Post by admin on Nov 7, 2019 9:38:24 GMT
Financial restrictions were behind Driver's decision to step down from Iron helm
By Simon Spurgeon
Glen Driver. Picture: Chris Jarvis
Glen Driver said his decision to step down as Braintree Town manager came after he realised that the club's finances may not be able to match his own ambitions of taking them forward in the next few years.
Driver, along with assistant manager Tony Kinsella, announced his departure from the Iron hotseat on Thursday morning after just five months at the helm.
He took over in June after previous manager Danny Searle left to take over at Aldershot Town and after building a squad pretty much from scratch, took them into the Vanarama National League South play-off spots.
Following a tough opening three games, Driver led his new team up as high as fifth with a run that included them taking 16 points from six league outings during which they secured a memorable win at Havant & Waterlooville as well as beating Dulwich Hamlet, Chippenham,Dorking Wanderers and Oxford City.
However, a poor performance in the FA Cup second qualifying round saw an early exit at Enfield Town and although the Iron bounced back from that setback, they have then gone on to have a run when they have taken just one point from their last four games.
That has seen them drop to ninth in the table ahead of a trip to Hemel Hempstead on Saturday and Driver's departure.
He said his decision to leave was a tough one but one he felt was necessary as it had become apparent that financial restrictions at Braintree would make it tough for him to meet his own expectations for the team.
"I feel I've done a great job at the club and I've had people within football who I respect telling me that I have done a great job," said Driver.
"But I think there are ambitions and expectations of supporters that can't be backed by the club.
"With the financial state of the club, realism needs to get into people.
"We've had the smallest budget in the league.
"I know that because I've spoken to other managers and they have all told me that theirs are bigger than what I was working with."
Despite being disappointed to be moving on, though, Driver said he had no regrets in taking the position as Braintree manager.
He said: "I was sitting on my summer holidays in Cyprus when I got the phone call asking me to take over at the club and I'll always be glad that I took the opportunity.
"It has given me a chance to enhance my own reputation with the style of football that I want to play and I've been able to give chances for players to step up.
"Some have moved on but others have been excellent and we put ourselves just outside the play-offs with a great chance of making the play-offs.
"I know one point from the last four games has not been great, but we have had some unbelievable results this year.
"We have managed to get some great results, but I just feel the expectations of supporters is not being met by the club."
Driver was quick to insist, though, that he had not had a falling out with chairman Lee Harding and had only praise for the long-standing Iron stalwart.
He added: "Lee has been absolutely brilliant for me.
"I trust him as a chairman and he has helped me in so many ways and I want to go public and thank him for all the support he gave me in my time at the club.
"I really do wish him all the best.
"If anyone deserves to get the new ground, it is Lee Harding."
By Simon Spurgeon
Glen Driver. Picture: Chris Jarvis
Glen Driver said his decision to step down as Braintree Town manager came after he realised that the club's finances may not be able to match his own ambitions of taking them forward in the next few years.
Driver, along with assistant manager Tony Kinsella, announced his departure from the Iron hotseat on Thursday morning after just five months at the helm.
He took over in June after previous manager Danny Searle left to take over at Aldershot Town and after building a squad pretty much from scratch, took them into the Vanarama National League South play-off spots.
Following a tough opening three games, Driver led his new team up as high as fifth with a run that included them taking 16 points from six league outings during which they secured a memorable win at Havant & Waterlooville as well as beating Dulwich Hamlet, Chippenham,Dorking Wanderers and Oxford City.
However, a poor performance in the FA Cup second qualifying round saw an early exit at Enfield Town and although the Iron bounced back from that setback, they have then gone on to have a run when they have taken just one point from their last four games.
That has seen them drop to ninth in the table ahead of a trip to Hemel Hempstead on Saturday and Driver's departure.
He said his decision to leave was a tough one but one he felt was necessary as it had become apparent that financial restrictions at Braintree would make it tough for him to meet his own expectations for the team.
"I feel I've done a great job at the club and I've had people within football who I respect telling me that I have done a great job," said Driver.
"But I think there are ambitions and expectations of supporters that can't be backed by the club.
"With the financial state of the club, realism needs to get into people.
"We've had the smallest budget in the league.
"I know that because I've spoken to other managers and they have all told me that theirs are bigger than what I was working with."
Despite being disappointed to be moving on, though, Driver said he had no regrets in taking the position as Braintree manager.
He said: "I was sitting on my summer holidays in Cyprus when I got the phone call asking me to take over at the club and I'll always be glad that I took the opportunity.
"It has given me a chance to enhance my own reputation with the style of football that I want to play and I've been able to give chances for players to step up.
"Some have moved on but others have been excellent and we put ourselves just outside the play-offs with a great chance of making the play-offs.
"I know one point from the last four games has not been great, but we have had some unbelievable results this year.
"We have managed to get some great results, but I just feel the expectations of supporters is not being met by the club."
Driver was quick to insist, though, that he had not had a falling out with chairman Lee Harding and had only praise for the long-standing Iron stalwart.
He added: "Lee has been absolutely brilliant for me.
"I trust him as a chairman and he has helped me in so many ways and I want to go public and thank him for all the support he gave me in my time at the club.
"I really do wish him all the best.
"If anyone deserves to get the new ground, it is Lee Harding."
