2 weeks Ago By [email protected] (Luke Cawdell)
It’s been a hectic first week in charge of Gillingham for manager Gareth Ainsworth. Ainsworth signed a deal to become Gills’ new boss last Wednesday, had his first training session and media press conference on the Thursday and it’s been full throttle since. “It has been a whirlwind,” he said, having taken his team to Harrogate on Saturday, followed up by a home draw in the week.
Both games finished 1-1. The Gills head north again today (Friday) ahead of a weekend match at Salford and it will be on the road again for a Tuesday night game in Chesterfield. “I've been everywhere.
People won't know, but there's two staircases in this place (at Priestfield) and I keep getting lost on both of those. “There's so many rooms, there's so many players who look similar, and I've been calling everyone the wrong names, but we're finally getting there with most of the staff. I'm finally feeling at home.
I do enjoy it here. “Being at home with my family has been important to me. A few more nights there has been great.
Probably staying up once a week around the Kent area but the rest of the time getting back. “That allows me to feel comfortable in my job and do that job that much better. It has been an absolute whirlwind.
There's so many departments that want to be led, or need to be led, and I want to get involved in everything. “I'm a manager. I'm not just one of these head coaches that just go, ‘Give me all the players and I'll coach the players’.
I'm a manager who wants to manage everything, and be involved in everything, because I believe that the whole identity is a reflection of me and that's what we're going to try and get.” His third game in charge this Saturday is against a Salford team who still have a chance of making the League 2 play-offs. “It could be cagey for both teams,” he said.
“Karl Robinson's done a great job there [as manager] this season. There was a lot of pressure on him going in and taking the job last year. “It hasn't quite clicked like people thought it would with the Man United connections and they're probably finding out how tough it is to be in the professional leagues.
“They've had a good season, they've got some good players, we've got to be at it on Saturday because we know what we can do. We've got to earn the right to play. “Hopefully we’ll see some more of what I saw the other night, I was really impressed with the Tuesday night.
Hopefully we’ll bring some points home from Salford.”.
