U14's require new manager

After 7 years, Mike will be leaving as manager following Sunday's game - this is due to the fact that Adam is also leaving the team, and work and other commitments mean that Mike will not be able to run training sessions through the summer.

We are therefore looking for a new manager! A number of parents have already expressed an interest, but if you know of any parents who may be keen to take over the team please let me know either via email, phone or on Sunday. Another option is to merge with another team if no manager can be found.

The managers position involves :-

- Running training sessions as agreed
- Ensuring enough players are available for the games and calling each player to ensure they know where and when the game is on a weekly basis
- Prior to home games, calling the opposition manager on the Wednesday before the game to ensure the time and venue is agreed and that kit clashes etc are dealt with and agreed
- Checking the league website on a Friday evening to ensure the pitch/venue has not been changed by the league, and also to ensure that a referee has been appointed by the league - if not, home team should arrange their own referee.
- Ensuring players have water available for the game
- Attendance at managers meetings (usually monthly at the Alex)
- Completion of league paperwork including match reports, player registrations, FA affiliation forms, and insurance documentation
- Ensuring all player fees, fines, team fees, insurance premiums, affiliation fees, subs, referee fees etc are received and paid out within deadlines
- Strengthening the squad as and when appropriate by adding/scouting new players

Managers should also consider taking the FA coaching badges and will be expected to agree to a CRB check prior to appointment - this will be a necessity for the 2008/9 season when the league rules are changed.

Please note it is also possible for a secretary to do the paperwork - this is up to whoever takes over.

Please contact Mike should you be interested in applying for this position.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all players and parents for their support over the period I have been manager and hope that we have given players the opportunity to play organised football where they may not have had the chance to do so elsewhere.

Update from Mike - U14s

Someone left a message on the blog today from 'a defender/midfielder' advising me that I am a s*** manager and don't care if we win as I always give 'everyone a go'. If the individual concerned would like to discuss this further, could he give me a call rather than posting an anonymous message? Maybe he is one of the players who would be on the bench if we played our best team every game? How would he like it then???

Given the fact we only have 13 squad members, it is difficult to see how we would better leaving the supposedly weaker team members on the bench! I have consistently asked for players to invite friends/players along to strengthen the squad, but hardly anyone has done so this year. It is your team - it is up to you to encourage people to join!

There are 3 main reasons why we have not trained in the last 2 weeks:-

1 - I have not yet had all the questionnaires back from everyone, so don't know when everyone can make training - however I will now base this on the responses I have had so far and call everyone tomorrow night(Weds) to advise what we will be doing.
2 - I also run Betley U15s cricket team - this is currently taking 3 nights per week, leaving me very little time to do anything else.
3 - We have no game until next Sunday and then no game til September.

Currently we have only 4 players who are definitely staying next year, with 6 not sure, and 3 definitely leaving, so it seems unlikely we will be able to enter a team unless we get some new players for the new season.

If anyone has any constructive comments, please give me a call to discuss this further instead of posting abusive anonymous messages.