Jon Meeney referenced the importance of mentality when speaking ahead of his first game in charge as Interim Head Coach.
The departure of Steve Morison on Wednesday has led to a whirlwind couple of days at the VBS Community Stadium, but the players and staff have continued the hard work under Meeney’s guidance as they prepare for Saturday’s test away at Brackley Town.
The former Worthing joint-boss took First Team training as usual on Thursday and Friday, before speaking to Sutton United FCtv ahead of the journey up to Northamptonshire.
“First and foremost, I’m gutted that Steve [Morison] has lost his job” he said.
“He’s someone that brought me into the club, I signed for the club, but also more importantly for Steve because he gave me that opportunity to come back into full-time football.”
“Obviously I stepped up this year to be his assistant and it’s never nice to see someone lose their job, more so that also Steve’s become a good friend of mine, and ultimately now, with his best wishes and his advice, I will do this to the best of my ability for however long I’m at the helm.”
Having come up from the number two role, Meeney remained his usual positive self and stressed about keeping the standards, with the U’s looking to end a winless run and return to winning ways.
“I always look at myself as a leader, regarding the daily standards that I first and foremost put upon myself, but then also the players.”
“I’m not going to change just because I’m now interim head coach, I will continue being me. The lads know that, obviously while I am the leader of the ship at the moment, I’ve got to find a way internally to find some solutions to help us improve our performances and if we do that, hopefully start winning games of football.”
The departure of Morison after 21 months has meant adapting to change with the playing squad largely comprising of a group brought in by the former Millwall striker, and thus has meant Meeney has been tasked with keeping spirits high and looking ahead to what comes next.
“I had to pick them up yesterday morning because, look, at the end of the day, the manager lost his job. We’ve all been part of that, we’ve all had a role to play in that, that’s the honest truth.”
“After a staff meeting, a player meeting led by myself, clarity on the situation was given. Once we then walk through the door from those meetings, I need the players, the staff; everyone to rally together and we need to attack these next couple of days leading into tomorrow’s game against Brackley, and that’s the mentality that I want. Mentality, mentality, passion, energy, positivity. Any negativity that is around, I’m kicking it up the arse. We need everyone putting and pushing in the same direction and then everything else will be, hopefully, a positive product from that.”
“We’re not winning enough games of football. Are we in games? Yes. Are we maximising our full potential within games? No. Can we manage spells in games better? Can we be better in critical moments? Yes. Can we be better when the momentum swings for us and against us in games? Yes. That’s a maturity thing. That’s a growth I need to show from the group.”
“We need to cut out individual errors. If we cut out the individual errors and we cut out dealing with other aspects of the game and we’re clinical when our moments come, we will be the other side of the moments that we’re creating. At the moment, we’re not getting that rub of the green and we’re falling shy of those moments that we need to capitalise on.”
This change within the dugout has also seen a beloved member of staff take on a more prominent role, with the supporters’ responding positively to the decision to put Meeney in temporary charge, something which the ex-Horsham assistant highlighted ahead of the Brackley match.
“I am taken aback as much as at one moment you’ve got the emotions of being guided and I am still gutted and that’s the respect I have for Steve and the situation that we’re in, but it’s nice to feel the love and the support.”
“It’s nice to feel wanted. It’s not an easy position for me, so all I can say to the fans, I like to think that they know me now. They know my family. They know I’m an honest guy. I’m going to give them energy. I’m going to give them passion, but I’m also going to use all my knowledge and experiences to try and get us through this moment. Be with us. Stay with us and yeah, together we’ll be stronger.”
Hear from Jon for the first time as Interim Head Coach, with the full interview going live at 5pm.
