I've come to Dover to succeed, says Hendon

Saturday 29th May 2010

NEWLY-APPOINTED Dover Athletic manager Ian Hendon vows to carry on the excellent work that his predecessor Andy Hessenthaler put in at Crabble, writes Stephen McCartney.

The former Barnet boss joins the Kent club on an initial one-year contract with a view of extending the deal, with current player, Nicky Southall, a business partner of Hessenthaler, staying on as player-assistant.

Hendon, 38, started his playing career at Tottenham Hotspur and collected seven England Under 21 International caps. His other clubs include Portsmouth, Leyton Orient and Sheffield Wednesday and he also won the Conference as a player with Barnet, whom he managed until the end of the 2009-10 season.

Hendon, who had made 496 Football League appearances, was unveiled at a press conference at Crabble yesterday, but knows he will have to fill the void left recently by Andy Hessenthaler, who enjoyed three successful years at the club before returning to manage Gillingham for a second time.

Hessenthaler clinched back-to-back titles as he pulled the club out of the Ryman League Division One South at the first attempt and then comfortably won the Ryman Premier League before guiding the club to runners-up in Blue Square South last season.

“I haven’t come here just to take the first job that’s come along - I’ve come here and I’m determined to succeed,” said Hendon during the press conference yesterday.

“Obviously I played with Andy over the years. When he came down to Dover we kept in constant contact and he’s rung me over time and he’s had players loaned from myself and asked me what they’re like.

“I’ve seen how those players have performed at this level and I’ve watched games in this division, obviously been out on scouting ventures numerous times this year and I’m aware of this level, what it’s going to take.”

Hendon knows he is stepping into some very big shoes - Hessenthaler was loved by the Dover faithful who turned the club’s fortunes around during three superb seasons.

“I think he’s a size seven!” replied Hendon. “There’s going to be continuity here. I’ve always said that with Nicky Southall, the basis of the squad, it finished second last year so I’m not going to come in and change lots of things. The continuation is important.

“I’m going to add a couple of what is already a good side in this division. I haven’t been able to speak to anybody so that’s the agenda. There are a few (current) players coming down, who I’m going to have a chat with and I’m confident that the squad and the players that I want to keep, sign.

“We’ve got a bit of time between now and the start of the season. There will be a few players in pre-season and there’s no rush on that.

“I’ve got players in mind who I want to bring to the football club. I’ve discussed that with the chairman already. We’ll see how we go in pre-season and we’ll be alright, we’ll be ready for the 14th of August.”

Hendon sat down with Dover chairman, Jim Parmenter, and was impressed with the set-up at Crabble - and the largest playing budget available to any non-league manager here in Kent.

“I came and had an interview with the chairman, he showed me around and I’ve been and seen the Academy set-up and everything is geared, going in the right direction and we know what we want to go,” said Hendon.

“The chairman is obviously ambitious and wants this club moving forward and I’m a young manager and I’m ambitious to move forward and upwards with Dover.

“I must say, coming in meeting the chairman, being shown around, the set-up, Frank (Clarke, secretary), all the staff here. It is a professional set-up, I’ve got to say that.

“I’ve been to non-league clubs, some non-league clubs and they’re not a patch on this place and this is geared and it’s going in the right direction and it’s my job to steer us in the right direction.

Mr Parmenter spoke about his delight of bringing Hendon to the club and admitted he has to finish off the work started by Hessenthaler.

“Ian has got great experience in the League, he knows players very well,” said the Whites chairman.

“Most importantly his approach and work ethic, he’s Mr 100% and I’m sure he’ll demand 100% or more from the players.

“I think his talks is probably a little bit tougher than Andy’s, when he came to the club we were at a much lower level then and I think the momentum was a little easier to get going.

“He’s got a big challenge but I know his attitude’s good and I know that he’s going to get 100% out of he players and we’re going to be pushing for promotion.

“The five-year plan was to get us to Conference National so we’re a year ahead of our plan as it were so we’ve got two years to do it. I’d like to do it in a year and then we’ll se where we go after that.

“We certainly want to re-structure the club to push to the Football League.

“I’d just like to add at this point, you ask what attracted Ian to the club, We didn’t advertise this position at all anywhere and I had 12 really good applicants, which I thought Ian was the most suitable for our requirements but I think that just shows the respect now that Dover Athletic Football Club is shown in the football world.”

Mr Parmenter added that he will sit down with his new manager later in the season to discuss a longer contract, having agreed just a one-year deal.

He said: “We’ve brought Ian in quickly, his initially on a one-year deal. It’s only because it’s done quickly and we will be sitting him down certainly by January to talk about a bit more detailed contract and a long one.

“Don’t really anything into the length of the initial contract. It’s just simple because of the timing and everybody’s schedules really to get the thing underway.”

When asked whether Hessenthaler recommended his former Barnet team mate as his successor, Mr Parmenter replied: "Andy didn’t recommend anyone for the job. I had a chat with Andy about various managers that he thought were capable but he didn’t fully recommend anybody.

"Ian comes because of his reputation, because of other people that I have spoken to that know Ian and because of his attitude and approach. That’s the reason his here, not because of any recommendation from anybody."

Hessenthaler’s assistant - and Academy manager - Darren Hare, meanwhile, has joined Gillingham as youth team manager, despite being offered a role within the new management structure at Crabble.

Although Hessenthaler will be a hard act to follow, www.kentishfootball.co.uk wish Hendon every success at Dover Athletic.

Press Conference quotes courtesy of www.doverathletic.com