CLIVE McNELLY admits life as Wokingham and Emmbrook boss has been more difficult than he first expected.
Former reserve team boss McNelly stepped up to the top job after joint bosses Dan Bateman and Matt Eggleston resigned following relegation from the Hellenic Premier Division.
But Sumas, who won only three of their 38 league games last season and conceded 106 goals, have struggled for form in Division One East with just two wins from their seven games so far and McNelly concedes it has been a tougher transition than he felt it may be.
“It has been challenging without a shadow of a doubt,” the manager told The Wokingham Paper.
“Putting a new squad together has been a bit of a challenge but I’m really enjoying it.
“Hopefully we can move things forward a bit quicker than it has been lately.”
He added: “Yes I think it has been harder than I imagined.
“Dan and Matt probably made the job look a lot easier than it was.
“It’s a challenge but something I’m looking forward to doing.
“You get the backing of everyone at the club and supporters so that helps and I’m sure we will get through it and start performing.”
Wokingham have seven points from seven games so far and their indifferent start continued with a 3-2 defeat at home to AFC Aldermaston at the weekend.
And while McNelly was not present due to personal commitments, he says the game was not out of place with the rest of the campaign.
“It sounded like we dominated which is probably the story of our season really,” he said.
“We dominated the game a bit but couldn’t take our chances and silly mistakes at the back cost us.
“We would’ve hoped for a few more points than seven at this stage.
“It never helps playing your first five games away from home.
“It makes things a lot harder.
“I would’ve hoped for more but we haven’t got more and we just need to roll our sleeves up and move forward and try to pick up some more points.”
After losing 31 league games and finishing 19 points from safety last season, McNelly says the players are still suffering from the effects of a traumatic year in the Hellenic top flight.
But he remains positive he can change the mindset of his squad.
“I believe we’ve still got the hangover of last season,” he admitted.
“I’ve got probably half a side who haven’t played at this level before and the other half are still a bit battered and bruised from last season.
“Trying to get that confidence back into them is a lot harder than I thought.
“But it is coming. You can see it’s coming.
“When it arrives, I think we’ll be fine.”
The ambition for most freshly relegated sides is to try and bounce straight back.
And while McNelly says that is also his hope for Sumas, he revealed he has not been pressured into trying to find a quick fix.
“My target would’ve been top three, without a doubt,” he said.
“We’ve not had the best of starts for that but we can still make a challenge and we’ll see where we go.
“I was never given the remit when I got the job to gain promotion straightaway.
“They knew we were building a new side.
“We’ve got six or seven new faces in there and it takes a little bit of time for that transaction to come through.”
Wokingham have now played two games back at Lowther Road after a lengthy spell away.
And despite two defeats from those games, the Sumas boss says the move has given the place a lift.
“That’s the most exciting news of all,” said McNelly.
“And the fact we’ve got this permission for the floodlights and the small stand which has really got the club buzzing.”
