Hitchin Town 1 Dunstable Town 0

In recent games we have had to deal a depleted squad through injury and availability and that is on top of the usual key challenges we have to face. So being faced with opposition in good form and sitting well in the table should have meant this would be a daunting task. But fear is something we don’t have now and knowing Hitchin can benefit from sending match scouts to our games it proved they indeed take the task seriously and also meant that those circumstances meant we had nothing to lose. Nick Hayes was due back following his England training and with 3 Centre Backs out we felt we had nothing to lose in fielding some fresh faces that have impressed in training. Nik came into centre midfield, Stefan into centre midfield and Eldon came into no10 role. Eldon Maquemba is a player of great experience and genuine professional pedigree. He happens to be living in Houghton Regis and had jogged to our stadium, paid to get into a game so that he could approach us. He came training and looked terrific and showed the much needed experience we are desperate for to help guide the young lads. He was available for this game and I needed to pick him up. Our volunteer kit man has also been on the unavailable list so it meant I had a car full of kit and equipment as well as players. It did make me laugh when Eldon sat with kit and drinks bottles on his lap and said in a respectful manner “Tony, can I ask you a question? Is this the normal way you travel to away games? It is perhaps not the best preparation”  I told him I would much rather the use of the lovely team bus our neighbours at Luton Town and most others take for granted. That would be really helpful. But the club will not spend money we don’t have on we don’t have so that also includes logistics.

However somehow these challenges that we have might of somehow galvanise our squad and the clubs committee and fans as a whole and it’s this togetherness that enables us to be even anyway competitive in this league.

This was very well acknowledged in Mark Burke’s program notes where he credits our ability to compete in games due to good coaching, organisation and players willing to work hard. Intelligent appreciation from a proper football man with vast experience in this league. Someone I respect greatly.

We did well overall in the first half and had to defend well and be well organised as Hitchin of course wanted to put us to bed quickly. We mostly reduced them to shots from distance and we showed what a fantastic counter attack team we are with pace and skill going forward. The pace and transitions in this league can catch you out when you have not been playing regular and two of the new signings showed some signs of fatigue but they had worked very hard and they will get better and better. The centre back pulled his hamstring before the half and forced us into an early change and utility man Daniel Trif came on and was superb as always. This lad epitomises the attitude of our players. If I asked him to balance on the cross bar I am sure he would do it.

We made another change at half time and we of course spoke about the expectation from Hitchin who will be fired up and for sure will be getting a roasting from their manager. We started the second half at the tempo we discussed and got on the front foot but in that scenario their keeper was able to clear quickly and we found our selves isolated 1v1 and their lad chopped inside and finished. That was of course a huge blow. But we didn’t crumble and got our selves back into an even footing in the game and we felt strongly that with 15 to go we had the ability on the bench that find that killer pass into our wingers we know can out run opposition. Johnny Barnett came in and the plan very nearly came off as we also won several dangerous free kicks. Two massive chances that half with a header from Peter and he was involved with Andrew superbly down the right that had Eldon sliding in on an empty net like Gazza in the Golden Goal against Germany in Euro 96. Except Eldon did get a slight touch but it whizzed last the post.

One thing for sure again, that is another team that will be delighted to come away with 3 points and know that we will be bang in games and as our players return from injury now, suspensions over, some luck to even out, my word we are bang ready to take advantage and points will come.

Keep the faith… it’s coming. The story in now entering a new chapter and the winning will feel so much sweeter on the back of what we have been through.

