Toolstation NCEL Division One
Ryan Cooper has been handed the Selby Town manager’s job on a permanent basis and has set his sights on guiding the Robins back into the race for the play-offs.
Cooper was told prior to the 2-0 defeat to Wakefield that he had won the role after a long seven game stint as interim manager.
The news ends the uncertainty that began after Christian Fox’s great era ended in mid-September.
“I’m happy, I’m buzzing and I’m glad (to have been appointed on a permanent basis),” Cooper told Non League Yorkshire.
“I need to put my stamp on it now and hopefully get us to where I think we should be and that’s up and fighting for those play-offs places.
“I’m looking forward to the challenge.
“I got a taste of (managing) last year when Jonny (Bruce) was ill and Christian was on holiday and I enjoyed it.
“It was something I was thinking of, maybe not this soon but it is a dream come true.
“Selby is a good club to manage.”
His stint in interim charge has been tough though.
Selby have lost four out of five in the league under Cooper, six out of seven if you include Fox’s final two matches – a run that has sent them plummeting down the table from ninth to 15th.
“I look back at the games and teams are having five chances and five are going in,’ he said.
“We’ll have ten shots and three will go in.
“You look back at some of them and it feels like every-time (the opposition) shoots, it goes in.
“I can’t figure out why.
“The lads’ confidence is down and it is my job to get them up and playing.
“It has been difficult.
“Before I got the job, some of the lads’ confidence was down and you could see that.
“I got the interim job and we beat Glasshoughton (in the FA Vase) and I thought we had turned a corner.
“Then we went to Dronfield (and won) and I thought ‘now we are looking like a team’.
“It seems to come in patches but hopefully it’ll turn.
“We need a win and (when it comes) another will come and it will breed confidence in the team.”
Midfielder Jamie Danby has joined from Harrogate Railway in recent weeks while a throwback from the Dave Ricardo – Matty Turnbull – has signed for Selby as well.
Overall though, Cooper’s status as interim manager has made recruitment tough.
“That’s what I have found difficult because lads are asking ‘are you going to be in charge next week’,” he said.
“It has been hard to get players in but now I’ve got (the job), players will start coming in.”
Two areas he will focus on bolstering are the full-backs positions.
“For me personally, we lost one of the best right backs and left backs in the league,” he said.
“They have both gone to clubs in the same league.
“(Luke) Sellers went to Brigg and Harry (Sheppard) went to Rossington so it is tough.
“I’ve now got to come in and find full-backs when people are settled at the clubs.
“It is a tough task but I’m going to do it.”