After news broke yesterday that Exeter City have accepted an approach from Rotherham for the services of their manager, Matt Taylor, I wondered what options would be suitable from the National League. Whilst the expectation is that they will appoint from within, there are some great options in the National League, and here I profile the 5 managers I deem most suitable. I’ve tried to match it as closely to Exeter as possible; from the 3 at the back, the fast, attractive brand of football and of course youth development. As a result I have ordered the following 5 names, with the most suitable being first.
Luke Garrard
For me, the natural choice from the National League would be Luke Garrard. Not only does the Boreham Wood boss play the same system that Exeter currently employ, 3 at the back, but he is a young manager, and at just 37 offers plenty of upside. Garrard is also a manager who is extremely loyal, having been at Boreham Wood for 12 years, 7 of which have been as a manager, another attractive trait in a potential manager. Garrard is also renowned for his resolute style, leading to some to believe he is a defensive coach. I don’t agree with this way of thinking though, and this season especially Garrard has got his Boreham Wood side playing good football. Being defensively sound and being a defensive side are two very different things, and Garrard walks this line nicely.
Garrard has proven his worth over a number of seasons, with numerous play off finishes, and he has even shown that he’s able to re build a side after they lose their star players; Boreham Wood lost their top scorer in Kabongo Tshimanga last season, yet he still led them to 9th place, once again getting his side to punch above their weight. He also sured them up at the back last season, as Boreham Wood had the 3rd best defence in the league, and he also knows how to recruit well; this season he’s added a plethora of attacking options who have helped his side at the end of the pitch they have struggled.
Exeter would be getting themselves a manager who is in extremely hot form right now; Garrard has led the Wood to 6 wins from 11, with only 1 defeat, a record which leaves them in 4th place, just 4 points off of top. They’ve also only conceded 9 goals in that period, the fewest in the league, and the sense is that the Wood are already nailed on for a play off berth. Garrard has been extremely successful using 3 central defenders, and if he could mirror this at Exeter he would be an excellent choice. Garrard has proven his worth in the National League for years, and now is the right time for the young coach to get his opportunity in the Football League.
Andy Woodman
My second choice would be a man who was heavily linked with an EFL move last season, and a man who is actually a former Exeter City player, 51 year old Bromley boss Andy Woodman. Woodman is another coach who plays a wing back system with 3 central defenders, and as such is a great fit for Exeter in terms of shape. Like Garrard, Woodman is a coach who has managed to make his side defensively tight, with 6 clean sheets in 11 games, a divisional best. An from a stylistic point of view Woodman might actually be a better fit; he loves getting the wing backs involved, especially down the right, with wing back Harry Forrester playing more key passes than any other player. Bromley, on their day, are a very good side, and Woodman gets them playing fast attacking football at times too.
Another element that is crucial to any potential Grecian boss is the ability to work with and improve young players, and Andy Woodman has shown that he is more than capable of that. 21 year old forward George Alexander showed promise in his first season in senior football, and Woodman has elevated him even more this season, as Alexander has the 29th highest xG in the league. The aforementioned Forrester is just 22, as is key central midfield operator James Vennings. In short, Woodman likes to build a young, hungry squat, something which aligns with Exeter.
Woodman has plenty of experience working within academies too, most notably at Arsenal, so he would be capable of bringing players through from the youth set up, as has been customary at St James’s over the years. An interesting choice, Woodman may be a relative novice in the managerial world, but he’s already had great success, delivering a truly historic FA Trophy win for Bromley. I think he could have success in Exeter too.
Stuart Maynard
The transition from part time football to a full time programme may rule this one out, but the work Stuart Maynard has done at Wealdstone is truly astounding. As is the Exeter fashion, Maynard was actually promoted from within the coaching set up at Wealdstone, so he would be well versed in the way Exeter operate. Maynard has done an impressive job on very limited resources, and as Exeter look to establish themselves in a league they haven’t been in for sometime this would be a particularly useful skill. And at just 41, Maynard has plenty of room to grow and develop.
