change or we should change the way we play because we were losing games.
"For whatever reason, Phil took the decision that he didn't want to continue, which came as a bit of a shock to all of us.
"No way was he pushed to the extent that he was going to be fired and no way was it my intent or Dossie's (Paul Doswell) that he should resign - and it definitely wasn't the intention of David Hughes.
"We'd lost four out of five, so you don't slap people on the back for that, do you? But, similarly, you don't fire them.
"I don't think anyone anticipated he would react in such a manner.
"He can interpret what's happened as he likes but, at the end of the day, he's the one who resigned."
With assistant manager Mark Dennis having recently left the club, Eastleigh are now short on coaching staff.
Senior player Andy Harris has been helping Hughes with training ahead of Saturday's FA Cup second qualifying round trip to Hamworthy of the Syden-hams Premier Division.
ELLIS RETURNS TO OLD CLUB WELLING:
Winger Ellis Green has become the second summer signing to leave the Spitfires, following Warren Ryan out of the Silverlake door. Green has rejoined his old club Welling.
SCANNELL UNHAPPY?:
Fellow wide man Damian Scannell could be the next to go. He was unhappy at being taken off last Saturday and Malone confirmed: "We're talking about his future."
BLAKE CONSIDERED A REPLACEMENT:
EASTLEIGH have sounded out their former coach Mark Blake about a return to the Silverlake Stadium following the departure of Phil Handford after just three months in the job.
Director of football David Malone has confirmed that Blake is one of "three or four people" the Spitfires have considered turning to for help after Handford resigned in the wake of last Saturday's 3-1 reverse at Welling - Eastleigh's fourth defeat from five in the Blue Square South.
A QUOTE FROM PHIL:
Handford, an ex-Welling United, Gravesend & Northfleet and Margate coach, said it was too soon to comment fully on his departure, but claimed: "Although I did resign, the damage was already done and it was irreparable. But David Hughes (team manager) has been brilliant for me and backed me 100 per cent."
DIRECTOR OF FOOTBALL DAVE MALONE SHEDS SOME LIGHT:
According to Malone, the coach's decision was made after the four-way conversation involving himself, Handford, Hughes and football manager Paul Doswell which followed last Saturday's defeat.
"I was as vociferous as anyone in saying our performances were poor and the way we were playing was poor, but Phil thought the way forward was to keep playing the way we were and he was intransigent about that," said Malone.
"But the general consensus was that either four or five players should change or we should change the way we play because we were losing games.
"For whatever reason, Phil took the decision that he didn't want to continue, which came as a bit of a shock to all of us.
"No way was he pushed to the extent that he was going to be fired and no way was it my intent or Dossie's (Paul Doswell) that he should resign - and it definitely wasn't the intention of David Hughes.
"We'd lost four out of five, so you don't slap people on the back for that, do you? But, similarly, you don't fire them.
"I don't think anyone anticipated he would react in such a manner.
"He can interpret what's happened as he likes but, at the end of the day, he's the one who resigned."
With assistant manager Mark Dennis having recently left the club, Eastleigh are now short on coaching staff.
Senior player Andy Harris has been helping Hughes with training ahead of Saturday's FA Cup second qualifying round trip to Hamworthy of the Syden-hams Premier Division.
ELLIS RETURNS TO OLD CLUB WELLING:
Winger Ellis Green has become the second summer signing to leave the Spitfires, following Warren Ryan out of the Silverlake door. Green has rejoined his old club Welling.
SCANNELL UNHAPPY?:
Fellow wide man Damian Scannell could be the next to go. He was unhappy at being taken off last Saturday and Malone confirmed: "We're talking about his future."
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