ROSSI’S CHALLENGE
Barnet boss Rossi Eames aims to put some sting into the Bees
FORMER gymnast Rossi Eames admits somersaulting into Football League management at the tender age of 32 has been full of highs and lows.
And the Barnet boss is being given a good grounding at what it takes to be a success by a testing recent run.
Beset by injuries to a host of players, including talismanic striker John Akinde, the north London Bees headed into yesterday’s home match against Yeovil on a run of eight League Two games without a win.
It left them 20th in the division and looking over their shoulders.
So what has EFL’s youngest manager, who had a couple of temporary spells in charge last term, learned from the recent dark days.
“I could write a book,” he told The FLP. “Not a leaflet, not a pamphlet, I could write a book. I always knew there were going to be great times and difficult times, but you have to keep plugging away and working hard.
Positive
“You have to deal with the highs and lows. You’ve got to make sure you stay level-headed. You learn from the experience.”
And, while injuries and recent results may have not had Bees fans going head over heels with delight, the softlyspoken boss, who won medals at British Championship level in his gymnastics days, is doing his best to stay positive and roll with the twists and turns.
“For me, the players that have come in have been excellent,” he explained. “We have to look at it as a blessing in disguise, really.
“The likes of Wesley Fonguck, people like this, we have fast-tracked their development and they have not looked out of place.
“It’ll be hard for me to pick the team when all the players come back, but it’s great for me to have that competition.”
While Akinde has been the major miss – Eames believes he’s three or four weeks away from a return following a hamstring injury – at least it has given summer signing Shaquile Coulthirst the chance to show what he can do.
The former Tottenham youngster, who has just recovered from a hamstring tweak of his own, netted his ninth goal of the season to rescue a point in the midweek draw against Mansfield, ironically a club where the 22-year-old striker had a loan spell from Peterborough last season.
“I’m delighted for Shaq,” he said. “We’ve missed him, we’ve missed his prowess around the box and he’s got another goal for his tally.”
Eames believes the point against financially well-backed Mansfield is a sign things could be about to go their way.
“I’m really pleased with the team’s performance. The collective effort was excellent,” he said.
“The balance, shape and the way we competed, trying to get around the sides, get entries into the final third and get shots off.
“That’s the way we want to play, but it’s all about consistency.
Building
“The players have to carry on with the same work ethic and the same demeanour, to use the ball and work hard out of position as well.
“We’ve got to take every game as it comes. We want to keep building points in the bank, keep competing and making sure we become a force.”
Early next month, Barnet can take a break from the bread and butter of League Two football when they visit Blackburn Rovers in the FA Cup first round, but it’s not a priority right now.
“I saw the draw,” added Eames, “but we’ve got Yeovil and Accrington before that. We have to concentrate on them.
“It’ll be great when it comes around. They’re former Premier League champions. They’ve got a lot of history and it’s a fantastic ground, so, yeah, it’s nice.”