A recent Thursday night I had the pleasure of spending some time in the company of Ryan O Rawe, Brentwood Town’s 1st Team Manager. We met on a dark, muggy evening while Ryan and his team oversaw a rather competitive training session. And to be honest I could not have wished for a better setting. Where best to grab a few minutes with someone with such a passion for the game and relatively new to the manager’s role.
Having only recently hung up his playing boots Ryan, now find himself at the helm of a new bunch of players. It would seem he is adopting so many of the traits of those who have managed him during his playing days and from his own accomplishments in obtaining his own coaching badges he is entering new ground in implementing all he has learnt and what he continues to learn from those around him.
What I saw was a group working so hard together, full of complements for each other but with the occasional polite reminder, you would expect when someone hasn’t done as well as the rest of the team would expect. But it is all taken with sense of humour in which it is administered.
Stepping to one side for only brief time we discussed his approach to the game, the difference in playing and now managing. He of course has a lot of history with the club already. He was also very clear on where sees the side going and the club as a whole from the chairman down through the rest of the team and wider set up of the Brentwood Town Football Club. He would admit results in the past few games could be better, but he is grateful for the improvements the team have made and knows where future tweaks will need to take place.
An honest account I felt. Always one eye on the session as we spoke it was clear to see how involved he is even when he steps away for a few minutes. He took time out to thank his stable home life that allows him time to focus on the football, his work and the recent addition to the family. He just needs to promise himself just one non-football day. Which one is yet to be decided. But one decision that was clear is that he want the team to succeed and achieve what they work so hard for.
The full interview can be heard here,
