You have probably spotted a new face amongst Rob’s management team? That towering individual is our new Goalkeeping Coach Rhys Evans! Rhys joined recently and we’ve managed to grab some time with him this week.
How did the opportunity come about to join Rob and team at Stag Meadow?
“I knew Barney (Adam Barnard) Assistant Manager through sharing training facilities last season with Bracknell and Sandhurst. When I left Bracknell in October (last year) he contacted me a couple of times to see if I’d be interested in coming in. I was a little hesitant about Step 5, if I’m honest, but after a conversation with Webby we agreed to give it a month and see how we felt about each other. I must say I’ve been very impressed with the set up and the professionalism of the club and the players since I joined. They know when to be serious and are committed in their approach.”
Have you been coaching since you stopped playing, and where have you coached?
“I went back into my last (playing) club Hereford to assist my friend and former manager Peter Beadle. We enjoyed 3 seasons of great success. I then went to help at my hometown club of Swindon Supermarine, with a short stint at Barnet with Peter Beadle in the middle of that. When I moved to the Berkshire area 3 years ago, I then coached at Hartley Whitney for a few months, most recently Bracknell.”
Is the aim to get back into the pro-game and coach at a higher level?
“Not currently; I have built a career for myself away from Professional Football in the last 12 years and I’m happy not to operate in a very ruthless and dis-loyal industry after having done so for 20 odd years! A couple of nights a week and a Saturday is more than enough for me now. As I said to Webby when we first spoke, I will look to add value where I can.”
Did you always know you’d go from playing to coaching, or was that not by design?
“I’d been at clubs where a GK coach was not present full time and had naturally always arranged sessions to try and maximise my GK specific training time. Peter Beadle had recognised that during my last playing season at Hereford. That led to him asking me to join him when I’d retired and the club had reformed following liquidation.”
You played around 250 games professionally, which club did you enjoy being at the most, and did you play your best football at that club?
“I think the number is more like 300! I enjoyed playing for my hometown club Swindon for 3 years, not every footballer has that opportunity. I also enjoyed my time at Bradford under Stuart McCall, who I rated as a manager, and was lucky to have Nigel Martyn as my GK Coach and loved talking to him about his fantastic career.”
Who was the biggest influence on your playing career?
“Tough to answer, I had great support from my family which I probably didn’t appreciate at the time. My father came to every game I ever played. Coach wise I worked with some great guys; Fraser Digby (Swindon), Nigel Martyn (Bradford), Tony Butler (Millwall) & towards end of my career I trained at Birmingham with Dave Watson who was the England GK coach at the time also, one of best I worked with and I take a lot of his sessions into my own sessions now.”
The best player you ever played in a team with?
“I attended the FA National School with Joe Cole, and it was clear he was a very special player even at 14/15 yrs old.”
What about the best game you were involved in?
“Tough question; I played for England Schoolboys in the Berlin Olympic Stadium in front of 70,000 against Germany when I was 15! I also have good memories of playing for QPR on loan against Brentford at a full Loftus Road at the end of season for a Play Off spot and also beating Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 at Hillsborough in front of 25,000 for Swindon in League 1.”
