Glen Driver is still looking ahead as he ponders a new three-year deal at Leiston
AMBITIOUS Glen Driver will consider a contract offer from Leiston in the summer when he decides on his next managerial step.
The 46-year-old returned to Victory Road last November after leaving National League South side Braintree Town with the club in promotion contention.
He has led a miraculous turnaround at the Southern League Premier Central side that had only eight points from 15 games and were bottom of the division when he arrived, but are now eight clear of automatic relegation. Leiston, unsurprisingly, are keen to
keep Driver, the man who took them to the play-offs in 2018, and have offered him a three-year deal, but the Blues boss is aiming high.
“When you’ve had a taste of Step 2, you want to go back there,” he told The NLP, having joined the Iron last summer.
“I was disappointed to leave Braintree, I went in and worked really hard. I had one player on contract when I took the job on. The budget was cut at Braintree and it kept getting cut. We left them fifth from top and it’s no secret where they are now.
Entertain
“Leiston picked the phone up and said come and keep us up. My reputation went before me, really, because I have the club at heart, I played there, managed there three times now and I saw it as a challenge.
“We’ve had some unbelievable results and the side is only two months old. It’s very pleasing, a lot of people wouldn’t have touched it with a barge pole but I saw it as a win-win for me.”
Three weeks ago, Driver’s side won at league leaders Tamworth and have also taken points off high-fliers Nuneaton Borough and Royston Town.
They have lost just three times in their last 12 league games thanks to some astute additions such as goalkeeper Sam Donkin, centre-back Jake Hutchings and striker John Sands.
“It’s taken me by surprise how well they’ve gelled together,” Driver added. “It has been a rebuild but one we felt would take it forwards rather than backwards.
“It’s all about the players, I’ve never really made football about myself, but I think now I have to start putting myself first a little bit.
“I want to be involved with a football club that recognises what we’re doing. We put bums on seats, we entertain, we go with a bit of youth and give people an opportunity. I want to manage a football club that matches my ambitions and at the highest level I possibly can.
“Leiston appreciate what we’ve done in the past and what we’re doing to date. Will Leiston be able to match the ambitions I’ve got for myself ? There’s jobs I could have gone for but I’m committed to the club until April.
“Hopefully we can keep the club at Step 3 and then re-evaluate in the summer and see if Leiston can fulfil my ambitions.
“I want to be a full-time manager, that’s my goal. I feel I’ve done my apprentice as a young manager building sides, I’m going to strive for bigger and better things.”