"Under pressure" Miles wields the axe - EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Thursday 11th January 2007

After picking up just one point from their last two games, against the bottom two sides in the Ryman League Division One South table, Chatham Town manager Phil Miles has tonight unveiled that he has freshened up his squad to beat the drop, writes Stephen McCartney.

A 2-2 home draw against basement boys Corinthian Casuals was followed by a 2-0 loss at Whyteleafe, and these results have put the Medway side in a precarious position in the table.

They travel to seventh placed side Croydon Athletic on Saturday, a side just four points adrift of the final play-off berth, just four points clear of the drop zone.

Andy Boyle (central defender), Adam Douglas (central midfield) and Luke Harvey (striker) have all been shown the door.

But Jim Lyons, a central midfielder, has been shipped out to Kent League side Tunbridge Wells on a month’s loan to gain more experience.

Lyons becomes the second player to go to the Culverden Stadium outfit on loan, joining goalkeeper, Glen Winter-Nolan.

Miles will hand debuts to strikers Mike McKenna and Ian Hilaire, having signed them tonight from Gravesend & Northfleet and Tonbridge Angels respectively.

Youngster McKenna has been playing for Kent League side Lordswood.

“I feel the need to change the squad because I’ve been patient with the squad that I’ve had,” Miles said EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“I felt I gave everyone a fair chance and a fair crack of the whip to turn things around.

“I shuffled positions with different personnel but it didn’t make too much difference. The results weren’t good enough so I felt fresh faces is what we need.

“To be fair I was thinking about this before Christmas but I gave the squad the benefit of the doubt and I put this on hold to see what kind of results we would get over Christmas and the early part of the new year.

“But the results we’ve had over this period made my mind up even more.

“In hindsight, I feel I should have done this before Christmas but I still believe the changes that I’m making now will still benefit the club and the team in the future.”

Miles has explained why Boyle, Douglas and Harvey are surplus to requirements and Lyons has gone out on loan.

He said: “With regards to Andy Boyle, I just feel I have three centre halves ahead of him in Danny Larkin, Rob Goodger and Wayne Brown.

”I just explained to Andy that I see three players ahead of him. I wanted to be honest with him as he’s been 100% loyal to the club and I wanted to be honest and up front with him.”

Speaking about Douglas’ departure, Miles said: “To be fair to Adam he hasn’t played a lot of football. He’s done ok but in the position I’m in I need top drawer performances and not ok.

“Realising the financial side of it as well, I had to let a couple of players go to bring players in.”

Miles added: “I don’t blame any of the three players that I’ve released – it’s our performances.

“To be fair to them it could have been eight or nine to be honest but I needed to release a bit of money from the budget and I’ve got two good central midfielders in Steve Best and Darren Smith and with Jim Lyons out on loan, Jim and Adam were the third midfielder, fighting for the position.”

But Harvey has been shown the door to enable Miles to bring in a more experienced, and a prolific striker.

“I said to Luke that I need my centre forward to score goals,” said Miles.

“He’s work-rate and attitude was fantastic but you need centre forwards to score.

“Luke has been on a barren spell and that was the reason why I let him go.”

But Lyons has been spared, and arrives at Culverden Stadium with the prospect of returning.

“Jim is still a young lad,” said Miles. “I had him in the reserves at Chatham and he played every game for me in the reserves.

“Potentially, Jim could be a first team regular but he really needs to get out and get some first team experience in the Kent League.

”The experience he will get playing at Tunbridge Wells will stand him in good stead but he needs to get games under his belt.”

Miles, meanwhile, expects McKenna and Hilaire to find the net – starting on Saturday.

“Over the last couple of days I was phoning a few managers and (Gravesend & Northfleet boss) Liam Daish was one,” revealed Miles.

“He let me have Jack Roberts earlier in the season so I phoned Liam again and enquired about some of his youngsters and Mike’s name was mentioned.

“I know Mike has been playing and scoring goals for Lordswood so I made a phone call to (Lordswood manager) Paul Piggott and explained what I intended to do.

“I spoke to Liam and he said it was ok to speak to Mike.

“Paul doesn’t really want to lose his best forward but Paul doesn’t mind seeing Mike step up to the Ryman League.”

Hilaire, who was a substitute for Tonbridge Angels’ in their 1-0 midweek win at East Thurrock United, is the man expected to bang in the goals.

Miles explained: “I phoned (Tonbridge manager) Tony Dolby, just asked if he had any forwards to play games.

“He said that Ian wants to get a few games under his belt.

“I’ve had two young lads playing up front all season that do ok but when you need goals, Ian can do that for us.

Miles targeted maximum points from their last two games and was disappointed with his one-point return.

“We were not at the races against Corinthian Casuals,” he admitted.

“We went 2-0 down but I was pleased with the way we came back to two all but still disappointed we didn’t take maximum points.

“But to be fair, we didn’t do enough to win but I was delighted to get a point.

“At Whyteleafe, we totally dominated the first half. We had four great chances, didn’t take any of them and second half we got punished.

“We made too many mistakes and they scored two goals.

“We dominated the first half and should have been two or three up.

“They got the goal and their tails were up and there was no way of coming back.”

Miles admitted he feels pressure with the club in the bottom six.

“What I’m looking for is for us to be a bit more clinical in front of goal,” he said. “Most of the games we play we have created at least six good chances.

“If we continue to make chances, hopefully with different personnel up front, we may start putting our chances away.

“Anyone who’s watched us this year doesn’t need to be
a scientist to work out that we need to score goals.”

“I put pressure on myself really to do well and obviously when we don’t do well you feel the pressure as you go into every game knowing you need a result and if you don’t get a result it puts more pressure on.

“Of course you feel the pressure because I want to do well in what I am doing, but at the moment, as the league table says, I’m not doing a good job at the moment but hopefully that will change over the next two months.”

Meanwhile, former Herne Bay defender, Rob Goodger (hamstring) and Ross Finn (knee) should be back for selection next weekend.

Visit Chatham Town’s website: www.chathamtownfc.net

Croydon Athletic v Chatham Town
Ryman League Division One South
Saturday 13^th January 2007
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Mayfields, off Mayfields Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey CR7 6DN