Looking ahead 2023; Eastwood CFC Joint Manager Martin Ball
Looking ahead 2023
Eastwood CFC Joint Manager Martin Ball
On 30th January 2023 Martin Ball & Daryll Thomas took over Eastwood CFC. Eastwood play in Step 5 of the pyramid in the United Counties League Premier Division and are looking to kick on from their 16th place finish last season. Martin fondly known as 'Bally' kindly agreed for me to ask him a few questions ahead of the coming season.
Some very good signings for step 5 already announced with a wealth of experience. How is the Eastwood squad shaping up ahead of the season kicking off?
We are really happy with the lads we have managed to bring in. We have worked really hard since the last ball was kicked last season and set our sights high on the type of player we wanted to bring in. We have a good mix of experience and youth, with players throughout the team that have been successful at this level of football, and also lads that have appearances in league football. In all honesty there was only 2 lads we didn’t manage to get over the line so all in all we are really happy with where we are ahead of next week.
With those signings, you go in as one of the early favourites before a ball is kicked. Will this be a pressure you embrace as a club?
Absolutely, pressure is something DT and myself welcome. It was always going to be the case when our first managerial job was at a club like Eastwood, especially with the new chairman in place. We have heard some outrageous comments about the size of the budget, so again that brings pressure. But, at the end of the day it’s a game of football, it isn’t life or death, so we are going into the season relaxed and excited for the journey ahead.
Some good performances already in pre season what is your goal as a joint manager and a club for this season?
To be successful. That can obviously come in many different forms. But DT and myself have very high standards in everything we do, both at football and in our professional lives. We have set ourselves targets for this year and the club and chairman have also set us targets as a playing squad. This also goes hand in hand with what the club wants to achieve and part of that is the pathway for the youth set up to transition into the first team. We have a huge partnership with Benfica for the juniors so it’s important we keep a pathway open. We had three under 16s get minutes during pre season and it’s something we will be looking to build on as the season progresses.
Looking forward to the season, You're starting with a late Saturday game on the UCL groundhop and a mouth watering local derby in the FA Cup against Kimberley. Is there any particular fixtures your looking forward to this season?
The FA cup is always a highlight, and I don’t think we could have been given a better draw in terms of attracting some noise and a big crowd. I spent an enjoyable time at Hucknall as a player so it will be good to go back there.
And finally, if you have one message from the fans of Eastwood CFC going into the new season?
That we look forward to welcoming the fans from last year back and hopefully attracting some of the fans that have been lost over the years back to Coronation park. We have put a lot of effort into building a team to play attractive & attacking football, and hopefully give the local community a club and team to be proud of again.
Thank you to Bally for taking some time to answer my questions about the forthcoming season. Looking forward to seeing your side against Melton and the best of luck with the season ahead.
Until the next one,
Peace,
Luke @PL2NL
