Bootle manager Brian Richardson has discussed his early thoughts on his time at the Bucks
He admitted that when he took control of the club that there was enough depth as he swapped an assistant role with FC United of Manchester for the Liverpool hotseat.
His appointment came too soon as he watched on from the stands during the win at Runcorn Linnets.
But he’s quickly laid the mark with back-to-back wins scoring eight goals failing to concede during the 180 minutes.
Ben Hodkinson’s hat-trick steered the Bucks to victory over Glossop North End before he added to his tally in the 5-0 win over Ramsbottom as four other scorers netted during his first home win at Vesty Road.
His introduction to the club has saw him bring some familiar faces to the club after James Cooper and Louis Coyne signed following their stint under Richardson at city rivals Prescot Cables whilst he reunited with talented midfielder Jordan Wynne who was already at the club.
“It’s the reason I’ve left FC United to be honest, that’s the reason I left I wanted to be back in the hot seat, it just gives you that independence to put your ideas across,” he explained.
“No two people have always got the same idea but it does give you a bit more final say than you get when you’re an assistant.”
On Saturday, the Bucks went in a goal up but the manager wasn’t entirely satisfied with the display as they hit four unanswered second-half goals.
“Patchy first half, we certainly not playing the football I want to play when we start moving forward but I think second half we seem to be stronger and fitter. Then we started to dominate the ball and play the way we’d like to play, so second half was exceptional, first half was a bit sluggish.
“I’ve got a number of players in who have played for me before so that helps [implement style of play] when you’ve got Jordan Wynne who was already at the club, but Jordan was with me at Prescot for three years from being a young lad.
“Louis Coyne who’s just signed, Louie is way off fitness he’d admit himself, he’s had an injury, he needs to get himself in a bit more shape than what’s he in at the moment.
“James Cooper who’s just left at captain, James is pretty much inline with what I do and then Henri Ogunby, he’s had time at [Manchester] City so he knows how to pass the ball. We probably won’t be quite as direct but we’ll be a little more easier on the eye.
“It’s a good surface [at Bootle] which I didn’t have at Prescot, people who’ve seen me at Prescot probably thought we played some good stuff.
“There’s a snobbery with football now I think sometimes decision making is massive, when players play a certain way there’s a time to move the ball long and there’s a time to play short.
“If you’re playing one way there’s no decision making and you often make wrong decisions.”
READ MORE: Bootle striker Ben Hodkinson reflects on Market Drayton hat-trick as he examines start
READ MORE: Bootle reinvigorated by FA Cup display as they embark on “massive” Newcastle Town test
Discussing his mentality and message to the players going forward, the experienced manager said: “You’ve got prove yourself, we all have to prove ourselves in life, they’ve got to prove themselves to me, that I feel like I can work them, they’ve worked very hard in the training sessions we’ve had.
“We want to enjoy our football but we want to work hard and we have a certain standard in and around the dressing room and the pitch.
“I’m not saying professionalised but have standards were not professionals. People in non-league football who say they want a professional approach it makes me laugh because you’re not professional but you can certainly raise your standards wherever you and whatever you do.”
After two wins, eight goals and none conceded during his time, three games unbeaten in total, Richardson isn’t under any illusions and is wary of players showing their true colours in difficult times.
“Listen when a new manager comes in, they all give a little bit more. What I’ve got to see is what happens when in a few weeks if a few players are out there comfort zones working hard and whether they can sustain that.
“The other thing is the competition, whether we need to bring other players in. I didn’t feel the squad was quite big enough to compete and that’s what the four or five are in for to make the squad bigger and make it more competitive so fingers crossed that’ll happen.
“When I spoke to Joe [Doran] he didn’t want to come out of that decision but I think we can raise it a little bit higher for this season, we’ve got to be minimum top half and I might shoot myself in the foot saying that if we end up bottom half.
“But we beat Rammy [Ramsbottom] 5-0 who are eighth in the table I think the squads capable of being at least top half of the table.
“You look second year to get in the playoffs but maybe we can do that quicker, I don’t know we’ll have to see it depends what the players are about, how far they can take that mini-run they’re on, how far we can recruit if we need to and put them all together and you’ve got to say a club like Bootle should be aiming not to stay in the league but a bit higher than that.”
