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There is more to come from Dover, new manager Mitch Brundle has warned.
Having started life without Andy Hessenthaler as their boss with a 1-0 loss at Hungerford, Whites beat Taunton 1-0 at home last Tuesday through Alfie Pavey’s goal.
Brundle, appointed the club's new boss permanently on Monday night, has been thrilled with the players’ performance levels - but he believes the best is still to come from them.
He said: “The club I think maybe was sort of feeling like it wasn’t moving anywhere but it’s moving somewhere. There’s just lots of work that needs to be done behind-the-scenes that fans don’t see - unless you are performing on the pitch.
“We have now performed to a solid base over three [league] games which we haven’t consistently done over the season. That, we’re proud of.
“But I’ve just said to the players that they can step up another notch, which is the scary thing!
“That’s not us at our best.
"We can still perform better - and they [his players] know that - and I think that excites them as well.”
Brundle is delighted to be working with Sandmann, who is also the club’s Academy boss, as well as a first-team coach.
“Having Mike as part of the first-team is fantastic for us as a club, and for us as staff,” he said.
“He has got a lot of knowledge of the game.”
Midfielder Brundle is certainly taking his new role seriously and hasn’t played since Hessenthaler’s departure.
“Football has evolved and changed,” suggested the 28-year-old, speaking after the Ebbsfleet encounter.
“You can’t do both jobs any more, like you used to be able to.
“If me and Mike are going to give it a crack, I have to give my soul energy into being in the dugout.
“It helps give me a buzz. We created a game plan [for the Ebbsfleet match] and they worked to the game plan.
“To do both is tough because you have to analyse the games and do the training, and be the manager. You can’t be in the team that you’re training!
“It’s a lot of work but it’s work I’m thriving off and really enjoying.”
Things don’t get any easier for Whites, who this Saturday host third-placed Havant & Waterlooville. But Brundle hopes his charges take confidence from their display in defeat against Ebbsfleet into that encounter.
He said: “We’ll make sure they take that belief into that game.
“We, obviously, won’t always perform to that high level but we’ll try our best to make sure that we do as often as possible. We have to be resilient, hard-working and show that desire to play for the football club.
“That’s the most important thing we’re looking for.
"No one can say on Saturday that any one of those players didn’t give their 100% maximum work-rate and desire and energy.”
When the two sides met at Havant, Dover lost 4-2 despite goals from strikers Pavey and Noah Carney.
Young defender Will Moses is available again after suspension.
Dover fielded a youthful team at Chatham in the Kent Senior Cup on Tuesday, losing 2-0 as striker Dan Bradshaw added a late second after midfielder Callum Peck's opener.
Bradley Haywood has joined as the club’s new kitman while John McNicoll is now the media manager following Richard Harvey’s recent departure.
They're also on the look-out for a volunteer PA announcer. Email jointheteam@doverathletic.com for details.
