More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
Home Bexley and Bromley Sport Article
New Welling United manager Bradley Quinton has told his squad they can leave the club if they don’t want to go the extra mile.
Quinton was named Welling boss on Tuesday night after chairman Mark Goldberg stepped away from the dugout for a second time following a poor run of results in National League South.
Within hours of his appointment, Quinton took charge of Welling during a 2-1 Kent Senior Cup defeat – during which the club announced the departures of two players, Danny Waldren and Ejiro Okosieme, to Romford.
Left-back Joe Anderson has also been released and Jay Rich-Baghuelou is expected to join a Premier League club this week.
“I don’t settle for second best,” said Quinton. “I want to improve my players and if they want to work hard with me along the way then we’ll all do well.
“If you’ve got players who want to play for the money then they can go elsewhere, that’s my opinion.
“I’m sorry, some people deserve the money, I get that, but you’re in non-league football because you either just missed out or you’ve got the opportunity to (try) and move on.
“Some of the players had already decided before I even came in that they wanted to go.
“They’d had offers from elsewhere for more money and I wish them well. It’s down to them at the end of the day, if they’ve got bills to pay if they’re paying for the money I wish them well.
“Ultimately, I will have players that want to play for me, play for Mark (Goldberg), play for this club and play for these fans first and foremost and that’s what I demand.
“With the players they’ve got, Welling should be working a lot harder than they do for each other.
“You’ve got some players who didn’t want to be here, that’s what I felt – honest opinion - so I wish them well and they need to go elsewhere. No player is bigger than the club.”
Quinton is yet to speak to the remaining staff from Goldberg’s management team but coach Osei Sankofa is believed to have left the club following last Saturday’s 3-1 defeat to Weymouth in National League South.
The new Welling boss was keen to speak to those already in place before announcing any additions to his coaching staff.
“I’m speaking to a couple of staff who are still here at the moment,” said Quinton.
“I need to do that and find out if they still want to be a part of this club.
“It’s something I will be looking at and out of respect I need to speak to them.
“I’m always here to talk to people, I know what fans appreciate and what they expect and I’m exactly the same.”
Quinton has watched Welling on numerous occasions this season – home and away – and is excited by the challenge of turning their fortunes around.
The Wings are only outside the National League South relegation zone on goal difference.
“It’s a massive club that shouldn’t be where it is at this moment in time,” said Quinton.
“The club has been promoted before, it’s a horrible, hard place to come and get a result, but it’s been the opposite recently.
“If we can start cancelling out silly mistakes then this club will get back to where it should be, but we’ll work hard at that slowly and surely.
“It was a lot better performance at times against Weymouth. I feel if they make mistakes at the minute, they are scared to come out of their shell.
“I always work with my staff and I’ll show every single member where they’re going wrong, and positives as well because they need to be shown that.
“It’s probably four or five games now (that I’ve seen). I’ve been in touch with Mark numerous times over the last season. He knows what I’m about and a lot of the players do as well.
“We need to work hard and bring some players in but ultimately there’s some good players here already that are playing within themselves at this time and I’ll be there to put my arm round them, and also give them a kick up the (backside) if we need to.
“We need to work hard together, our fitness needs to improve, our positional sense, pattern of shape, being positive rather than too many long balls, people are too slow with the ball and not moving it quickly enough. That’s something I will demand and will be working hard on.”
Asked whether fitness is the biggest thing currently wrong with the squad, Quinton replied: “Sometimes fitness but sometimes it’s mentality as well.
“When you make a mistake it’s because you are tired if you’re not fit.
“But if you’re making a mistake because you’re scared to try something new because of where you are then you’ve got pressure as well put on young shoulders.
“We need to look at that and be honest with these boys, and that’s what I’ve said.
“I will give them the opportunity but I can’t keep saying unlucky if you’re making the same mistake.
“There’s a lot more players out there to bring in and, by hook or by crook, I will do what I have to do to make it right.
“Ultimately, I’ve got some centre-forwards who are lacking on hitting the ball into the back of the net. I was hoping there were going to be some more goals (on Tuesday against Whitstable) but it didn’t come and we are where we are.
“It was positive going forward at times but some silly mistakes defensively caught my eye.”
On the subject of new faces, Quinton is already in advanced discussions with a number of players and is hoping to have them on board ahead of Saturday’s league trip to Wealdstone.
“We’re speaking,” revealed Quinton. “We’ve spoken to two on Tuesday (and are close to) getting them over the line, possibly three.
“It has to be right. They must want to play for this club, within the budget, and if players want to go then they can go.
“If I have to move players on who are on contract then I’ll look to do that. I’ve only been in charge since 5pm on Tuesday.
“We will look at what we can do within the budget. I’ve never been over budget and I expect to bring in some players.
“These players have got to want to play for the club because the fans who have paid their money to come through the door expect hard work and that’s something that I demand.
“We’ve got some important league games coming up but we have to be positive with what we’re doing.”
Quinton is in no doubt of the task ahead and is ready to hit the ground running.
He is certainly a manager who will give this job everything he’s got.
“The hard work starts now,” added Quinton, who confirmed the Wings will now be training twice a week rather than just once.
“I eat, sleep and drink football. I hate losing. I’ll be involved mentally with all the players, training with them, first one on the pitch, last one off the pitch.
“Being back out there and being in this league is what it is about. I took over at Braintree when there wasn’t one player in the dressing room after being relegated.
“We had 14 players that I moved on from that season into pro football. I done my job and also got them promoted in the first season.
“Collectively I know what I can do with the right people that want to play for me. It takes time but I know I have to get moving, and the players need to understand that.
“We need to all start working hard, staff and players. I won’t leave any stone unturned.
“I wouldn’t have taken the job if I didn’t think (we could climb the table). Moving forward this is a big club and it shouldn’t be where it is.
“My expectation is that 85, 90 minutes, the players are still running. You could see some players were tiring and at this time of the season that shouldn’t be happening.
“They need to look at themselves as well and do more when they’re not with the club. They get paid to play football, it’s the greatest sport in the world.
“We need to get this place rocking and get the crowd behind us, that’s what we’re aiming to do.”
