Total and utter shambles comes to mind. I assume Charlie Harris has gone with him?
So after just 2 games he decides, after leaving the East Grinstead managers job where he was doing okay, that being an assistant is more difficult then he felt. Pull the other one! never heard so much rubbish in my life.
Statement from Darren Hare
Following some soul searching and a lengthy conversation with myself, Matt Longhurst has decided to leave Hastings United with immediate effect. Mat is an honest and loyal guy and the transition from being a Manager to then becoming an assistant has proved more difficult than we both had imagined. At this moment, and at this stage of the season, he felt it was difficult to make the impact he would have liked, and so reluctantly offered his resignation yesterday (Sunday), which I accepted. He has a great knowledge and philosophy on the game and his experience in management is excellent with limited resources. I thank him immensely for his professional attitude and contribution, albeit short in duration, and I wish him every success in the future as I am certain he will climb the managerial ladder quickly and be very successful in the coming months. We will remain close friends and colleagues moving forwards.
My job is to now drive things forwards and maintain a challenge on the play off spots and I will do that with the help of existing staff for the remaining fixtures. It may well be I look to recruit an assistant for next season, but at the moment I want to try to galvanise the group and avoid too many changes. The focus has to be the players and the results now.
Darren
-- Edited by johnw on Tuesday 14th of March 2017 02:38:21 PM
See again, I am not having that. He is leaving because of the travelling time?? well it hasn't changed for the past 50 years, still takes just over an hour, he knew that when he signed. This is all very strange.
Jack Evans is a loss for me. Started really slowly but appeared to be getting stronger every game. I guess that now means Crutts back in the centre then and god help us Johnno gets injured. Lots of attacking players but very few central midfielders at the club.
Crutts midfield and Akoto at left back where he - despite being a tad raw - has performed more than adequately. We still have the players to get us into the lottery places but need to get our good form back again after this indifferent run - which every team goes through. Just happens to be our turn right now. Carshalton and Hythe have been going through it too. Be nice to put things back on track at Corinthian Casuals this weekend.
With all due respect to them Harris and Longhurst haven't been around long enough to be considered a loss, Evans is though, he defiantly improved a lot since joining and you could see he was likely to pop up with important goals. His good form was prob why he got recalled though he may have not been needed back at Maidstone if he'd been poor but what good would that have done us?
Need to get a good quality CM in anyway although totally agree Sam Cruttwell should be there initially.
East Grinstead Town FC are pleased to confirm that Matt Longhurst is returning to the club as first-team manager with immediate effect.
Matt left earlier this month to join Hastings United FC as assistant manager but resigned on Sunday.
Chairman Richard Tramontin said: “We met with Matt on Monday and after a long discussion it was the unanimous decision of the club’s committee to offer him his old job back.
“We didn’t want him to leave in the first place and we’re pleased that he is back to continue to lead the progress we have made on the pitch since he was appointed in October 2015.
“Matt has put in place a strong football ethos with the accent on developing young players and we are looking forward to that continuing long into the future.”
Matt Longhurst said:
I have returned to East Grinstead Town thankful for the opportunity the club have given me to continue my work over the last 17 months.
I made a quick decision that being a No.2 wasn't for me and that's no disrespect to Darren Hare and Hastings United. It's purely my own feelings on what I have to offer and how I like things done.
Hastings is a fantastic club with great supporters, Board, players and management team and I thank them for the opportunity.
However, at this stage in my career, after lots of thought. I decided I need to be a manager and cannot wait to get back to work.
I want to take this opportunity to thank the committee at East Grinstead for the chance to come back so we can build on the foundations already in place and work hard to improve and build for next season.
I would also like to say to the supporters, players, staff and committee at East Grinstead that I made a big mistake leaving and will work harder than ever to produce the team and club you deserve.
I thought it was a strange move when he came in the first place, so not that surprised. Better to make a quick break than to let it rumble on till the end of the season.
I don't know why Darren felt the need to replace Steve at this stage of the season. We need Crutts in midfield and Johnny at left back on Saturday. Darren praised Johnny highly in the Observer, so I don't know why he has played Sam at left back to the detriment of our football.
