We can get success if the team stays together, insists O'Connell

Sunday 18th April 2010

MARGATE manager Iain O’Connell says he is preparing for next season as his side could suffer relegation on Monday night, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Blues suffered a 2-1 defeat away to mid-table Tooting & Mitcham United at the weekend, and will be mathematically relegated if fifth-from-bottom Kent rivals Maidstone United collect at least a point away to Hendon on Monday night.

Margate escaped relegation from the Ryman Premier League by the skin of their teeth last season. They finished a miserable campaign fourth-from-bottom but were reprieved as Team Bath and Fisher Athletic both pulled out of the Blue Square South.

Speaking to www.margate-fc.com at Imperial Fields yesterday, O’Connell said: “Obviously I’m looking now for next season; what we’re going to do, but I’ve got to see what league we’re in.

“I know the majority of players I’ve brought in want to stay - whatever league we’re in - which I love.

“If they can stay together, we can get success. Obviously I need to bring some new players in whatever league we’re in.

“I can see weaknesses, so obviously I’ll be bringing a few more in.”

O’Connell, who played for Margate during their days in the top-flight of non-league football, has experience of life in the first division of the Ryman League, when managing Great Wakering Rovers in the Northern Division.

Reflecting on the difference between that division and the division that Margate are presently struggling in, O’Connell said: “It’s quicker and stronger in this league. I’ve got to be totally honest; I haven’t seen a lot more football played (in the premier). From the teams we’ve played so far, I’ve seen a lot of route one football.

“All the games we’ve played, I haven’t seen many teams that have got the ball down and played’ that’s against the teams we’ve lost to and beaten.”

He added: “You’ve got to play to your strengths as well. You look at Dartford; they’ve won the league by a lot of points and they are a pretty straight forward side, so you’ve got to play to your strengths and if that brings you success, that’s what you’ve got to do.”

Margate complete their campaign at home to Hastings United on Saturday, but finishing as high as they can could be an important factor to the club if there are more reprieves.

“At the end of the day, the way I look at it is we’re not down yet and I’m drilling that into the players,“ O’Connell added.

“There are a lot of long faces here at the moment, but we’ve got Hastings Saturday and until we’re definitely down then as far as I’m concerned, we go and win that game.

“I’d like to stay out of the bottom four (to make sure of avoiding relegation); I think that’s still possible, just. But we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.

“I’m really gutted for them (the players) today because I think they’ve done enough to win the game.”

Quotes courtesy of www.margate-fc.com

Margate v Hastings United

Ryman Premier League

Saturday 24th April 2010

Kick Off 3:00pm

At Hartsdown Park, Hartsdown Road, Margate, Kent CT9 5QZ