Kentish Football 
My players could walk into any other Kent League team, says Fisher boss Steve Firkins
Monday 25th July 2011
FISHER boss Steve Firkins says he is happy to use squad rotation if his 25 players are happy with it, writes Stephen McCartney.Only Raphael Akala, Steve O’Donnell and Isa Bangura have survived the cull from last season’s beleaguered squad, as new boss Firkins has brought many of the players that he had at Greenwich Borough.
Fisher lost their 100% pre-season record as Ryman Premier Leaguers Cray Wanderers fought back from 2-0 down to win 4-2 at Champion Hill yesterday.
Michael Jones, 22, who is Bermondsey born and bred, scored the goal of the season, as he jinked past four defenders on a 40-yard run before chipping Wands keeper Andy Walker.
Jamie Turner’s in-swinging corner glanced off Walker’s gloves early in the second half to give Fisher an impressive 2-0 lead, before Ian Jenkins’ fit side fought back, scoring four goals in the last 27 minutes through Chris Saunders (2), a Luke Coleman penalty and a Tommy Whitnell tap-in.
Fisher have looked impressive in their two outings at Champion Hill and Firkins revealed he wants to keep everyone at the club.
“We’ve had a sort of tinker at squads, what we’re looking at,” said Firkins.
“What we’re trying to do here is build a good squad with plenty of strength in depth. Now, if the players want to buy into that then that’s great for me. If we’ve got the opportunity to change the team when we need to and select certain players for certain games, different types of opposition, then that will be fantastic.
“But it’s up to the players’ if their prepared to do that, wait their turn. If we can rotate and chop it about as and when we want to, I’ll like nothing more than to be able to do that, but at the end of the day it’s up to the players, if their prepared to do that.
When asked how many players he will have in his squad – remember that Fisher do not run a reserve side – Firkins said: “Possibly 25, we’ve got it down to 25 at the moment.
“There would probably be ten good players who could get a game anywhere else, who could walk into any other team, but that’s all I can offer them.
“I’ve picked three teams already in my head and each one of them is as good as the next.
“I think every manager would like that problem and I’ve still got players who want to come down. I’m still getting phone calls but we’ve got to go with the lads who have been here from the start of pre-season, who have put in a lot of work into their fitness.”
Fisher travel through the Blackwall Tunnel to lock horns with former Kent League side Sporting Bengal United on Thursday (7pm). The game will NOT be played at Mile End Stadium, but at Stepney Gardens, Stepney Green, east London.
Firkins said: “You can never write Sporting off, they are unpredictable to say the least.
“We’re just glad to get another game in. It’ll give me an opportunity to give a couple of the other lads I didn’t have a look at.”
Fisher end their pre-season campaign with a game against Kent Invicta League outfit Lewisham Borough on Friday 5 August (8:10pm) – on the Astroturf pitch at Bacon’s College, Timber Pond Road, Rotherhithe.
Fisher wanted to play Kent League games at the floodlit venue, but the pitch measurements just didn’t meet the criteria required.
“Hopefully the Lewisham one I can use as a pre-match training match for a team likely I’ll be putting out for the start of the season, not for definite, but it will be more or less the team I will want to put out.”
Fisher begin their Kent League campaign with a home game against Erith & Belvedere on 13 August, before a mouth-watering trip to Greenwich Borough (Oakley Road, Bromley) three days’ later.
Visit Fisher’s website: www.fisherfc.co.uk
Red Dragon I.T. Ltd