Tooting & Mitcham boss is out of order for approaching Laurent Hamici, claims Joe Francis

CRAY WANDERERS assistant manager Joe Francis alleges Tooting & Mitcham United have made an illegal approach for striker Laurent Hamici.




The Frenchman, who is not on contract at Hayes Lane, has started the last six games on the substitutes’ bench and will be having an operation on his shoulder towards the end of the month.

Hamici played only thirteen minutes of Cray Wanderers’ 1-0 home defeat to Welling United in The FA Carlsberg Trophy Third Qualifying Round at Hayes Lane this afternoon, after coming off the bench to replace Michael Power.

Nineteen-year-old right-back Connor McLaren scored the only goal of the game with nineteen minutes remaining to seal Welling United’s progress into tomorrow’s First Round Draw.

But Francis was clearly angry with Tooting & Mitcham United’s acting manager, Jamie Martin, for not going through the proper channels to approach his non-contracted player.

Francis claimed: “I’d like to put on the record, they’ve actually spoken to him so if the manager wants to read this, he needs to get his house in order, the Tooting & Mitcham manager.

“I don’t know what his name is! Whatever his name, he ain’t been doing it long enough to understand how it should be done properly!

“He’s out of order, out of order!”

When asked whether Hamici, who has quit the club once already for a more lucrative deal at Carshalton Athletic just over two years’ ago, before returning to the Kent club in the summer, will stay or leave, Francis replied, “We’ve said we don’t want to lose Laurent. He’s got to stick it out.  He’s got to have an operation at the end of November, so he’ll be out for god knows how many weeks.”

Cray Wanderers’ officials’ confirmed the Ryman League Division One South club sent a scout to watch the Wands go out of The FA Carlsberg Trophy to Welling United this afternoon.

Francis blasted: “He’s (Martin) not welcomed here! He tried to get a ticket to watch the game here today and he is out of order, out of order!

“If he wants to talk about seven-day approaches he’d better have not already spoken to the player!"

Francis claimed:  “He spoke to him on Monday night and he put in the seven-day approach in on Tuesday.

“Why didn’t he ring us up?  That’s how it works! Tell him to ring Jenko (Ian Jenkins), ring me! 

“He needs to learn quick or he’s going to find himself with no friends at all!”

Francis wants his side to make a swift recovery from their disappointing FA Carlsberg Trophy exit at the hands of their Blue Square Bet (Conference) South neighbours.

Cray Wanderers welcome nineteenth-placed Carshalton Athletic to Hayes Lane on Tuesday night, before travelling to league leaders Hampton & Richmond Borough on Saturday.

“It’s over. It’s gone. It’s done so you get over it, get on with the next 52 games of the season,” said Francis.

“All games are tough so we’ve got to be at it. It all depends on what you do. 

“We’ve just said in (the dressing room) we’ve got to make sure we get this out of our system because you blink and we’re back here.

“We’ve got games galore.  That’s the beauty.  Don’t dwell. Don’t get too down when you lose. Don’t get too up when you win because otherwise you get slapped around the face with a wet kipper.”

Hampton & Richmond Borough are unbeaten at home, whilst Cray Wanderers are unbeaten on the road in the Ryman Premier League.

Ian Jenkins’ side slipped down to 12^th-place in the table due to their FA Trophy exploits this weekend, but have only once in the league at home this season.

Francis added: “It should be a good game. Looking forward to it but most important is Tuesday night in 48 hours’.”

Visit Cray Wanderers’ website: www.pitchero.com/clubs/craywands

Cray Wanderers  v  Carshalton Athletic
Ryman Premier League
Tuesday 13^th November 2012
Kick Off 7:45pm
At Hayes Lane, Bromley, Kent BR2 9EF