@antmccool

Post Redditch Reaction - Our 1st EVER Game

To take to the field yesterday was a miracle and an example of what can be achieved when you have got great people pulling together. We had put together a squad over six weeks that could compete for Dunstable Town FC in Step 3 of the football pyramid and of course they needed to fit a certain profile. Young hungry players that want to move their career on and use our club as a pathway to something great. But of course that means the players are learning a lot as we go and they are not coming into training every day. So we don’t have the readymade solutions that other clubs can benefit from. Of course managers at the top clubs and all the way down to our level including our league have the ability to offer players financial packages and when Manchester United, Man City, Chelsea etc need a player in a certain position they go and get the solution. They don’t start the league with their U23’s and look to teach them under the spotlight in competition. Even at our level our competitors yesterday in a ‘pro rata’ relative similar situation are able to replace players with proven players and have the budget to support it. For example Redditch had a centre midfielder that we recalled playing against our coach Kevin Gallen and he shows the experience he has.

So on the pitch we are having to learn as we go. 2 months ago we started recruiting and now we have the squad we believed showed that hunger and desire together with attributes and ability we can work with. We are delighted with the players whilst we will have difficult days we know they will also produce great days. As we led up to our first week in this league we had a player return to Portugal and a key defender on a pre-planned trip. We lost two players who we had been sent to a professional trial in Germany. We have one injured and one that decided to return to university. Suddenly we had some concerns and we turned to some players that we had known previously. We promoted a former Luton Town player that had been excellent in our development squad and we signed two players that we had history with having worked with them at QPR bringing the ex QPR number to 3. On the Friday night we found there was a mistake in the registration and therefore our replacement we planned for was out. So we went to Redditch with another replacement to our already young and rapidly trimming squad but we did so proudly in our gleaning new training kit and aboard our mini busses that have kindly been supplied and supported thanks to excellent work from our chairman in building local community relationships.

As we arrived our physio who has been kindly supporting us free of charge while we ensure our sustainable future asked “Has anyone seen the 1^st aid kit”? You see, whilst we have had to assemble all these players from scratch we have also had to learn about a lot of things that normally get taken for granted. We have now got another new volunteer kit man who has great personality and also made for a supporting driver and even chips in as a vocal fan from the stands. We had done a checklist but we tried to play down any distraction like this as on and off the pitch we keep finding what we are missing and just resolving it. However, he informed me that we couldn’t get in our club to get it anyways because it was locked up. Oh well, looks a bit tin pot but can we find a solution and Redditch United’s staff very kindly helped him. Sign of a great club. Anyway, we were already secretly a bit concerned. Our first game on this stage for these young players. We were a bit depleted. We are on a 3G pitch which feels different fans are starting to click through the turnstiles. A first for many of them and I did think maybe we would have been more comfortable in this transition on our home grass. But the baptism has to happen somewhere and in some ways, there is the theory of learning to swim is best done when launched into the deep end. So as the lads started to ask for tapes etc we just tried to play down the error and not lot let it become a distraction.

5 Minutes to two pm we are ready to hand the teams in and then came another punch. Our striker is not appearing on the registrations website. If he plays were in trouble. Of course that was a big blow. How we ended up in that situation is unknown but as bad as it feels, it’s thanks to the diligence of our secretary to not cut corners and double checking. He certainly prevented us being dunked in hot water, not for the first time. So, we need to reshuffle. I speak to the player along with his replacement and we go through some of the organisation that we had. It is what it is but again we tried to play down this issue and the lads got on with the warm up. The lad who was now out of the squad showed a great attitude where quite frankly he would have been justified in being angry.

We spoke before the game about the significance of what we are achieving against all odds. We spoke about who we are doing this for, maybe family and loved ones. We spoke about where we want to go as a club and individuals and we spoke about why we are doing it. It was a discussion to remember for the whole season and how we then cope with the ups and downs that would come and how we had become a new family.

Now, that’s the players off down the tunnel, now we have another rule, there is bench wear required that if we don’t comply the club gets a fine. The first I had heard about this was last week and the poor guys behind the scenes had the blue lights on and got there extinguishers out to yet again put out another fire. They acted on the news but the solution was not there for our first fixture and we got changed into trousers, jumpers and shirts for the bench and Kevin donned a casual jacket to cover up his kit. We did think we might be able to simply cover the logos with tape, oh yeah, we forgot the 1^st aid kit. Plan C then.

