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All eyes will be on Ebbsfleet United’s new manager Dennis Kutrieb this week – even if fans can’t watch his first games in charge in person.
The German replaced Kevin Watson at the start of June and has been forced to wait for his first taste of English football.
Ebbsfleet host Hastings behind closed doors in the FA Cup Second Qualifying Round on Saturday before visiting Braintree in National League South on Tuesday night.
The signs in pre-season all point to a passing game but only one result matters to Kutrieb – winning.
“Everyone is waiting for the start of the season and now it is here with the FA Cup on Saturday and then our first league game on Tuesday,” said the former TB Berlin manager.
“It’s been a tough, long time without competitive football. I’ve a really great team, not just the staff but also the players on the pitch. We’ve got a very good squad, they are very humble and try their best. They’ve worked really hard in the last seven weeks of pre-season and we’re happy that we can start now.
“It’s all about succeeding and winning games. At the end of the day the battle is we want to win games. I have to answer as a manager how we can win games and not only one game but a lot of games. I haven’t come from Germany to England to lose matches.
“I have a philosophy and the team have adapted really well to that in the last seven weeks.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do which is normal with 18 new players and a new manager. Seven weeks is not enough, we need more time, but I’ve no concerns that we are ready now.
“We’ve got hard work to do every week but we want to be successful. Of course, you will lose a game but we want to find the right balance as we want to be successful every week.
“We have to focus on ourselves and play how we want to play and stick to our plan.”
Much of Ebbsfleet’s recruitment was done with Steve Lovell still in place as director of football but the former Gillingham boss left at the start of September.
Kutrieb is happy with the squad that they put together and has no doubts about the key ingredient they will require – hard work.
“I’m happy with the squad, they’ve made big steps,” he said. “I’m fine with the quality and they can learn more and more.
“From the first day to where we are now, we can see a big difference. They are very flexible and have enough football intelligence. They are able to play football, are up for the fight and have a good level of fitness.
“For every competition in the world, you want to be successful and to do that you need to work hard and be humble. If you can do that then you’ll get your rewards.”
It’s not just the players that Kutrieb expects to put in the hard graft.
He’s already watched nearly 10 matches in person of future opponents.
He added: “I would be a bad manager if I didn’t have the information about other teams and squads so I’ve watched lots of videos. We’ve also seen lives games because you can see more of the picture live.
“We’ve played National League teams in pre-season so we can see their quality and measure where we are. Obviously National League South is different but when you can stay in games and get a win or a draw, then we are prepared for the league season.
“We want to be prepared too, and for that you have to do more work. Me and my assistant have seen many lives games, videos are one thing but also live matches you get other impressions.
“That’s basic all over the world, I have to work more than the others. If we win games or not, that’s football. You can have a bad day, your keeper might make a mistake, the pitch might be bad or the opposition have a great game - that can happen - but during a long season you have to work harder than everyone else.”
Ebbsfleet have retained their full-time status and much will be expected of a high-quality squad. The likes of Josh Payne and Adam Mekki, loan signings last season, are now permanent fixtures in the dressing room.
That means there will be pressure on Kutrieb to deliver. But, one thing is for sure, it won’t get to the new Fleet boss.
“I didn’t feel pressure as a player and I didn’t as a manager at my former clubs where we got promotion,” he claimed. “I didn’t feel it.
“It’s football and I love the game. You can always be successful when you are here to work hard. There are three steps. We got the right players in, then we’ve worked hard in pre-season and now the third step is success in the season.
“I feel pressure if my son is ill or my players are injured, that’s pressure but only as a human being and not as a manager, as you can’t do anything (to help). But in football it’s about making less mistakes and being well prepared, so for that reason I don’t feel pressure.”
Despite coming into a covid-secure football environment, the new manager claims his only problem so far has been speaking the language.
But you’d never guess as his English is excellent, his thoughts measured and precise.
“It’s really terrible but it’s the same in Germany, they are social distancing as well, it’s not just this country,” he stated.
“It’s only the language barrier at the moment. As we say in Germany, the ball is round still. We have to score goals and not concede them – that’s the same all over the world. The rules for football are the same everywhere so I feel comfortable here.
“With football you can settle in quickly, I always feel at home on the pitch. We need to look at the basics. We know we have to defend well.”
It’s possibly fair to say that no team has felt the negative impact of Covid-19 in non-league circles more than Ebbsfleet.
Relegated from the National League on points per game, even the demise of Macclesfield came too late to save them. Now the season gets under way and they can’t earn any revenue from fans coming through the turnstiles.
They’ll feel it harder at Stonebridge Road as they were the one club that argued against what is now known as ‘elite’ status.
“The thing that’s disappointing is that the fans can’t see what we’re working on in the ground,” noted Kutrieb. “It will be great when they can come back to watch matches.”
