Welling manager Warren Feeney will discuss his long-term future at the club after this weekend’s trip to Havant.

Feeney helped keep the Wings in National League South at the end of the 2021/22 season having been appointed with just 10 games left.

After a promising start to the current campaign, Feeney’s side has been inconsistent at best in recent months and they only confirmed their status at Step 2 for next season by beating champions Ebbsfleet last Saturday.

“I don’t know, you can never say,” said Feeney, when asked if he’ll be at Park View Road next season. “People need to get away and get a break because it is difficult.

“I know fans have frustrations but they’ve got to realise where this club has come from. They’ve been here, we were at the wrong end of the league last year.

“There was a lot of hype at the start of this year, we probably started too well and people said we were going to be top 10 or finish this and that. But we know how hard it is, we saw Chippenham last year, no disrespect, were in the play-offs and (look at) them this year.

“It’s about progress, about building and about stability. We need that throughout the club.”

Feeney revealed in November that he turned down a potential job offer to leave Welling, and there’s bound to be further interest in his services during the close season.

“I’ve had another one that I showed the boss last week,” said Feeney. “It’s a different kind of one and it’s certainly interesting.

“I’m a loyal person, I know there’s ups and downs in football and I’ve learnt the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.

“We’re enjoying it here. We’ll go away, have a glass of wine and assess everything.”

Feeney doesn’t hold the same popularity among the Welling fanbase as some previous managers.

Results and performances on the pitch haven’t helped as the Wings have not picked up the points that many would have expected given the improved budget this term.

“To be honest it’s water off a duck’s back for me,” said Feeney. “I take criticism on the chin, I’ve no problems.

“People probably don’t like what I say because I always speak the truth. But that’s part and parcel of football.

“It’s why I don’t get close to fans, why I don’t do social media. I see some managers here walking over and hugging this or that, I can’t affect that.

“My importance is the players, that’s all I want to worry about. That’s not me being disrespectful to them. If you go up there, I’ll sit and have a pint no problem. But I’m not one to get close to anyone.

“Football is a lonely place but I have that mentality that I had as a player. I learnt a lot in Bulgaria, dealing in a foreign country and having to change the mentality, I went on to win the league.

“It has been tough because I get frustrated. I try and coach the players, I’m not one of these that turns up and just plays a five-a-side. The higher you go up, you need the coach, you need to give guidelines. I speak to some people, they say they turn up and throw a ball out and have a five-a-side.

“I could never do that, I never ask my players to do something that I haven’t shown them on the training pitch because I used to be a horrible person for a manager where I’d turn around and say well you never showed us!

“It is draining, I’m being honest, but it’s the best game in the world.”

If he does remain at Park View Road next season, Feeney is adamant about where the Wings need to get things right.

The big work will be in the summer months.

“You’ve got to get recruitment right,” he stressed. “More of these players, the young ones like Chi Ezennolim, have got another 30 or 40 games under their belt so it’s all about progress.

“You’ve got to look at what way can we keep the core that we need and then add to it. Obviously, players are coming to come and players are going to go, that’s football. But we’ve got to look at what way we can add and get better.

“We’ve got to sit down and put our heads together in the club. It does come down to money. The one thing I’ve learnt is the first question they ask is how far is it from my house and the second is how much is the money I’m getting.

“We’ve got to assess that. We want to get local boys here. There are some staying here that I want and we try to build on that by getting the right ones in.”

Feeney played and then coached in non-league football with Salisbury but he’s now had a full season of National League South management under his belt.

That should help him if he stays at Park View Road, and he admits he’s always learning.

“It’s over 200 games that I’ve managed and I think you’re always learning,” reflected Feeney. “I’m not being disrespectful to this level but it’s new to me.

“I did some coaching at Salisbury when we were in the Conference but at this level it’s getting across to players what you want to do and make it right. That’s probably the frustrating part where you’ve got someone who this is probably the highest level that they’ve played at and I’m very demanding.

“The moment I don’t shout at you is the moment I don’t worry about you. I think you’re learning every day to be honest, unless you’re José Mourinho no-one is arrogant enough to think otherwise.

“I’ve learned more about the league and the players, and I think you have to. I’m not an arrogant person to get up and think I know everything. I just try and learn off the managers I played under and get that across to the players.”