"When my team lose, I'm a miserable sod"

Denis Smith

Background: Saviour. Messiah. God. Take your pick.

Setting: It's 12.30pm - two and half hours before Denis Smith's first game as Wrexham boss. He's so cool about everything that he invites two Red Passion writers into his office… 

How well are you settling in?
'I've had a brilliant five days at the club; I hope the sixth is as good.'

What do you think of the current squad of players?
'We're second to bottom. They're obviously not good enough, so I've brought in two players. We've got too many youngsters, and too many at the other end - we need to get a balance. It needs tweaking, and you can't do it overnight. That's where I need help, I need fans coming in, so I can spend money on the team. But if there's no-one coming in, there's a problem. I don't really want to sell.'

Do you think that there are any players who could be sold to help balance the books?
'Well yes, Faulconbridge is very good; Sam too, he's been brilliant in the reserves and in training - he looks very lively. Trundle everyone tells me about, and his record since he's come here has been good. Thomas has done well in midfield and young Steve Roberts at the back looks a good prospect - he's got the build of a centre-half, and looks good on the ball.'

What do you think that the players, you yourself and the management team can do to get better crowds?
'Well, I can talk to as many people as I can, but in the end, to get people coming in, you've got to win games and produce good performances, I can do all the talking in the world, but you are guaranteed to get people in if you start winning games.'

If you wanted to sign players, would finances be a stumbling block?
'Yes. Unfortunately.'

Bearing in mind there is very little money available, what are your realistic aims for this season?
'I would like us to stay up. We've got to win half of our remaining games, you know. And we have to win at home. That is the first thing. Everyone likes a good cup run, and it will be good for finances. If I can get these things, I think it will be a reasonably good season. As a manager I want to win things. We're a long way behind, and we've got a lot of things to address - we'll have to wait and see. There are good players. Potential is always a word which is used a lot about players, but I want them to be good now.'

Do you think that it would be in the club's best interest to sell top players to raise funds?
'If the club is going to go out and do a Swansea, yeah, you've got to be sensible. I've been in this situation at Oxford where I had to sell. We were 6th in Division 1 and I had to sell some players. I sold Matt Elliott. I wanted to get the best money possible; the best was £700k on the table, but in the end he went for £1.7m. I wanted to get the best deal possible.'

In the past, when Flynn had to sell players, he sometimes went for the first offer that came…
'If the board wanted me to sell, I'd have to do it, but I'd get the best deal.'

Many fans have criticised former boss Flynn over his decision to live in Burnley. Will you be living locally and how important do you think it is to stay in touch with the local area?
'I've been looking in the paper for houses in the area, and I want to live up here. I always live where the job is; I get a feel for the local people, I go to the pub where the fans are, and I want to be around.'

What did you know about Wrexham before you came here?
'Well a lot, because I lived in Stoke and I used to go to matches here in the 70s, and midweek games when Stoke weren't playing. But now you look at what's going on, and things have gone to pieces. You've got a lot of good facilities here; at other clubs like Sunderland and West Brom I had to fight for a good training ground and stadium - but it's all here. I've got the facilities, and it's just the team that needs to be sorted out. I've got to grin and bear it concerning the funds, - that's just to way it is.'

There was speculation in the local press about high-profile applicants for the job such as ex-players Dean Saunders, Neville Southall, and ex-managers Joe Royle and Colin Lee. Why do you think you were chosen ahead of more high-profile people?
'I've got three teams promoted, I'm used to managing with no money. That would be problematic for some managers. I've listened and have spoken to the board about the position we're in, and I'm prepared to work. I'm in a fortunate position because I don't need the money; I'm doing this because I like doing it. This is my job. I think that they've chosen me because they think that I'm the right man to stop the rot, and I'm not in it for the money. Also I can coach. Some managers can't. The players have found out this week that I'm doing the coaching.'

Hopefully you intend to emulate Brian by carrying on bringing through quality youth players from the Academy. Have you ever had an Academy at any other clubs?
'Well, at Oxford we had several good young players coming through. I've been watching the Under-19s this morning, and to be honest they're not that good, but there is a kid who is 16, a big centre-half, and there's another good right-back who's 15, so the future is looking bright.'

How have you felt the players have responded to your management?
'I think they've enjoyed it. When I first came here I had to deal with the press and everything; the second day I watched training when Kev took it. One of the first jobs that I had to do was to get in some defenders, as we only had one fit centre-half in Steve Roberts. So I looked round and looked for people who were available. Thursday, we went through some of the tactics that I want to use, and generally how I want them to play. By this point I thought we'd have a good chance against QPR, when on Monday and Tuesday I thought that we hadn't a chance in hell. I've brought in two defenders, Keith Hill and Jim Whitley, who will surely solve some of our defensive problems. When I came out of the training ground on Thursday, I said, "Yeah, we've got a team here who can win." We went through set plays on Friday, and I went through some more tactics. I like to have different ways of playing, depending on the how the match is evolving, and don't want to have just one way of playing. You need to change your style sometimes in games and I want the players to realise this.'

Is it just another club for you, or are you passionate about Wrexham?
'I'm passionate about football. I would sit and talk to anybody about football. I love the game. Am I passionate about the club? I haven't been here long enough yet. But I want this club to win things and to succeed. That gives me a great deal of pleasure. I love to win. When my team lose, I'm a miserable sod. But I love the game.'