TIME NOW TO BUCK UP OUR IDEAS
Boss Carden issues Telford rally cry
NEW AFC Telford United boss Paul Carden wants the Bucks’ opposition to stop licking their lips at the prospect of playing them – and he admits leaving Warrington Town was a wrench.
The 42-year-old left the NPL Premier Wire after five successful years following an approach from the the National League North strugglers.
Telford are bottom of the table with just two wins all season that has seen any pre-season play-off aspirations quickly evaporate.
This weekend’s trip to Suffolk to play Felixstowe & Walton United provided an overnight stay and a chunk of time to get to know his new squad.
The former Chester City and Cambridge United midfielder is convinced he inherits a squad with talent.
He hopes he and assistant Carl Baker can get a tune out of them quickly and says they must become a tougher proposition.
Possibilities
“When I played against Telford at Telford you knew you were in for a game,” Carden told The NLP. “You knew the crowd would back their team. You knew it was a nice place to play football – the pitch and facilities were good – but you also knew with that came a tough, professional side because of those reasons. They attracted good players. Those players and managers at the time sensed where they could go.
“For one reason and another they stepped into the Conference and dropped down and never quite kicked on.
“But when I was at the club on Sunday I’m looking around like, ‘We need to get this by the scruff of the neck and take it forward’.
‘At this moment in time, teams are probably rubbing their hands together thinking, ‘Look at this pitch, the facilities are brilliant, good crowd and then they’re bottom of the league. Let’s turn up at Telford, have a nice game and win’.
“We need to quickly address that and turn it around because it’s not something I want to be associated with and, I’m pretty certain, the players would say the same. It’s up to me and them to change that.”
Carden says he’s left behind a squad to be proud of at Warrington and one he rates as one of the best they’ve had since he joined in 2016.
Had it not been for a one-off format they would have been promoted through the NPL play-offs in 2018, only to lose in the super play-off decided against King’s Lynn Town.
Assistant Mark Beesley is stepping up as his replacement and Carden admits it was a tough decision to make the move.
“I had five great years at Warrington, we achieved a lot and we moved the club forward,” Carden said. “We had some really good times. We obviously had some disappointing times but the club is in a really good position, there’s good people there.
“The chairman (Toby Macormac) is brilliant, Mark Beesley – who was assistant to me – has taken the reins and I’m delighted because he deserves the chance.
“From my own point of view, it was a tough decision. But you look at the ceilings clubs can hit. When you talk about where Warrington are to where they can get to…listen, there’s never a limit, really. But when I look at Telford and where we can go as a club, there’s big possibilities. The whole feel of the place made me understand and realise it was the right time to move.”