FC Halifax Town: “It can only make us better” says Wild of backroom staff additions

The Shaymen have re-organised their behind-the-scenes team for this season, with Aaron Scholes now their full-time head of sport science and medicine, Joe Sargison their newly-appointed first-team coach, Paul Oakes joining as goalkeeping coach and Adam Simpson as strength and conditioning coach.

Added to developments such as daily use of GPS equipment and regular use of drones to film training sessions, Wild feels the club has taken another step towards that of a Football League standard outfit.

“That’s what I wanted. I wanted a club that behaved like a Football League club, players that behaved like Football League players, I wanted a programme that behaves like a Football League programme,” he said.

“And I feel like I’ve got that now.

“Don’t get me wrong, any fans reading this, the first thing they’re going to say is ‘well you’ve got to make them play on the pitch on a Saturday afternoon’ and I’m fully aware of that.

“But if I can get everything right behind-the-scenes, surely that gives us a better chance on the pitch.”

Wild has overseen big changes to his squad during the close season, but says what has happened in progressing his team of staff is important too.

He said: “As much as I wanted my own brand of player on the pitch, I wanted staff around me I could trust, not only personally but to do the job.

“I’d have been happy to keep my staff from last year, don’t get me wrong.

“I feel like I’ve got an excellent group of staff that not only do I trust but I can let them run their own departments.

“I appreciate their input, even more when it’s contrary to mine. I want people to have their own opinions and then it’s for me to take them all away, digest them and then come up with how we want to play, who we’re going to play and how we’re going to go about our business.

“What a top bunch of staff I’ve got now to complement a top bunch of players.”

On first-team coach Sargison, Wild said: “Joe I’ve known for a long time, he’s been part of my and Chris’ education as we were going through our FA coaching badges.

“He’s somebody I hold in high regard as a friend and a mentor. We felt that with his experience and knowledge he would bring so much more to us.

“He comes into the group and gives us his critical eye, gives me and Chris a supportive eye in terms of how we want to do things.
“So he’ll be a really good addition. You might not see him much on the touchline but sat in the stands, offering opinions at half-time and on the training ground with us.

“He gives me a chance to maybe take a step back out of the madness and see more from a distance.

“He’s all part of not only making the coaching better but the staff better and all part of helping me get better.
“The more we can be individualised with the players, the more they can get better and the better we become as a club.

“If we can work on the minutiae, the one percenters, I think we can do that more with more staff.
“We’ve got that with Adam, the strength and conditioning coach, and with Aaron (the head of sports science) coming on full-time.

“It can only make us better.”

And on goalkeeping coach Oakes, Wild said: “Paul’s a lad I’ve known for years, he’s an excellent goalkeeping coach.

“He’s served his apprenticeship within goalkeeping and is a bloke I hold in really high regard in terms of goalkeeping.

“I think he’ll really benefit from working with Sam and Sam from working with him. I think that’s a really good partnership in the making.”

On suggestions the the money used to bring in extra coaches may have been spent on the playing budget, Wild said: “The money hasn’t come out of my budget. The money is a backroom budget, and the playing budget is completely separate.

“And the generosity of some of my staff to work for the money they’re working for probably wouldn’t get another footballer in the building, so I think that’s irrelevant.”

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