ROOKIE GOWLING GETS GIG AT BULLS
ROOKIE Josh Gowling says he’s just the man to turn around Hereford’s fortunes – even if it is his first managerial appointment.
The 36-year-old has been appointed interim manager of the National League North outfit following the exit of Russell Slade after five months in charge.
Gowling, the former Bournemouth, Gillingham and Kidderminster centre-back re-joined Hereford for a second spell in December 2018.
Now he’s been given the nod to cut his managerial cloth with his first task to end a poor run of just one win in 15 matches.
“Moving into coaching is something that I’ve been wanting to do for a while,” Gowling, who will be assisted by Steve Burr, told hereford.co.uk. “I’ve been working on my coaching qualifications and I have experience of being a player-coach so I’m really happy that I’ve got this chance.
“I know the players well and they know me which is a bonus. I’ve not been involved in the playing squad much lately, but that has given me a chance to watch on from the stands and I think I’ve seen areas where I can change a few things and hopefully make improvements.
“The players need to believe in themselves again. It’s hard when you’re on a bad run of results, but I want them to go out and enjoy their football and put in good performances for the fans.”
Slade, the former Leyton Orient, Charlton and Grimsby Town boss saw his spell at Edgar Street come to an end on Tuesday following lengthy discussions with chairman Andrew Graham.
Graham said: “We appreciate that Russell inherited an extremely difficult situation. But we find ourselves in a tough position and we need to act in the best interests of the club.
“I’d like to thank Russell for his hard work during his time at Edgar Street and wish him well for the future.
“I would urge fans to rally behind the players and turn out in their numbers as we look for a return to positive results.”
Graham said there was no hesitation in giving Gowling his big chance, adding: “I’d like to thank Josh for agreeing to step up.
“He will remain in charge for the foreseeable future whilst the search for a permanent manager gets underway. I am fully aware of how important it is to get this decision right, and so we will not be rushing into making a hasty appointment.”