Jake Goodman has stepped from player into the manager’s shoes and seat at Phoenix Sports as the Club look to push back towards the Isthmian League and the big central defender is loving it… 

We caught up with Goodman recently and spoke of the transition from being just a defender on the pitch to becoming in charge of it and trying to get the Club back to the level that they lost last season and he told us, “For me though I always look at things that if you are looking to build a house, you don’t build the roof first, you put the foundations in – that’s what we have done.”

“We are still very much a work in progress, and now we have to start (and we have) turning draws into wins and see how far that will take us.”

“Recently we went to the leaders Whitstable and got a point off them,” Goodman went on reflecting on the team’s recent 1-1 draw at the Belmont when Phoenix became just the third side this season to leave the League leader’s home with anything after Snodland Town and Stansfeld.

“The attitude, the application, the desire, the willingness – not just that day but from when we took over before Christmas – still really enjoying,” Goodman said, “Still a pup to it – luckily, I have great staff behind me and they have been unbelievable.”

“I had always said that you shouldn’t be a player manager, but they (James Marrs and Luke Johnson) have made it so “easy” for me that I can still play.” 

“There is so much more involved when you are not just a player in terms of the planning amongst other things. It’s strange because now when I’m playing it’s not just about me – I have sixteen to twenty other people to think about at the same time and the emotions within that – players who come in, players who come out, you have to deal with all of that and they are horrible calls to have to make in conversations which has been the hardest part!”

“But when you have a good team around you, you can build the side around you.” 

“I am still enjoying playing – it’s good because we can play the way that we want to play and the way that I want to play which is something that I always wanted to get into.”

“Now that we are starting to put our own philosophy in, it is coming out on the pitch, it’s building – we know that it will take time because I know how precise that I want it – it’s always going to be a work in progress!” 

Phoenix are currently five points outside of the SCEFL Premier Play Off placings with fifth place currently occupied by Snodland, who Phoenix meet this weekend. 

Goodman though was open when asked about the position, admitting, “It’s still so tight in there, everyone seems to be beating everyone else!”

“We are happy with them, but I won’t let us rest and take my foot off things as they are still very much a work in progress. Now we have to start turning draws into wins and see how far that will take us and how close we get to the top five places!”