New Woodley United FC first-team manager Jordan Blake is keen to make a positive impression across the whole club.
Blake will be taking up his first managerial role as a number one with the Kestrels who play their league football in the Combined Counties Division One.
“I’m delighted to get it all done and dusted and I can’t wait to get started, I’m really looking forward to it,” said Blake.
“It’s my first management job as a number one. I’ve been with Mark Bartley at Marlow for the last four years so it will be my first introduction into first-team management.
“I’ve worked with some great players at Marlow and have been working on all aspects of the game including coaching from day to day and the recruitment side.
“There has been a change in culture at Marlow and that was a really big thing for me that I wanted to help with when I joined Mark to help drive the club forward and that’s certainly what I’ll look to do at Woodley.
“I was at the John Madejski Academy under Michael Butcher and was there for three years and did my coaching badges there. I did coaching at Reading Football Club at the Elite Development Centre and got into the coaching world that way.
“After a few years there I left that but kept on coaching at non-league football with Reading Town, I was a player/coach there and then for a season I was at Henley Reserves and after that I joined Marlow.”
Drawing on his vast experience in the coaching industry, Blake is determined to create a positive working environment at Woodley to take the club forward.
He continued: “For me coaching is really important in terms of understanding people’s backgrounds from different walks of life.
“It’s not just about the day to day but about trying to help people on journeys in their life and in different situations.
“It’s about understanding what motivates them and why they come to football, whether that’s because their mates play or whether they want to push on.
“It’s about helping these young men make good decisions in life and be the best they can be.
“I’m big on culture and trying to create the right environment and that’s what I’ll be looking to do at Woodley.
“I’m keen to continue the work Woodley has gone over the last few years bridging under 18’s into the first-team and giving people the opportunity to play men’s football.”
Woodley finished in 16th in the Combined Counties Division One last season and Blake is keen for players seeking a new challenge to join the club this summer.
“Woodley is a fantastic club and has always had a really good infrastructure,” Blake continued.
“Mark (Rozzier) the chairman has done a fantastic job of building across all age groups with the youth teams and Woodley is a club that is stable, has a really good presence in Berkshire and it seems the perfect time for me to come here and bring some fresh ideas.
“The plan is to start pre-season on June, 28 at Woodley goals on the grass from 7-9, I encourage players to come and there is an open door policy to everyone.
“I’m in the process of sorting out pre-season fixtures which will be announced soon.
“It’s important for me to get in there and see the current state and the current culture.
“Some of the key things for me that my team will be based on is commitment, hard work, passion and those are things that I want to instil in my players.
“It’s important that we integrate the rest of the football club so the young players can see a path to the first-team one day.
“I want the players in the first-team to become role models and get out there in the local community, that’s really important for me.
“That breeds continuity across the football club, these young ladies and young men need to have a picture of the football club so we need to create the right pathway and the right culture at Woodley.
“It’s a very competitive league. Eversley were in the play-offs last year, there’s Wallingford as well. It will be very competitive and it always is at this level, I can’t see one team running away with the league.
“It will be about trying to find consistency week in, week out. That will be an important part of my role to try and find that as soon as possible, I’m hoping we can hit the ground running from day one.
“My message for players looking for a new challenge will be to come and take it on.
“I’m an open book, I’m an honest individual, I’m always open for a conversation. I’m here to create the right environment to be successful and if you want to be a part of that journey then please come down because we’ve got some great coaches.”