I’m sure some people must have seen us come out and think wow, these guys all think they are Jose Mourinho. We got to the pitch, oh blast, another problem. Our host told us we are only allowed on the pitch without football boots. No shoes or trainers. The dugout is across the other side of the pitch and I wasn’t great at long jump in my school days prime so I really don’t fancy my chances of clearing the width of this pitch. Maybe the players could give us a piggy back? We opted to walk around the pitch and I’m sure the fans must have thought that we looked more like three guys walking to the pub rather than a dugout.

The game got under way and things didn’t look to bad. Ordinarily we can cope with conceding some pressure as we have incredible pace on counter attacks. Suddenly out of the blue, whack, a penalty. My gut feeling was it looked very harsh and on review of the video I said ………………………………… Anyway,8 minutes in and were one nil down. This is where experience is so important. We speak about it, we practice it, but reality is only experience helps in the heat of the moment. Nerves quickly set in and we did make a series of mistakes which quickly led to a second goal. 10 minutes gone 2-0 down. Disaster. What happened over the following 20 minutes is pretty much what you expect when young inexperienced players are debuting at the highest level they’ve ever played at against solid experienced paid players. It was the most uncomfortable period of our whole coming together at Dunstable and it came in our first ever competitive game together. They couldn’t cope with the disappointment and doubt and confidence soon came into play. In that period Redditch scored two excellent goals when we afforded them too much time and space. But, let’s be fair, they have some excellent players. 4-0

A tactical switch and some other changes were needed to stop this escalating into an embarrassment. I know these players are good enough so I didn’t want to let this happen to them. Half time we explained the changes and had to have some pretty tough words.

The second half they proved what they can do as they put Redditch on the back foot and we created a number of chances. A special mention perhaps for Brandy and Nimmy. They did everything we asked we also had put on Aaron on who had a couple of really good runs and crosses. When he gets running he’s terrifying. These three players are 18, 17 and 17!

We have a saying the players know…

“In football, when its going good, you find out about players, when its going wrong you find out about people” So they will all learn, they will act differently in future to mid match set backs.

Suddenly we had this team on the back foot and these young raw lads along with the efforts of the rest of the team had showed and proved they are more than capable of coping. As they threw themselves forward we took some risks that exposed us more than usually and urgent defending resulted in some corners from which they scored but overall, what was important was that we had gone out to be in a football match, take the game to our opponent and that will help with the belief and confidence. It might take a while for the lads to believe in themselves as much as we do. That might happen in a few months, it might happen in a few weeks. It might even happen Tuesday. One thing I know, is someone is going to be in for a big shock. Guaranteed.

Thanks for supporting us

Come on you blues

25th July 2017 Dunstable Town FC 0 Luton Town 4 - A day in the dugout

Another fantastic evening for a club re-birthed and reconstructing processes learning protocol to run football matches off the pitch whilst we replicate that on the pitch.

So it started with a haircut…I thought, I’m looking a bit ‘Gordon Strachan’ (in his heyday) or maybe Cilla Black here. Going to have to get the groundsman on it if I don’t tackle it.

