EXETER MANAGER MATT TAYLOR
record. “Did I want the job? If you over-think a process, you will end up making the wrong decision,” said the former centre-back who started his career in non-League football as a goalkeeper with Burscough. “I knew how difficult it was going to be after 12 years of Paul’s leadership.
“But after playing for the club then coming back as a coach, I felt I was in a strong position to know what was needed – and we didn’t need to change much. “It would have been different I had come in with little understanding of Exeter’s unique mechanics as a fan-owned club and tried to reinvent the wheel. “I knew what we were about. There is no sugar-daddy chairman backing us with big money – we have to generate our income by producing good players.”
Exeter’s conveyor belt of talent is been the envy of scouts and managers, with Chelsea starlet Ethan Ampadu and Brentford striker Ollie Watkins the latest to roll off the production line. But the lopsided rules where big clubs can now poach bright prospects from academies like Exeter for a pittance in compensation has forced Taylor to adjust the model.
There is now a greater accent on identifying rough diamonds like winger Randell Williams, released by Crystal Palace and Watford without making a first-team appearance for either club.
Taylor added: “Randell has been our stand-out player this season. We identified his potential when he was on loan at Wycombe from Watford.
“We told Watford, ‘If you give us first option to sign him on a permanent basis as a free transfer, you’ll get real value out of the deal if we sell him on.’
“He’s one of the quickest and strongest forwards in the division, he can jump as high as anyone and he’s provided the most assists in the League.
“Now he’s starting to chip in with goals and although he’s far from the finished article, we’ve high hopes for him. Producing young talent is our trademark.
“But Randell’s improvement is a sign we are moving towards players of his profile.
“When the bright lights of the Premier League come calling, it’s hard to stop young players being dazzled by the glare.
“All we ask is that we get fair value for the talent we unearth. There are too many cases of big clubs picking off the best lads from lower division academies and paying peanuts in compensation. “Our isolation down the far end of the M5 might benefit us because some clubs don’t seem to have scouting operations that go further west than Bristol.
“But there are hidden gems in the West Country if you know where to look.”
Taylor’s outlook augurs well for a young manager within two months of completing his Pro Licence course and eager to make a name for himself.
Don’t confuse this chap with the Matt Taylor who used to hit a mean free-kick for Bolton or Portsmouth, nor the namesake who played for both Rovers and City in Bristol.
“I’m the one you’ve never heard of,” he joked. That may not last for long if Exeter go up.
‘We have to make money by producing good players’