Tim Flowers is back, but where has he landed?
NEW Macclesfield Town manager Tim Flowers knows he must work quickly to build a squad from scratch – but will not lose patience bringing in players.
The former Solihull Moors boss has a mammoth job on his hands at the Silkmen. Macc are still reeling from their eleventh-hour relegation out of the EFL due to a points deduction two weeks ago and don’t have a single player on their books for the forthcoming National League season.
Flowers will have only been in the job for 36 days once the campaign starts on October 3, but he’s up for the challenge. “I’m very excited,” the 56-year-old said. “I’m under no illusions about what it’s going to take. There’s a hell of a lot of work to be done in a short period of time.
“But when I walked through the door at Solihull it was a very similar situation, the team was bottom of the National League after 19odd games, marooned by 12 points and we stayed up that season. The following year we finished runners-up.
“The challenge is to try and get a squad of 15 or 16 players with some pedigree, tight, lean, hard-working bunch of lads who will go through a brick wall on a Saturday and Tuesday over the next nine months, get this football club back on an even keel if we can and plan with diligence for the future.”
Flowers will be assisted by Gary Whild, who was with him at Solihull, and Macc legend Danny Whitaker.
Siege mentality
They’ve already been working day and night to bring players in to be able to begin pre-season – and Flowers wants an upset supporter base to get behind the team he puts together.
“A siege mentality or an attitude where you think you’ve been wronged can take you to different lengths,” he said.
“If you feel you have a point to prove, not just a group of players but a community, a group of supporters.
“This place has got to be a fortress, it’s got to be hostile. We’re going to try and put together an in-your-face group of lads who are going to roll their sleeves up – win, lose or draw you’ve got to peel them off the pitch.
“I’ve still got to be a little bit patient and not jump too quickly because there are loads of players out there who need a job and the season’s coming quickly. Hopefully we can make sure we do our due diligence and hopefully move forward.
“I’m hoping to get a group for some sessions no later than mid-week. We need players coming in almost on a daily basis so we can get a squad and raise a team to play a friendly.”