With the SCEFL Division One now ended early for a second season, KSN caught back up with Holmesdale FC manager Lee Roots and Assistant Manager Mike Parker to get their thoughts on the current situation and plans for the future.
Hi Lee / Mike Hope you are keeping well. Thanks for taking the time out to catch up with KSN again. The last time we spoke back in November the season had just been put on hold for the second lockdown and sadly since then Holmesdale haven’t kicked a ball and the SCEFL Division One season has been curtailed.
It must be a hugely frustrating time to be a manager especially when you had put a good team together again and the results were going well?
LR: Thank you kindly for the interview Colin & hope this finds you well. I’m looking forward to seeing you back at Oakley Road for some games soon! I think you’ve hit the nail exactly on the head Colin, it was of course extremely frustrating to have the season halted, suspended & then curtailed all whilst & during when the team & players were & are doing so well, was playing in a great vein of form & with good momentum behind us.
I suppose the experience that came with the disappointment of having 3 quarters of the season voided last year, overcoming that feeling for players & staff, & making sure we improved greatly as a squad going into a new season has certainly aided us in our preparation & work to combat these measure this time around.
The most pleasing aspect to the season just gone for myself & my staff is off how much we had improved on the field as a squad from the season before in all departments. We will now continue to improve even more as we prepare for a new challenge & new season ahead.
MP: Extremely frustrating, as you say we had put together another great squad and having another great season but this is the current climate and we must roll with the punches and look at the bigger picture.
As far as the 2020/21 season went what are you reflections on the league and the vase run?
LR: To be honest I was delighted with everything that the players was showing us at the early stage of the season. Of course winning all of our games that we played except for 2 games was a great return.
In the league we had remained in the promotion places, just as we had done the whole of the season before, & we remain unbeaten at home since 2019. To then lead the club into a new era of history by reaching the FA Vase 1st Round proper for the first time was a fantastic achievement for everyone at the club, on & off the pitch.
We were extremely disappointed to go out of the Vase when we did, but to go & compete the way we did against a higher league opposition on the day, being very unlucky to not go through to the next round bodes extremely well for us for the future & for the progression up the leagues of this club.
MP: Extremely positive, as we showed we can improve in form from last season and bounce back after a defeat on the opening day. The Vase run was great and being able to take Holmesdale the furthest in their history was a brilliant achievement.
However, I will admit that we were disappointed to go out when we did!
How have you been filling your football free days since November?
LR: The answer to that Colin is basically that there has been no substitute of anything that could come close to that special bond, feeling & satisfaction that you get from being involved with the football world.
To say I’ve missed the game, the routine, the players, & all aspects would be a huge understatement. I have been fortunate enough to be in a first team managers position since 2012, and when a season ends you rarely get time to relax or to reflect or too enjoy any success’s you may achieved.
This time off being forced away from game has allowed me some time to reflect back on all of our hard work over the last few years & too inspire & motivate a whole new animal in me for when we return back.
MP: Well firstly, I will say that I have missed football immensely, but I have used this as an opportunity to improve my skillset, participating in several webinars and reflecting on coaching sessions. I have also tried to spend some time away from the game taking care of my own mental health which I think is imperative to keep yourself performing.
Have you managed to keep in touch with your squad remotely?
LR: Yes through modern technology myself & my staff have remained in constant contact with all my players. Gone are the days of pigeon carriers and waiting days to talk to people, we now live in the now era & after the first suspension of the league in September, we remained in constant visual & verbal contact with the squad, checking in as much a possible on their positive health & wealth in bodies & mind.
We gave all the players some small downtime off away from us as staff after the Christmas period into January, with us offering help & advice to any of players who needed any help or communication outside of football related issues also & have remained in constant dialogue with them throughout.
MP: We have allowed the squad to spend time on their own fitness and also spend a little time away from football. As mentioned above for the players to perform at their best this break offered an opportunity to shift gears and refocus.
We have been in constant contact in the last few weeks using our WhatsApp group and messaging players individually.
If things progress as is hoped with the road map out of Covid 19 do you have plans to return to training?
LR: Yes we are extremely well prepared as a group & are fully ready for the return of the players to report back in to us for training after the 29th March.
My staff that I have here are a fantastic group & full credit goes to my assistant manager Mike Parker, who has been diligently working extremely hard & in incredible details preparing not only our coaching methods & techniques but also our model of play for the upcoming season & the full planned preparations for that period, alongside with all of my staff.
I feel we have a great road map set out for us as a club to aid all in the players in their slow return back into their usual football routines & back into continuous & competitive weekly football. Our official pre-season campaign for the upcoming season will commence in June, so it is certainly about working very smart during these return periods in the months of April & May within the Covid guidelines set from the FA.
MP: We plan to start training as early as we can, obviously within the rules set to allow players to come together from both a fitness and more importantly a social point of view.
If there was a mini competition organised prior to the next SCEFL season hopefully starting in August would you want Holmesdale to play in it?
LR: I was delighted to see this incentive from the SCEFL league for the clubs to use at there will during the months for April & May. A great idea & concept, maybe it is an idea that the league can run with even more during summers ahead for the future.
In regards of the mini competition in relation to us, we unfortunately feel this is just unobtainable for us at this stage. Mainly based on the initial start date of the competition, & with us not being able to asses yet how long the players & group will need to be ready for games, we feel we have a duty of care & especially myself as the manager of the club, to look too protect & control when the players return into football matches, if we are not playing competitively.
Not entering will in turn allow us to work in more details with the players for a more sustained period, & will importantly allow us the control of easing the players back only when we & they both feel ready to do so.
We have now made plans for more tailored pre pre-season period, with selective friendlies included & we feel this is the best approach for us to prepare the players for the start of June, & the new season in August.
MP: I would firstly like to say I think that the idea of a mini tournament is a fantastic idea from the league. However, Holmesdale wouldn’t look to compete in the competition as we have made plans for more tailored friendly games as we feel this is the best way to prepare for next season.
Lastly if we find ourselves back to some kind of normality by August what are your hopes for next season?
LR: That’s a great question colin & also a very tough one at the same time. Currently we are awaiting some confirmation from the FA & SCEFL regarding next season, league status’s, possible league re structures, FA competitions etc & of course all of our plans will totally coincide with whatever outcome gets decided regarding the league structure for next season.
We have a plan & a model that we are sticking & working with leading up into August, & of course my hopes would be for us that we are able to progress as a club & move on to the next challenge that is awaiting this special group, to remain successful & continuing to grow the squad, too grow the players & too grow the club more & more each and every year from the season that had just gone.
MP: Our plans next season are completely dependent on what happens with the league structure but we would always plan to finish as high as possible and continue to develop our squad.
Thanks again Lee,
Colin.