Chief executive Damian Irvine says Ebbsfleet will not be appointing a “short-term fix” manager.

The Fleet sacked boss Danny Searle on Monday, after last Saturday’s 4-0 defeat at Altrincham left them with just one point from seven National League games.

Plenty of names have already been linked with the role but the last two appointments under Irvine – Dennis Kutrieb and Searle – were not names that fans expected to see take the hotseat.

“It's not the intention to go out and find a left-field person,” said Irvine. “The intention is to find the right person for this football club.

“We always go into things with a long-term approach, if you look for a short-term fix it undersells everyone and the club. We'll be looking to make an appointment which is for the long term.

“It's not a financial decision we make going forward, the decision we make will be who is right for this club long-term.

“We went through a process only in January around who might be the best way to go forward. That's relatively recent.

“The process hasn't only just begun, people are always banging on the door and making themselves known. The process is deep and has got far more rapid in the last couple of days, there are a lot of people who want to manage this football club.

“There's a smaller group who have the record to put them in a short list and we go from there. it's around availability and timing, and being right for this club to want to come in and fight and rectify things straight away. It will be made based on the best outcome for this club going forward.”

Reflecting on the decision to relieve Searle of his duties so early in the season, Irvine felt the results didn’t reflect the hard work the manager was putting in.

“Danny deserved to have the pre-season and forge a team and squad to go forward,” said Irvine.

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“He’s a very good football manager and coach, and a great person, and it was through no fault of effort or trying but what was happening on the pitch wasn't giving him a response I think he deserved for the effort he put in.

“It hasn't worked, no-one shied away from that. A decision has been made and we have to move on.
There are enough players in this squad who should be playing at National League level or better.

“They need to dig deep to find their best and deliver it. It's not easy to do week in, week out when the pressure is on and we need to see that delivery going forward. They feel they haven't delivered for Danny and the management team and the club.”