NEW boss Sam Hurrell admits he has a rebuilding job on his hands at Hillingdon Borough.
Hurrell took the reins at Borough last week following the departure of Jesse Smith and his assistant Gary Farrell.
He was given a baptism of fire in his first game last Tuesday night as Hillingdon were hit for six at Oxhey Jets and conceded an injury time equaliser on Saturday to draw 2-2 with Biggleswade.
Hurrell, who will co-manage the team with Jason O’Connor, has had to deal with a mass exodus of players who followed the departing Smith and Farrell out the door.
A recruitment drive is under way and Hurrell is looking forward to moving into management at a senior level after coaching Chelsea youngsters in the club’s impressive academy system.
He said: “It’s a great opportunity to get myself into the coaching side of men’s football. I’ve been working in youth football with the Chelsea Academy but I’m looking forward to applying my tactics to senior football now.
“I’ve just come back from America and I was both playing and coaching over there. It was a good experience but I am looking forward to working with Jason O’Connor and getting my ideas across.
“This is Jason’s first senior managerial role as well. He was QPR U12s manager until last season but he’s got arthritis and can’t really coach now so I will mostly be doing the training ground stuff and he can be in the dugout when I’m on the pitch.
“Out of the boys that were here before I took over, for my first game on Tuesday, we were left with five players. The keeper left on Monday night to leave us in the lurch.
“We’ve brought in Mark Jones, an ex-Dartford player, who won the Conference South play-offs with them. Billy Crowther has also come in, he was captain at Grays Athletic when they were in the Conference, and we’ve got a keeper from Thatcham.”
Hillingdon travel to AFC Dunstable on Saturday for Hurrell and O’Connor’s third game in charge.
