Fell: Now we have the balance right
RA MS BOTTOM United manager Mark Fell believes there is much cause for optimism at the start of the Evo-Stik League First Division West campaign.
The Rams kicked off the season with a 2-1 victory against Market Drayton Town at the Harry Williams Riverside Stadium on Saturday, and while they fell to a narrow 1-0 defeat at Colne in midweek, Fell insists the signs are promising.
Fell’s men finished last season in 14th place, but the boss believes they were not far away from competing higher up the table.
“I think there is a lot of cause for optimism, but I was here on the first day of last season saying I was really optimistic!” he said.
“But I am optimistic, for sure. I think we have a better balance to us now, bearing in mind on Saturday we didn’t have international clearance for Tom Kennedy to play, which is a farce, I am so disappointed with the FA and the way that they and the FAs from the different countries involved have dealt with it.
“It could have been done miles better and could have been more personable with our volunteers who have tried to do the right thing, I think they have been treated dreadfully.”
Fell feels the squad has better balance now than 12 months ago – though that does not mean he isn’t keeping close tabs on players’ availability.
“We are generally working with 20 players. We have a couple around the fringes from the reserves we want to have a bit more of a look at, so we are working in a group size we want to work in.
“But the nature of football is that players become available and part of my job is to make sure we are at the front of the queue if something comes up which can make us better.
“These lads are semiprofessional so sometimes they are away, they are working, so we need to consider all of those things to make sure we have the numbers we need to maintain the quality on the pitch while still having a look at some of the younger lads who we feel can make an impact as we move forwards and can fill gaps for us.
“This is a new side, we didn’t want to make wholesale changes because we didn’t feel we were that far away, even though we finished 14th.
“We thought, when we looked at each game individually, we weren’t a million miles away from where we wanted to be.
“But players become available at different times of the season and it’s being on the front foot to be able to take those chances and get the players in who you feel might make you better.”