So I sat in the chair, who would have thought football frustrations would come out here? “You’re the Dunstable Town manager now aren’t you”? Yes I am. “I would love to be a football coach” he said. “Well why don’t you then”? I replied. He said, “Well, I did my badges but I gave it up. I really want to do the big stuff”. I responded again, “So….why don’t you then”? He said “Well nothing came up. Really I would want to be the Luton Town manager”. At that point a lot of frowns appeared on my head along with confused eyebrows and shocked eyes. “Really, Luton Town? fair play mate, maybe I would suggest you learn your trade for a few years, keep learning. Go and coach a kid’s team and start learning”? He said, “Well I only want to coach at pro level and it’s hard to get in so I left it”. I thought to myself, wow, I coached for years in grass roots, I coached senior amateur teams and spent over a decade coaching in academies as well as working in senior pro environments. This guy wants to bypass all of that? I wanted to go from that shocked emoji to the one of the monkey with its head in its hands, but I feared it could ruin my rapidly improving appearance.  Then he continued, “well I also want to be a scout, that’s where I really see myself, scouting players”. For a split second my ears pricked up, I actually could do with some help scouting, this is a young keen guy maybe. So I asked, “oh, fair play. Do you go to a lot of games?” He replied, no, I haven’t been to a game for years”. “Oh, but you want to be Luton Town manager, when was the last time you watched them?” He said “I can’t remember, years. The last actual game I went to was at craven cottage, Fulham v Man Utd and Ryan Giggs scored with the outside of his foot volley” I did another shocked face. Now in my head I’m thinking, that’s years ago. I remember the goal. A quick check when I got home it's 10 years ago. I rarely go 10 days without seeing a live game! So, my head went a bit “You do know that the current Luton Town manager has done all the things you are refusing to do, as well as played a lot of games”? I’ve also coached for 20 years and been at several pro clubs and studied hard and now I’m at club 'beneath him'.

As I left I was thinking how that attitude was consistent with a lot of footballers. They want all the lavish lifestyle and celebrity life, but are not willing to do the hard part in between. Then they wonder why they fail. Is this there fault or simply a culture of young people gaining celebrity status on fast-tracked reality TV shows? Why go to acting school? Why bother? Why write great comedy? Why bother? Why work on great presenter skills with knowledge? Why train in professional entertainment? You don’t need to go through all that, you can bypass it. I wonder if many young people now think football is the same. Do they think there will be a reality TV show football club that takes people out of there lazy lives and thrusts them into stardom and all they need to do is act stupid, talk without any amount of respect and decency and parade around half naked and be promiscuous. Bingo, I’m a footballer or a football manager.

Andy Millman (Ricky Gervais) addresses show makers

I think this was brilliantly illustrated and so well written in the series Extras by Ricky Gervais with the character Andy Millman having a realisation of his life having been on celebrity Big Brother pointing at the camera saying “f*ck you, the makers of this and you lot for watching” after describing how desperate you must be to want to be famous so much you hand in your dignity at the door. 

I think this is one of my favourite speeches of all time Extras Speech It makes me think about football and how its changed with so many quitting after they don't 'make it'. So why did you play in the first place? Was it to be famous or becasue you loved football? 

Anyway, the Football…

I must extend a huge thank you to the ground staff at Creasey Park because the pitch is looking tremendous.  Overall as we go through pre-season you can see the new bunch of lads learning about each other. We are on a very steep learning curve and I have to say a unique situation for me. But that is the challenge I relished. Perspective is something we have to keep reminding ourselves of. We are a very young team, they are impressionable. In some cases they are lacking a bit of confidence and they don’t realise how good they are. But it will come. Because we are not lacking ability.

Tyeeeq Bakinson along with Freddie Hinds now Bristol City
& Cameron McJannett now Stoke City

I had a very warm chat with Andy Awford as he shared some of the work they do from a holistic view of player development at Luton Town. It would be wrong to go into detail but I was really impressed with the approach to ensure young chaps are afforded equal opportunity. He also spoke about the importance of creating good people with life skills. Well done Andy and thanks for bringing them to Dunstable Town. Although it is a reality check to be looking young men in the eye that I coached when they were 11/12/13/. It fills me with personal pride to see them doing so well. I remember a young Arthur Read and complimenting him only for my fellow coaches to remind me that I always rate the ginger haired players. Well I don’t think anyone that was at last night’s game would disagree that I think I have been proven right as he pretty much dominated midfield with very clever movement and rotation and use of good first touch and passing range. Good to also have Tyeeq Bakinson also come to me and say hi, such a nice humble well mannered young man. I recall his parents well and I know they will love to hear that. I wish him and all them other lads huge success and nothing would fill me with more delight than to see one or two take the field in the football league, let’s hope in a gleaming new stadium and gleaming new era for our professional neighbours.

