Nostell Miners Welfare boss Ian Walker has praised his management team.
Walker’s assistants Wayne Penny-Larter, Mark Pitts and ex-Athersley Rec wonder-kid Ryan Smith have led Nostell to consecutive pre-season friendlies – against Campion and Garforth Town – as the Welfare chief is at home isolating.
Hugely-successful ex-Carlton Athletic manager Pitts is the newest addition to Nostell having joined earlier this year and Walker is pleased with the strength of his dugout team.
“I think everyone has a massive role,” Walker told Non League Yorkshire.
“One thing I have recognised is that I can’t do everything and there’s things I need assistance with.
“I recognised last year where my weaknesses are and where my strengths are.
“I brought Mark Pitts in and he’s someone I know well, but he’s the polar opposite to me as a football manager and coach.
“He tells me the things I don’t want to hear and I don’t mind that because sometimes you need to be told what you don’t want to hear.
“We get on well.
“Ryan (Smith) is great and he’s been with me all the way through and Wayne (Penny-Larter) has done a great job as well.
“They are all cracking lads.
“We have also brought in Dave Parker to look after the under 23s and you look at all the clubs that are successful; you cannot base a sustainable well-built club on one man.
“It is a team effort and I’m really happy. The club is a good place to be at the moment.”
Nostell are gearing up for the new Toolstation NCEL Division One season which begins on July 31st.
Nostell host one of the promotion favourites in Hallam at home on the opening day.
All clubs are encountering problems with training and matches, but for Nostell work and holidays commitments have been the biggest challenge.
“I don’t think it is the isolation that has been disruptive for us, apart from me,” he said.
“We have got a lot of younger lads between 20 and 22 who have had their lives restricted for two years.
“They have missed out on what 20-year-old lads do and that’s go out and enjoy a social life.
“A lot of them have had holidays booked and they have a life to live so that’s been disruptive for us.
“A lot of the lads have had to work because they have furloughed and they have been working to get money back.
“It is easy to furlough a 22-year-old or make them redundant. They are easy targets so work has been disruptive more than covid.”
Walker is also a big believer in strong team spirit and plans to forge a connection between his retained players and the new faces such as Joe O’Neill and Nathan Perks were hit by roadblock after roadblock.
“We had a trip to Portugal booked with a friendly there (before it got cancelled),” he said.
“We then had a friendly in Scotland booked (before it got cancelled).
“Then we were going to Dublin.
“All those trips were cancelled and the best we were able to do was go in a minibus to Brandon United in the North East to get the banter going.
“That’s as good as we have been able to do.
“So new players coming in haven’t felt the love yet.”