The players' have got to be more professional, says Rochester United boss Glen Barlow

ROCHESTER UNITED manager Glen Barlow says his players must be more professional throughout their inaugural Kent Hurlimann Football League campaign.

The artist formerly known as Bly Spartans clinched the first ever Kent Invicta League title when they finished two points clear of Phoenix Sports under their former boss Matt Hume.

The Strood based club also clinched the first ever Kent Invicta League Challenge Trophy and last week they needed extra time to beat Phoenix Sports to win the inaugural Kent Invicta League Challenge Shield last weekend.

Barlow, 37, who has been at the club for six years, says he will treat Thursday night’s final pre-season friendly – at home to Ryman League Division One South title favourites Maidstone United – carefully because their Kent League campaign kicks-off on Saturday.

He said: “I’ve got to treat it as careful as I can because I don’t want people getting injured or people being tired with the game on the Saturday.

“I will try to give a run out to maybe some of the players that haven’t featured in many minutes as everyone else and be featuring them in that.”

Erith & Belvedere, who finished runners-up last season, visit Rede Court Road for the club’s historic Kent League opener on Saturday afternoon.

“We’re the underdogs and all the time we’re the underdogs we’ve got no pressure at all,” said Barlow.

“We know they’re going to give us a tough game. All I can ask for the players is to go out there and compete.  There’s two sides who are competing for the same three points and we’ll see what happens.

“It’s a great achievement to actually be put into the Kent Premier League because this is where it starts for the semi-professional side of things and hopefully we’ll attract a lot more quality players maybe and a bit of support because we lack a bit of support.  Hopefully that will come if we play a bit of attractive football like we do.

“We’ve just got to carry on doing what we’re doing. It’s what the club has aimed for. Now we’re there we have to go out and keep doing what we’re doing.”

Barlow added: “I feel that we can probably play like we did second half and in extra time (against Phoenix Sports last weekend) and we’re a match for everybody in that division, but that’s the difference to play like that week in, week out.

“You just have to be careful not being complacent really because it is new to us.

“The club is going forward and we just need to carry on what we’re doing and everything will be ok.”

When asked what the club’s aspirations are for the season ahead, Barlow replied, “Just to stay in it!  That will do us!  Anything more than that is going to be a bonus.

“We know there’s a lot of clubs in there that pay a lot of money, fishing players who are a lot more money than everyone else, so we just have to get a team spirit together.  The players’ that we’ve got at the moment are superb.

“We’ve just got to compete. We’re going to compete very well I believe.

“We’re going to do the unexpected hopefully, finish at least mid-table.  There is nothing else that we can at the moment.

“We’re coming into the division with no real pressure on us but that we’re all looking to competing in the Kent Premier League.”

Barlow revealed how he will spend his budget.

He said:  “We have a budget but it’s a very small budget. It’s not a lot but I can only give it to people who are travelling a little bit of distance really.  That’s how I’m working it.

“I took the job on in the close season.  I’ve been at the club a long time.  I know what the club is all about.  I’m just glad that I’m at the help now and try to push on now to where I want to take this club.

But Barlow wants to see no more repeat of the dug-out bust-up that marred their 3-1 win over Phoenix Sports last weekend.

“The players have got to be more professional,” he said. “Their commitment has got to be a lot more.  You can’t have players not giving any reason why they can’t make it. I want everyone to make it.  That is what happens when you get to this level. You have to be professional. You have to be at training and you can’t miss games.”

Rochester United  v  Erith & Belvedere
Kent Hurlimann Football League
Saturday 4^th August 2012
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Rede Court Road, Strood, Rochester, Kent ME2 3TU