New Swindon Town Manager David Flitcroft was over the moon to have been offered the top job at The County Ground and he’s relishing the chance to put the Reds back on the map again.
The former Bury chief was announced as the Robins’ new gaffer on Monday and the hard work has already started with pre-season just a matter of weeks away.
Having been out of management for a brief spell, Flitcroft feels this is the perfect opportunity for him as he aims to get Town ready for a promotion challenge in 2017/18.
“It is incredible because since I was appointed there have been loads of people in the game who keep talking about the potential of the club and the size of the club,” he told swindontownfc.co.uk.
“As soon as I got the call from the Chairman I understood that it was Swindon Town and what it represents.
“It is a fantastic opportunity for both parties to work incredibly hard in order to help Swindon climb through League Two and out of our current situation.
“There is currently a lot of work in-front of us and quite a few problems and obstacles, but that’s what I’m here to do. I’m here to find the solutions and make sure we get back on a strong footing and build out from there.
“It is such an exciting opportunity.
“Having the time out of the game and working in different aspects of it in terms of recruiting, I wasn’t at the rock face of it and I wasn’t turning up to games on a Saturday with that fight in my stomach and the tingle on the back of my neck.
“I was going there to work and identify players and it is a totally different experience when you rock up to a football ground and you feel that competition coming out of your blood.
“It is something that I am so pleased to be back involved in.”
Flitcroft boasts an impressive CV and he will now be tasked with helping to lift Town after last season’s painful relegation, a job he feels he is perfectly equipped to do.
“I think there is a food chain of where managers are and if everything was flying at Swindon and they were in Play-Off contention in League One, then I don’t think that job gets offered to Dave Flitcroft, I’ll be honest,” he continued.
“Because of what has happened over a period of time, the problems at the club and what needs to be done and the work ahead, the Chairman has picked someone who is prepared to do anything and who’s got an insatiable appetite to work as hard as anyone to put Swindon Town back on the map and to get the supporters back on board watching a brand of football that epitomises me as a person and epitomises the staff.
“The Swindon fans, I’m sure, will come out and want to watch that brand of football.
“The aggressive nature in which we will play, the aggressive nature in which we will pass and move the ball around the pitch and the aggressive nature in which we will compete will hopefully get fans being proud of the team again.”
Finally, Flitcroft will be officially introduced as Swindon Town’s new Manager next week and he can’t wait to get started.
“I’ve waited for this opportunity. I’ve had different offers in football and, after speaking to the Chairman, this is the one that really floated my boat and it is one that I really wanted to get my teeth stuck into,” he added.
“Even though it is a massive undertaking, that is the reason I believe that I’ve got the job and I’ve missed it. I’ve really missed not being able to rock up and compete for the last seven months.
“That has been the biggest miss and looking at some of the jobs that I could have taken, I’m not so sure that I would have got that buzz.
“I’ve needed this in my life so I’m desperate to meet everyone and bring the place together. I want to bring all the departments together and I thought I did that really successfully at Bury, who were under a dark cloud when I first went there.
“We lifted that and everyone working together was the key, whether that was the groundstaff, the kitman, the supporters to the media and we want to energise the whole town, not just the football club.
“If everyone pulls together and there is no one with their own agenda, then it is going to be an exciting journey and I believe that.”
Look out for plenty more interviews with our new boss over the next few days, including his thoughts on recruitment and pre-season plans!