One of the challenges we face with our brand new crop of players is self-belief and confidence. We have to remind ourselves that we also were a very young team. Dare I say, not your typical Step 3 Southern league semi-professional outfit currently. Added to to that we have had 9 training sessions, in our lives as a team. In those 9 sessions we have had to fit in a recruitment program, followed by a pre-season. When most of our competitors were starting pre-season games in gleaming new kit, we were still drilling down on a new squad selection after rustling together some footballs. So, this is very much a fledgling outfit. All things considered then I feel we are in exciting times when you consider that against two excellent similar level teams we have more than held our own and have put fear into team’s defenses. These lads have got a load of work to do, but I’m so proud of them already. We had two 17 year olds on the pitch yesterday. I’m so confident in their ability, they are not filled with that confidence yet, but they should be, they were terrific. When I see Aaron Hudson whipping down the line, beating his opponent, showing great skill I couldn’t help but smile. The score didn’t bother me one bit in moments like that. Brandy Makuendi in centre midfield also, you wouldn’t believe he is just 18 as he demands the ball and shows great ability to stay on it. That’s bravery. Nimmy up front, 17, hangs on every word you tell him. I think if I asked him to make his runs from the defending corner flag he would do it. These young men are learning fast and we will watch them mature as young men as we go. In the next bracket we have a group of 19-23 year olds desperate to learn and willing to work hard to improve. That leaves some pressure on our experienced ‘old’ players, Scott Betts (24) and Skipper John Sonuga (28). These chaps have shown great calmness. Fantastic role models.

Overall Luton Town dominated this game. That statement is not an embarrassing one to make. Tactically we needed to place ourselves in better positions to be able to make contact and we know that now and will work on it. A shift in shape helped with that and for the first time it allowed us to get forward in a sustained attack. There keeper made a good save from electric Ryan Young (he will terrify teams this season), that would have been 1-1. Instead a combination of errors from us allowed them to tap in a second.

Of course we still have a lot of questions to answer as to who and where so from that point we had to remind ourselves that we are preparing for a season and therefore we have to put preparation ahead of the result as we moved personnel around and tried some different things.

So, full credit to Luton Town lads and another good work out for our lads as we get nearer to the season.

We should give a mention to the guys off the pitch. The people who volunteered to save this club and now work tirelessly to get the club prepared for genuine football matches. We still have kit to sort out, we are rustling together water bottles for the lads along with many other things which they are sorting and have sorted. But the ladies and gentlemen behind the scenes are all on the same page in that we want to create a togetherness and professional approach from here in. There is a real solution and can do approach and it has created a buzz around the pitch and place. The fans have been brilliant to the players, they understand the dynamics and there patience and support is hugely appreciated. The amount of young children in Dunstable Town and Luton Town kits enjoying a night out was also great to see.

Ive got to thank all the people that have stepped forward to help me and the club already. Like my old colleague from west London Justin Lucas-Hill. He has been provided professional medical support for us as well as helping with staff recruitment. He hasn’t asked for one penny so I feel obliged to tell people how wonderful he is and if you feel you need treatment please visit http://www.sportspt.co.uk/ He might even be able to meet you at the club moving forward

DTFC - The Jackals - No Fear

When I look in the eyes of the people running the club I see such decent transparent people, guys discussing ways to improve things for the lads well post 10pm. I even got a nice bit of homemade cake. When I walked back to the changing rooms I left a chairman sweeping it out in his suit. That is the ego free football environment I’ve always striven to work in, all hands on deck. As I walked back to my car with the stadium lights off and loaded with equipment I reflected on what I had just seen and thought to myself…

This is going to be a long hard season, with many ups and downs. But, one thing I know for sure, I want to do everything I can to give these great lads, fans and people running the club a glorious football day they will never forget.

#coyb

Tony McCool

@antmccool7