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Interim boss Dan Eason has guided Whitstable Town to two big wins -thrashing Holmesdale 4-0 last weekend -SCEFL Premier Division season ends at home to Corinthian
05:00, 26 April 2024
Interim Whitstable boss Dan Eason is enjoying his unexpected chance to manage the team - but isn’t ready for it full-time just yet.
Eason agreed to take charge following Marcel Nimani’s departure and since the he’s overseen a 4-1 win at Stansfeld and a 4-0 victory over Holmesdale.
More: Nimani speaks out after surprise exit
The Oystermen will finish just outside the Southern Counties East Premier Division play-off places.
They end their campaign at home this Saturday against a Corinthian side, who have already booked their spot in the play-offs.
Eason is the club’s back-up keeper at present and the goalkeeper coach and while management is something he’s keen to do, he knows there is still plenty to learn.
He said: “The boys are playing well and enjoying it, which is always good, and I’m enjoying it too. It was a bit nervy at the beginning, but I’m quite happy now and well see what Saturday bring.
“I do want to get into it but I'll give it a few more season until I am ready, I want to learn a little bit more.
“I’ll have a chat with whoever comes in (as Nimani’s permanent replacement) to see if I can stay on, and sort of do what I was doing with Marcel as goalkeeper coach, but he was also teaching me things like player recruitment, it was all good.”
Nimani has previously said that Eason would “make an excellent manager one day” but the man in temporary charge said: “It is a bit too early and I need a few names in that little black book.
“I have spoken to the club and they want me to stay, I have been there eight years now, they want to keep me which is nice to hear.”
An announcement on a new permanent manager could be made after the Corinthian game, which will be a bigger challenge for Eason than the previous two.
The four teams below champions Deal Town will contest the play-offs and are jostling for positions. Whitstable sit one place below, in sixth.
Eason will hope his Friday night isn’t as busy as the last one, with a number of players messaging their unavailability. It left him with three substitutes for the Holmesdale match, including himself and academy keeper Josh Robson - who was sent on in the last minute to play upfront.
Robson almost got a goal too but was denied by home keeper Liam Northwood. Whitstable’s goals on the day came from Emmanuel Oloyede, Josh Oliver with two and Liam Gillies.
Eason said: “We’ve had two good results so far. It has taken up a lot of time and I had a few phone calls on the Friday night saying that people were injured, or ill, I only had three subs including me, the young goalkeeper and Harvey Smith, so that was a bit of a killer.
“This weekend’s game will be a tough one, their energy is so high and we will have to match that and they are still playing for places in the play-offs.
“They will come and want to win, so will we, hopefully it will be a good game, loads of people can come and watch for the last game, it was good there last year for the final home game. I hope the fans are happy at the moment.
“All I said to the players when I took over was, make sure you give me everything, and they have.”
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