Seager fears the drop as mistakes prove costly - EXCLUSIVE

Sunday 23rd December 2007

Whitstable Town manager Marc Seager goes into the festive period fearing relegation – if his struggling side continue making sloppy mistakes, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Oystermen welcome local rivals Sittingbourne to Belmont Road on Boxing Day, before travelling to league leaders Dover Athletic next Saturday.

Yesterday’s 3-2 defeat at fellow strugglers Eastbourne Town means Seager’s men are currently in the bottom five at the half-way stage in their first ever Ryman League Division One South campaign – just five points clear of the drop zone.

“Every week’s big for us at the moment,” admitted Seager, when speaking EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“We’ve got ourselves in a relegation dog-fight. It’s only us that put ourselves there.

“Saturday was a game we should have come away with all three points, but again conceding sloppy goals you lose games and that’s what we done.”

Former Sittingbourne striker Jon Neal parted company with the club last week, accepting a better financial offer from rivals’ Walton & Hersham.

But much-travelled striker, Ian Pulman made his debut for Whitstable Town yesterday, following a spell in America.

“Ian’s been out in America, he played one or two games for Faversham before playing some semi-pro football in America, whilst visiting his brother for four months,” revealed Seager.

“Another door closes for one person, another one opens for someone else.

“It’s definitely not going to plan but I didn’t foresee a couple of players leaving.

“The injuries we’ve had, that’s playing a big part.

“We went to Eastbourne with three players on the bench, three reserve team players with no Ryman League experience.

“If we continue to make sloppy mistakes, that’s exactly where we deserve to be.”

Seager, however, has faith in his players’ that they can beat both Sittingbourne and Dover Athletic this week – but wants them to believe in themselves more.

“I’ve said to the players on Saturday, I’ll be going into Boxing Day and Dover believing we will win,” he insisted.

“The biggest problem is do the players?

“Boxing Day is a big game for us to bounce back and try to get some points on board to move away from the bottom places.”

Chatham Town are the only side to take all three points from league leaders Dover Athletic this season.

And Seager is confident his side can pull off a shock result at Sea France Crabble next weekend.

“Everybody’s beatable!” he said. “I do honestly believe we can go to Dover and win.

“I haven’t seen a team in this League this year that I don’t think we can’t get something out of it.

“The difference is we’re making far too many mistakes – the same mistakes week in week out - as players and individuals and we’re getting punished for them.”

Centre halves Josh Main (knee ligaments) Rob Thomas (ankle), midfielders Alex Hossick (groin), Clint Gooding (calf) and winger Michael Lane (hamstring) are expected to miss the festive period through injury, whilst striker Danny Lawrence, is one of the many flu victims this winter.

“We’re missing a couple of personnel,” revealed Seager. “Not once this season have I had my full squad to pick from apart from the Chatham game.

“We won 3-0, could have been six on the day – we looked very strong.”

Having lost Neal to Walton & Hersham who could offer him a better deal, Seager is struggling to entice players to Belmont Road due to his small budget.

“It shows the position we’re in, a higher club has come in and we couldn’t match the deal,” he said.

“That’s something we’ve got to live with and all I can do is wish Jon all the best.

“Money talks and I’m trying every week to bring new players in but players that are good, as soon as you talk money it’s a bit of a stumbling block.

“I’m not knocking the club as the club does it’s best. We have to work on it.

“The biggest concern at the moment are the players making the same mistakes every week and not learning from them. If you don’t learn from your mistakes that’s very hard.”

But Seager vows Whitstable Town will not return to the Kent League after just one season playing at the higher level.

He said: “I’m very confident, I’ve got no fears whatsoever of relegation because I believe in myself and my team.

“I’m going to keep doing my job and looking to strengthen the side. I won’t stop doing that, even over Christmas.

“All I can do (is ask) the players to have the same belief as I have. Most of them have (but) when the chips are down these are the times you have to dig in and we’ve got to work hard and if we can do that, the points will start coming in.”

“This season was a massive learning curve. Maybe last season we over achieved a little bit.

“Me and the chairman had a five-year plan and we achieved the success in the first year.

“We’ve gone up but on our day we can beat anyone. We’re good enough to do well in that league but at the moment the players are underachieving.

“I’ve defended us to the hilt but it’s time to let the cat out of the bag a little but and they are underachieving.

“If their not doing the business then they’re going to be playing elsewhere.”

Visit club websites:

www.whitstabletownfc.co.uk

www.sittingbournefc.co.uk

Whitstable Town v Sittingbourne
Ryman League Division One South
Boxing Day, Wednesday 26^th December 2007
Kick Off 3:00pm
At The Belmont, Belmont Road, Whitstable, Kent CT5 1QP