Boreham Wood Football Club having spent just six weeks as a National Premier League side, wish to make an important announcement;
As of tomorrow Monday, 21st September, the first team squad will no longer train two evenings a week but will revert to a day time training programme, with sessions on a Monday, Thursday and a Friday.
The sole purpose is to give the club every chance of survival at this level of football and It is thought that the extra contact time between the coaches and players, will improve our fitness, our organisation and our understanding to remain at this fantastic level of football.
Chairman Danny Hunter said “I spoke to my management team of Ian Allinson and Luke Garrard about the pros and cons after the defeat against Bromley. They felt it was the only way to go if we are to survive and prosper. Of course it is not ideal to do this in September but after five losses on the spin, performances have dipped and results don’t lie”..
“This club costs me a lot of time, money and considerable effort and it’s at times like this that our supporters can expect their chairman to lead but lead with clear goals and clear objectives”..
“Some of our players, especially those who have been used to daytime training and full time football, have struggled with two evening training sessions a week and are hugely under performing. Some have struggled with doing a day job then rushing home, grabbing a bite to eat, rushing across London to train and are emotionally spent by the time they get here”..
“Others who don’t even have a day job, have struggled simply by being idle all day and just want to feel like they are full time footballers again.. Either way whatever the reason this change will give them all and our coaches the time to get out on the training pitch, to prepare properly in an unhurried scenario and to concentrate on winning football matches which is there job”..
“After speaking with the staff, the majority of our players and management team are hugely in favour of the switch. Even those amongst them who cannot commit to it all agree it will improve and help us considerably. Of course only time will tell if that is correct but on the downside it will almost certainly lead to some casualties and some players and staff will depart”..
I feel desperately sorry to lose players and staff, who have been with us for so long. That feeling is only natural, as I’ve shared some of the greatest days of my life with these guys. They have been an amazing group to have had the privilege of working with. They have been pivotal in our promotions, in our success and some are more than just players and staff to me as we have shared something special. In truth they are life long friends and so this change will certainly hurt us all”.
“The facts though are simple, the ones who depart do so because they have great jobs and they cannot afford to go to day time training and wish to remain part time footballers. I won’t go into detail just yet on who goes and who stays, as we are still trying to find solutions for some, although other departures are agreed and about to be circulated”..
Hunter went on “Going to a day time training programme three days a week, is tantamount to turning Meadow Park and Boreham Wood into a full time football club for the first time in our history.. There are going to be the obvious additional costs and expenses to take into account, from catering and catering staff, to additional coaches, playing personnel, cleaners, kit managers and of course the very important medical staff”..
“I now need to go away, revamp the budget in the correct way and see how best to move the club forward. I need to see how much more I can give the first team budget personally and I need to find a way for the club to move forward commercially to increase our budget across the board”..
“It will simply not be good enough for us to become a full time club, without having the necessary infra structure all in place. This is not a game we’re playing where we can afford to get it wrong. We must remember at present we are still not good enough on the park as is evident by our league position. As such we still need to bring in a few experienced but more importantly, hungry players into this group to improve us”..
“We will now see if the club I’ve re built these last 17 seasons and these players, will stand up to the rigours of being full time or if we’ll fall flat on our faces. To succeed we must all work harder than ever before but things must be and will be done properly from top to bottom”..
“The players and coaches will need feeding, they will need specialist coaching and will also need to be looked after medically.. They will need the proper facilities to train and rehab in everyday. We are lucky though that our facility now boasts recreation rooms, kitchens, medical rooms, 3G astro pitches and a rehab gym. We’ll also need the study suite’s to analyse games and that again is complete and in place”..
Hunter concluded “it sounds silly but we’ll also need a very good kit manager and staff to clean up after the lads and wipe there noses. Players do love a whinge and moan up if things aren’t exactly as they want and any excuse will do, again this is all in place”..
“This all takes sustainable finance and that will be the key to our success. As such I will need to find the money and ensure it is workable without putting the club in any danger of overspending. That is now my aim and rather than talking about it, it’s best I just get on with it and make sure I bloody well succeed”..
“We will begin day time training at the club as of tomorrow morning and the aim this week is to win on the road at Torquay on Tuesday, then follow that up with another win at home against Altrincham on Saturday. If we can do that then the whole club and the world will suddenly feel just a little bit rosier”..
