NEW BREED IS FINALLY BEING RECOGNISED
KEVIN GRAHAM SPEAKS TO TOP DEVELOPMENT COACH DARYL WILLARD
CHAIRMEN can be a funny old bunch at the best of times but Daryl Willard’s experience underlines that perhaps there’s more than a little flawed logic amongst them.
Despite possessing a UEFA Pro coaching licence and a CV that includes stints spent coaching at Chelsea, Tottenham and with Tony Adams in Azerbaijan, Willard has found some doors just won’t seem to open for him in the Non-League game.
I spent some time with Daryl to find out why and to discuss his experiences as a coach at all levels of the game...
DESPITE YOUR EXPERIENCE AS A COACH, YOU’VE BEEN TOLD THAT YOU’RE NOT SUITED TO NON-LEAGUE FOOTBALL BECAUSE YOU ‘DON’T KNOW THE LEAGUE’?
I’m afraid so! I’ve applied for a number of positions in recent years. I don’t expect to just walk in to a role and in some instances I’m certain it wouldn’t have been right for me or the clubs in question, but to be told that by a club that had achieved nothing in years whilst changing managers repeatedly seems a bit strange. I don’t want to sound smug either when I say that they went on to struggle with the appointment they did eventually make. It begs the question why clubs keep doing the same thing and I think there are some great examples where coaches with my kind of background have been appointed and really made an impact.
BY YOUR ‘KIND OF BACKGROUND’, I ASSUME YOU MEAN WITHOUT NOTABLE PLAYING EXPERIENCE?
I guess so yeah. I don’t like to label myself or others but I’ve spent my adult life working hard both here and abroad to further myself as a coach and closing the gaps I have in knowledge and experience that perhaps those who have played professionally don’t have.
I guess the likes of Michael Jolley demonstrate that things are changing though, right?
They have been for a while. I’m lucky to be able to rely on a group of young coaches who are all making strides in the game after taking our pro-licence together. The likes of Kevin Nicholson and Darren Kelly have shown how clubs outside the pro game can benefit by appointing a young ambitious pro-licence coach with an academy coaching background. Michael’s success so far at Grimsby is terrific and I’m delighted for him – he’s worked hard for every break he has had.
Likewise with Michael Beale who has just been appointed as Steven Gerrard’s assistant at Rangers after a successful period at Liverpool and in Brazil. We all support each other and are able to call on them for support and share ideas be it a quick phone call or a visit to their workplace.
BUT WHAT ABOUT EX-PROS OR THE OLD SCHOOL MANAGERS IN THE NONLEAGUE GAME – DO YOU THINK THEY STILL HAVE SOMETHING TO OFFER?
Absolutely – there is no perfect profile, background or character for Non-League management and coaching. Every club is different and I’ve learned an awful lot from people in the game that perhaps would be described as old school…an awful lot.
DARE I MENTION TONY ADAMS IN THAT BREATH?
You can if you like! Of course the world has a perception of the guy but if you don’t learn from a guy like him with his experi- ence, I’d suggest you should probably pack up and find another industry to work in. He has so much knowledge about the game, and his sheer passion every time he talked about the game really had an impact on me. Working with him and Deon Burton out there was another wonderful experience. I spent four years in Azerbaijan and still go out there sometimes. People may assume it is very different to Ryman League football and I suppose in many ways it is but I think the players and staff I worked with at Leatherhead have benefitted from the lessons I took whilst out there and adopted and then adapted last season. I watched the Billericay FA Cup game and have to say Leatherhead looked a good side. Billericay’s media profile certainly helped our profile in turn but I’m proud of the way we played against them. We played out from the back, we probed and we created chances whilst making sure we weren’t too exposed. Between Sammy [Moore] myself and the other staff, we had already developed a style of play that could hurt teams and create lots of chances. With Sammy playing, I did a lot of the coaching and the balance was really good.
I GUESS THAT WAS YOUR FIRST TASTE OF NON-LEAGUE COACHING, WHAT DID YOU LEARN?
The main thing I had to adapt to was the limited time you have with players when you are not in a full-time environment. You have to be clear and really make use of the time – it’s quite an adjustment to make. I also found that players with full-time jobs need stimulation but don’t have the mental capacity or energy to go into too much detail. One of our players was an accountant and then you are approaching year end and he is working long hours in the office, the last thing he needs is an overcomplicated tactical session from a coach who is following his own agenda without recognising the needs of the group. Non-League coaching and management is far from easy but I felt I adapted quickly.
AND YOU’RE READY TO DO THAT AGAIN?
Absolutely, I run a full-time academy with talented young players from all over the world so that keeps me busy and challenges me every day but I definitely want to get another taste of Non-League coaching and management.
SO YOU SEE YOURSELF MANAGING?
Yes I do, I don’t subscribe to the view that development coaches can’t progress to be a number one. If there are clubs out there that want a manager to come in and are willing to allow me the time to build something, I’m up for it and I’d back myself to do a good job.
AS A COACH WITH A DEVELOPMENT BACKGROUND, I GUESS YOU’RE NOT A COACH WHO PLAYS DIRECT FOOTBALL AS HIS PLAN A?
You guess right! I want to keep possession of the ball and create chances by playing forward. Sounds easy but it requires the right players and right environment to develop a style of play and an understanding amongst a group of how to do it.
That said, it does depend on the situation. Hypothetically, if I was taking over during a relegation dogfight with eight games to go with a group of players that are used to perhaps playing fairly direct football, I’d be away with the fairies if I thought I could coach and instil a possession style of play into that group and get results immediately under those circumstances. So I would adapt my plan accordingly on focus on the best way to get results short term.
ARE THERE ANY CLUBS OR MANAGERS OUT THERE YOU PARTICULARLY ADMIRE IN THE NON-LEAGUE GAME?
I guess I’d point to Hastings United as a club I think is doing a marvellous job. They are putting together a great group of hungry young players, they have a clear method and I really think that whole club is benefitting now, and will do so in the future, as a result. I understand why some clubs keep their network close and appoint from a tried and tested pool but I like to see clubs take a risk and realise that the way they’ve always done it isn’t necessarily the way it has to be moving forward.
I GUESS YOU’LL BE HOPING TO SEE RUBEN LOFTUS-CHEEK ON YOUR TELEVISION SCREEN THIS SUMMER?
Absolutely, he has done ever so well this season and I was lucky to play a small part in his journey at Chelsea along with him and the likes of Tammy Abraham and Dom Solanke.
Just another part of my journey in the game.