New Ebbsfleet manager Harry Watling has revealed he only took the job after watching them in action.

Watling was named as Danny Searle’s successor last Thursday and guided the Fleet to a first National League win of the season at home to Hartlepool just two days later.

But he only agreed to take the role after watching the goalless draw with Aldershot last Tuesday, while sat with the away fans.

“I came in the away end but it started raining so I sat in the stand with the away fans,” revealed Watling.

“I needed to get eyes on the team, live. I’d had good discussions with Damian [Irvine, chief executive] during the day and I said to him that I just needed to see them in the flesh. That was what convinced me.

“I was really impressed with Damian, the structure he’s put in for any manager that took the job is outstanding.

“But you have to be able to trust the people that are going on the pitch to carry out the plan and I can definitely do that.

“Saturday against Hartlepool was just a bolt-on from Tuesday, really. I thought the skipper got everybody super-organised, really hard to beat, front foot, fantastic going forward. So, it was about not changing much and trying to bolt onto that.”

Watling’s last job was at Scottish giants Glasgow Rangers as a coach under Michael Beale, who he also worked with previously at Championship outfit QPR.

He’s been linked with EFL jobs in recent months but dismissed the suggestion that he didn’t really want to drop into the National League.

“I’ve gone for the club,” insisted Watling. “I’ve had a couple of conversations [with other clubs], I’ll be honest, but it’s the club. They’ve been various levels.

“It’s not the league, it’s the project. You can take a really bad job in a high league and be in the job for five minutes.

“I’ve done my due diligence on the people, the set-up and the playing staff and that’s why I took it. I think it’s got everything I need. Time will tell but it’s a great platform.”

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Watling left Rangers at the start of October last year but has enjoyed his time out of the game after his first daughter was born the following month.

“I loved it, it was great to be back,” he beamed. “I’ve missed the game a lot.

“I had a little girl in November so the timing in coming away from Glasgow Rangers, although it genuinely hurt and I mean that as I love that football club, it meant I could be a dad for nine or 10 months so every cloud has a silver lining.

“But that feeling and the buzz of being on the sidelines and the unknown, you cannot replace that so I’m delighted to be back.

“You’ll notice from what I say that I’m keen not to push myself forward, I want the team to constantly be in the forefront of people’s minds.”

Watling inherits a squad bigger than that which former manager Dennis Kutrieb worked with. There’s 27 players at Stonebridge Road and everyone will get a chance to impress.

“When you come in with the short period that we’ve had, it was about let’s get to Saturday in the best possible shape,” explained Watling.

“We’ve got a couple of guys who have obviously got leg breaks and things like that, that’s uncontrollable.

“I want to assess everybody, I want to give everybody a chance, everyone gets a clean slate. We used three subs on Saturday and gave everyone an opportunity to show what they can do. I need a little bit of time.”

Ebbsfleet are away to Sutton this Saturday and make the trip to Maidenhead on Tuesday night.