We've got to do better than last year, says Crockenhill coach Darrell Queeley

Wednesday 20th June 2012

CROCKENHILL coach Darrell Queeley says the club has to do better next season now that they have a new chairman in charge at Wested Meadow.

Steve Cullen has stepped down as chairman, but remains as the club’s secretary, while Keith Jarvis has a new role as first team manager and the new chairman.

“It’s kind of passing on the reigns really,” said Queeley, 32.

“Steve Cullen has done a really good job. He’s been the chairman for several years’ now and he’s just decided to pass on the reigns to Keith Jarvis.

“Keith was the team manager last season and will stay on as the team manager and the club believes that he has something to offer not just on the field but off the field.

“At the minute there’s work being done on the pitch. Also there is going to be sufficient changes within the changing rooms and a few other bits around the pitch and the ground area.”

Crockenhill have struggled since they were forced out of the Kent League owing to the club’s rustic ground not having floodlights.

They finished third-from-bottom in the inaugural Kent Invicta League campaign last season and Queeley is looking for vast improvement when the new season kicks off again on 11 August.

Queeley said: “Yes, I guess the problem over the years’ has been bringing in players to Crockenhill. It’s not in the greatest of catchment areas so it’s always been a bit of a struggle to bring quality players’ in and keep them.

“But with this Kent Invicta League I think it’s injected a bit of life into the club and I will do my utmost to try to get the players of the correct ability to come to the club.

“We’ve got to do better than last year. Third-from-bottom is not good enough. We need to push on now. Anything from midtable upwards will be satisfactory. We’ll go out to win every game, of course. We have to be realistic as we finished third-from-bottom.

“We’ll be making a few changes within team personnel and try to push forward. We ended the season quite strongly and it’s a case of keeping those players together and adding to that squad.”

Queeley will entice his former players who turned out for Sevenoaks Town and Lewisham Borough to the club as he tries to improve matters on the pitch.

He said: “No matter where you go you always have a certain amount of players who will follow you as a manager. I have a few players from both of the clubs I was at.

“I’ll have a few players from Sevenoaks and Lewisham who will come with me. There’s a number of Crockenhill boys who will stay on and have done really well for us towards the end of last season and some of those players are the most important players in the side at the minute.”

Crockenhill are holding open trials next Tuesday 26 June and Thursday 28 June and Queeley added: “We’ve got two trial dates before the squad comes back in on the Saturday. If anyone is interested just send us a quick email and it’s a case of are you good enough? Now where you have been or what you’ve done to play for our team right now.”

Queeley hopes to find an uncut gem to turn the club’s fortunes around.

“It’s going to be tough. Last season it was tough. We still got the teams that finished second, third and fourth who are going to be there or there abouts. We’re talking about Ashford, Phoenix, Hollands & Blair and Bridon Ropes.

“Those sides are always going to mount a serious challenge and there’s a lot of other sides who will step up from last season and make it even more difficult, I’m sure.”

Queeley says he has made the transition as number one to Jarvis’ number two without any problems.

“I’ll just say I’ve really enjoyed myself at Crockenhill. I came in last season to assist the manager, assist the coach and it went really well and I’m really happy to be staying on as coach for this season.

“It’s really rare when you leave one club as manager to join another club as coach and enjoy it so much.

“Keith Jarvis is very easy to get along with. The situation is really good. As head coach I run the sessions and we talk a lot on the phone. We’re more of a management team and it’s very easy to be coach with Keith Jarvis.”

On Cullen’s new role, Queeley added: “Steve is still around and I’m sure he’ll be doing a lot behind the scenes as well and continue to help out with secretarial work and lots of things in and around the football club.”

Queeley revealed that Kent Invicta League registration forms have been sent out to member clubs.

He said: “The forms came out today so I’m going to get busy, get on the old bicycle, run round and get people snapped up.”

Meanwhile, the club have confirmed three home pre-season friendlies to date – Bromley Green (14 July), Bethnal Green (21 July) and Fleet Leisure (28 July) - and Queeley would like to hear from potential opponents.

For further details about trial dates please email darrell@crockenhillfc.co.uk

Visit Crockenhill’s website: www.crockenhillfc.co.uk