Warrilow: Have faith in Rook

TOMMY WARRILOW insists striker Carl Rook is the main man to lead Tonbridge Angels’ charge towards Blue Square South football within the club’s timescale of five years, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Angels boss, speaking at last night’s Meet the Manager event at the Ryman Premier League club, backed the big-money signing from his former club Horsham to do the business as the club aim to first climb away from the drop zone.

And Warrilow added that the has money in his transfer kitty to bring another striker to the club, having missed out on AFC Wimbledon hit-man Richard Jolly.

“I’m looking for someone proven at this level,” he told at least sixty fans at the two-hour meeting.

“It took Jon Main a year. Carl Rook’s slaughtered (by fans) after five games. We’ve changed everything from what they’re used to here.

“There was one person scoring your goal’s, Jon Main’s broken his metatarsal (whilst playing for AFC Wimbledon against the Angels). If that happened here, where would your goals come from?”

He added: “We’ve not really had the momentum for the players to get to know themselves.

“Carl has been our big money signing and will be a success with this club.”

Chairman Nick Sullivan, who threatened any fans with banning orders if they’re caught using foul and abusive language at games - or abusing players or management staff on internet fans’ forums, has high hopes for Rook, whose now scored five goals in his last three games.

He said: “Rooky in our opinion is the best target man in this league.”

And Warrilow added: “With Carl Rook you won’t get a better person to hold the ball up - other managers and clubs will have him tomorrow!”

On his current squad, Warrilow hopes that he’ll be able to entice right-back Phil Starkey to the club when his loan deal from Blue Square Premier outfit Ebbsfleet United expires.

He said: “We’re hoping to address the Phil Starkey thing before Saturday, hopefully we’ll have some news on that.”

But Warrilow is still targeting a place in the play-off’s at the end of the season, and knows Saturday’s trip to Folkestone Invicta, a side like the Angels that are hovering just above the relegation zone, is a must-win game.

“I think until it’s mathematically impossible I keep saying it, people say don’t put yourself under pressure, top five,” he said.

“We’ve drawn too many games, we would have had eleven points on the table. Hastings was the halfway mark. We’ve started another mini-league and we’ve drawn two and won two (of our last four games).

“We’re aiming to aim for that (last play off-spot) and the main thing is to finish higher than last year - eleventh.”

Speaking about players, Warrilow said: “We did go after Richard Jolly from AFC Wimbledon but it’s too far from where he lives.

“There is still a little bit of transfer money left, not as much as everyone says but we want to spend it on a forward.

“We had a chance on Luke Fontana, we knew he had a dodgy shoulder. He’s having an operation in the summer. Bromley were interested in him (when he was playing) at Carshalton. He played regular at Lewes but he’s not fit at the moment.

“He’s been sick and missed the last two reserve games but he can work well with Rooky.

“Micky Collins has left. He helped me out, he’s a mate, didn’t take a penny from the club. I was upfront and put him on the bench instead of a 17 or 18-year-old.

“John Wilfort didn’t have the best of starts (in the FA Carlsberg Trophy home defeat to) AFC Wimbledon. I felt the triangle at the back is very young and I had a chance to sign John.

“He came in and had a bad time against Wimbledon and bounced back with a better performance at Leyton and did well (in the league game away to) Wimbledon.

“John will come good, he needs to get fitter and command well. He’s been here three games - give him a chance.”

And Warrilow believes former West Ham United goalkeeper Matt Reed, 20, will benefit from competition.

“It’s an area where we’re trying to get competition in but decent goalkeepers are thin on the ground,” he said.

“Reidy, a 20-year-old lad has a good future. I think Reedy can do well for himself but there’s times he needs to have a few games on the bench and come back in. It’s not good for him not having any competition on the bench.

Chairman Sullivan, meanwhile, a former goalkeeper for the likes of Arsenal, Sutton United, Bromley and Tonbridge Angels, added: “I think Reidy, in my opinion, if he can get through this season he will play higher.

“He has the natural ability to go back into the pro-game. He’s a young lad, if he (was) at a pro club at the moment he would be in and out.

“If you take the two Oxford games (where he kept two clean sheets), talking to Jim Smith, he was asking about him - no bigger compliment!”

Warrilow added: “If you bring someone in you don’t want to kill him as his confidence may go down. Reedy’s done nothing wrong, he’s part of my plans but we need another goalkeeper for competition.”

One supporter said that Reed, full-back Matt Lovell, central defender James Donovan and midfielders Tommy Tyne and Anthony Storey have all improved under Warrilow’s - and his coaching staff's guidance.

And on the man who replaced Tony Dolby in November 2007, Sullivan added: “Tommy will manage bigger and better clubs than Tonbridge Angels Football Club and that’s not being detrimental to our football club.”

Visit Tonbridge Angels website:  www.tonbridgeangels.co.uk

Folkestone Invicta v Tonbridge Angels
Ryman Premier League
Saturday 2^nd February 2008
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Buzzlines Stadium, Cheriton Road, Folkestone, Kent CT19 5JU