Maynard’s best work is still to come in my opinion, as is shown by how well he’s done this season. Wealdstone are punching far above their weight, playing good football and scoring goals to boot. They currently sit 8th, just outside the playoff spots, and have only lost twice all season, both times by just the one goal. He’s also managed to attract a fantastic level of player, as shown in the signings of Max Kretzschmar and Lewis Kinsella, so players clearly want to play for Maynard. He has also dabbled with a 3 at the back system this season at times, so Exeter’s style wouldn’t be completely alien.
His best skill though is his ability to create goalscorers, and to generate funds by the selling of these assets. Josh Umerah, who was sold for a decent fee to Hartlepool United, netted 17 goals last season, the first time in his career he had reached double figures. Maynard has improved Umerah immensely as a player; he already has 5 goals in 10 games for a side who are still yet to win a game. The money generated from his sale also helped fund the club for this season, again showing how vital Maynard’s work is. And he’s at it again this season, with attacker Rhys Browne already netting 7 goals in 11 games. Again, Browne is a forward who hasn’t reached double figures previously, something he is sure to do this season, and Maynard’s ability to churn out talent after talent is undoubtedly the biggest selling point on a potential move to Exeter.
Mike Williamson
Mike Williamson may be a young coach, both literally and in terms of management experience, but he’s already a proven winner, and his wealth of playing experience in the EFL is sure to go in his favour. Like the previous entry on this list, Williamson knows how to get strikers firing; his strike partnership got 52 goals between them on the way to the National League North title last season, and this season his new partnership already have 8 goals. Williamson is also extremely adept at developing young players; the top scorer in the country, Macaulay Langstaff, was developed under Williamson’s tutorledge, and this would certainly fit well with Exeter’s style.
Williamson isn’t a fit in terms of team shape, but stylistically I believe he would be a good match. Williamson plays front foot, exciting football, committing men forward and looking to outscore the opposition, a style he hasn’t compromised on despite now managing in a higher division. This strong attacking identity would be a good fit at Exeter in my opinion, as they too like to play fast, attractive football. Williamson is only 38, so has plenty of time to improve and I’m convinced he is adaptable enough to play within Exeter’s system.
Williamson may seem like a risky option, but he’s certainly a great coach, and one who has a huge future ahead of him. If Exeter were to take the gamble I think he would get them playing the same attractive brand of football they do now; after all, his Gateshead side scored 99 goals last season, a huge amount at any level. The fast interchanging play of the forwards would be emphasised, and he could be an interesting outside pick for the role.
Phil Parkinson
Firstly I need to make the distinction that I am talking about Altrincham’s Phil Parkinson, rather than the former Branford City boss who is now in charge at Wrexham. I also need to point out that whilst Altrincham are struggling, Parkinson makes this list off of the merits of his body of work; 41 year old Parkinson has been in charge of Alty for over 5 years now, in which time he has taken Altrincham up two divisions, establishing the side as National League mainstays. He’s also overseen the transition from a part time model to full time football, showing Parkinson is more than capable of overseeing big change, and is very adaptable himself.
Whilst Parkinson doesn’t play a 3 at the back system, instead favouring a 4-2-3-1, he is the manager that most closely aligns with Exeter’s style of play. Despite not being the biggest side, nor having the best personnel in the league, Parkinson has got his side playing a style which is good to watch, with a heavy emphasis on possession. Altrincham have had the 3rd highest possession in the league, 55.6%, despite being at the other end of the table. This shows Parkinson’s commitment to playing football the ‘right way’, and he would certainly be a stylistic fit at Exeter.
Parkinson is also an extremely loyal manager; he reportedly turned down an approach from Notts County in the summer in favour of staying at Alty, so his commitment to a project cannot be questioned. However, Altrincham have struggled this season, and appointing a manager whose side currently sit in the relegation zone might not go down particularly well with the Grecian fan base. Despite the poor results, Altrincham’s performances have been good, and I am certain that Parkinson has a future in the EFL.
xN: Expected Nonsense 