Staff of Life
- Simon Ellis
- Nov 1, 2024
- 2 min read
NEW Tivvy manager Rob Dray has wasted no time at all in assembling a strong and familiar backroom team ahead of this weekend’s Pitching In Southern League Premier Division South visit to Hungerford Town.
Long-time assistant Connor Sidley-Adams will again be his right-hand man; former Cullompton manager Steve Orchard is first-team coach; and Tony Cornish, another tried and trusted colleague, joins Rob as physio.
“It’s really important to get that right,” said Rob. “I like to have good people around me who I've worked with before and I trust and who have experience of the level we play at and the levels above because that's ideally what we're trying to get to over a period of time – it's not going to happen overnight, as we're all aware.
“I’ve known Connor for a long time, and Tony, who is very well respected, very experienced and who, really, was overqualified for Taunton. He’s a really, really good physio and someone I trust. He gets the lads back fit, gets them back quick. When they are injured, and that's what we need.
“I have known Steve for a number of years and he'll be a good fit. It's the next step for him, if you like.”
With his staff in place, Rob’s thoughts now turn to boosting the playing squad, who trained for the first time under the new management team on Thursday night, although that was not the first contact between the two parties.
Rob said: “I’ve had lots of chats to players, speaking to the squad, giving them a brief overview of expectations and what we're going to do, just making sure they're aware of that, being respectful of everybody and having a chat with them.
“I’ve been talking to a lot of potential new players, talking to clubs, talking to agents. It's been quite busy.
“There are three areas, three players that we're talking to at the moment that we're going to be in a position where we're going to make offers to.”
