New Peterborough Sports boss still has the desire and ambition to deliver success after 47 years in football
New Peterborough Sports boss Phil Brown insists he still possesses the drive and ambition that has sustained him in a 47-year career in football.
The charismatic 66 year-old was a shock appointment to replace the popular management team of Michael Gash and Luke Steele. This will be his first time in charge of a part-time club, but Brown is ready for the challenge of lifting Sports off the bottom of the National League North table.
His first game as manager, however, will be a second qualifying round FA Cup tie against unbeaten National League South leaders Hornchurch at PIMS Park on Saturday (3pm kick off).
Brown’s appointment was confirmed on Thursday afternoon and he met the squad and took his first training session last night. He was operating in the Premier League with Hull City 15 years ago, the pinnacle of a 26 year-managerial career that started with a caretaker-boss position at Derby County.
"There might have been a few eyebrows raised when I decided to come to Peterborough Sports,” Brown told Peterborough Community Radio. “But that means nothing. I still get the buzz on a matchday and I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t. The fact that, after starting as a 19 year-old player at Hartlepool, I am still around 47 years later is a sign of 1) I am doing something right and 2) I still have the ambition and desire to do well and the chairman has seen that in me.
"I have had some great journeys in leagues and cups, winning promotions and big matches and I’m still trying to do that.
"I was surprised to see Peterborough Sports at the bottom of the National League North table. They’ve invested a bit more money this season and I’ve brought my KIdderminster Harriers team here and been involved in some battles.
"It’s in the Peterborough Sports DNA not to give anyone a free game and possibly in the first 8 games of this season we’ve lost a bit of that. It’s now about bringing that character and fight back and I want to see it every Tuesday and Thursday in training, and of course on Saturdays.
“The first thing to do was to analyse the squad and find out who the key players are, who the go-to players are. who the key characters are and who is fit enough to contribute to winning games of football. All those commodities are part and parcel if being good players.
"We shouldn’t be too concerned about a playing style right now. We have to do what it takes to get out of our current situation, and that means doing whatever it takes to win matches. That could mean a full press, a low block, a piece of quality or a decent set-piece – all are important in winning games and when we start winning the confidence will allow the players to express themselves more, and that will be the football I want to see.
"Winning breeds a different kind of mentality and if we start winning this place could really take off.
“There isn’t an open cheque book to sign new players by any stretch of the imagination, but the chairman will back me. He wants an FA Cup run as we all do, but the players shouldn’t see the FA Cup tie as a nice distraction from the league as it’s more a chance for the players to impress the management team and force us to pick them for the next game.
“I am hoping to bolster the backroom staff with some ‘Phil Brown’ people, but I am also willing to work with those who are already at the club. I will have different ways, but if the current staff are on board with that and they want to contribute a little more I’m all for that.”
Sports should have on-loan Barnsley wing-back Bayley McCann back from Northern Ireland Under 21 duty. McCann was an unused substitute in a 1-1 European Championship qualifying draw in Georgia on Tuesday.