INTERVIEW: Alex Salmon

Basildon United and former Burnham Ramblers manager Alex Salmon discusses his career so far, and what it's like to be a manager. 

DK: What inspired you to be a coach/manager? 

AS: Well, there's two parts to my answer. 

1. Love for the game, I suffered some bad knee injuries and had struggled with fitness since the age of 25. I quickly realised management was going to be the way forward. 

2.  A guy called bill Blackwell, he was my manager @ u15,

Senior 1st team, at u18 he taught me alot about the game, he also taught me alot about myself. His belief at that time in young talent and man management style really was superb and was something I wanted to pass on to the young talent of today.

DK: What's it like to be a manager? 

AS: It's demanding within non league it's not just football matches it's organising every aspect of the football team. Ensuring you have the right coaching team that best suits yours and the club visions and that both can get the best out the team and that can be one hell of an emotional rollercoaster. 

The rewards are great, when you see team spirit at a high and players genuinely trust you, they reap the rewards on pitch based on management planning for that player/team it's great. 

It certainly can take its toll on family life, I've quickly learnt to leave football at football.

DK: Tell us a bit about your coaching/managerial career so far?

AS: In that summer of 2016 newly appointed Matt Hanning had asked whether I'd consider a joint manager role at Enfield FC. i was already club captain at that time. I was only 26 however had a bad injury and still wanted to help, so got my first taste of management and it was here I realized that I had better potential as manager than a player forever picking up injuries.

I didn't return to management until November 2018 as I went back playing because I still felt I had something to offer on field. 

This time I was at Burnham Ramblers and club captain. the manager lee Hughes decided to step down as manager and I remember the players and members of the club had pushed me forward for the role of which I accepted and hung the boots for good. 

Early 2020 was approached by Basildon United for the possibility of managing the club. Special thanks to Paul stringer initially, as he knew my philosophy on younger players and he is the manager of  a very strong u18 at Basildon  and he put me forward to the club as his personal choice for the vacant role and after positive talks with lee Conner and the club decided to offer myself the role of which I took 

So thats in summary the journey so far. 

DK: What's been your highlight of your managerial career so far and why? 

AS: Well the biggest personal highlight has to be the recognition from a team two divisions above and then to be offered that role. 

Having only been in management for 18months or so @30 years old it's fantastic to be recognised as a man manager that can take the toughest jobs on.

Another highlight has been some of the younger players come through, giving Matt brown and dan lofts senior debuts and Tommy salter scoring his first senior goals (all at 16 years old @Burnham)

Then to seeing Albert Perry scoring his first senior goal against Folkestone (who at time top of betvictor prem) 

I'm in the game for the players and these great moments are fantastic.

DK: How have you found being a manager at each club so far, can give us a bit of insight to each club? 

DK: Burnham- a club very close to my heart, chairman Martin Leno really allowed myself to take reigns and implement my ideas in bringing the club and it's fans back together, that connection had been lost prior. Fantastic facilities fantastic players and a club that really should be in the Essex senior league.

Basildon- we took over mid season and 3/4 of the squad had left. So we had to rebuild quickly. I was pleased with the players I asked to stay, then it was about bringing in right players to fit. 

What I can say about Basildon is at that time it may of looked doom and gloom to fans.... However the support and backing from them has been superb, we've already had some superb away days. 

It's not always been easy recruiting players as they've seen and read lots of manager changes so that posed another problem to us but we have managed to persuade them to play and that thanks is to the board who are willing to give the time required to re build this team within the clubs resource, the chairman and lee Connor has been superb in support of that. 

DK: What's it like managing in the Thurlow Nunn to the Isthmian League? 

AS: Well I'll start by saying well done to all clubs as the traveling is vast in both leagues. 

Both leagues are very tough with no easy games. In the thurlow league there is one or two clubs that probably shouldn't be there. But on the day any team can beat any team now that sounds a cliché but completely true. 

I think the biggest downfall of the division is not all players are as committed as at Isthmian, I don't mean they don't care (they do) but commitment comes in many forms for example keeping fit off field, being able to learn and push through the comfort levels for instance.

Having said that some superb players and a very good level for young players to gain senior experience.

Isthmian north is very competitive and again on the day anyone can beat anyone however in my opinion where the top sides have the biggest budget is they are able to add depth at levels the teams further down can only dream of. 

Depth makes a huge difference when injuries or player absence occurs not all can afford a big squad.

Of course naturally being in the Isthmian the crowds are bigger and the atmosphere in games are very very good. 

Both great leagues to manage in.

DK: How do you reflect on the season just gone from both a personal and team perspective? 

AS: Well ultimately from a team perspective we wasn't in the position we wanted to be in at Burnham alot was due to injuries and having to play our younger players more than we would of liked. However the seasons objectives was to stabilise the club and bring that bond between fans and team back. That's was achieved in abundance further more off field matters had been resolved and the club is now ready to push forward. 

In terms of Basildon unfortunately due to covid our season was cut short, ultimately the goal was to stay in the division and I have full confidence we would of done that without doubt.

In terms of personal, it's the success of our team goals that led to my progression to Isthmian, and I'm super grateful to burnham ramblers for that. 

I never look further than the job in hand and am a firm believer you'll be recognised for good work going forward. 

DK: If you could relive one game (and would remain the same) from your coaching career so far would it be and why?

AS: There been some great games @ burnham Holland away last season at home this season, last game at Harwich and the support we had. 

Some good games at Basildon aswell Folkestone in the cup, 1-0 win to wakering away in the league

But for me the game has to be heybridge Swift's away at a time when most had written Basildon of.

We won the game 1-0 and was a superb team effort. 

We planned for the game and execution was perfect. 

The away end was full of voice. 

I think it was the game where the fans bought into what we were doing as management team. 

DK: What is the best ground you've coached at so far and why?

AS: For me has to be Leslie field (Burnham) had many good games there as a player and manager. Had many good night's up club, a memorable suprise 30th to boot.

Haven't had a home game with Basildon just yet. But certainly looking forward to building a very similar atmosphere.

DK: Do you have any aims or targets going forward, and if so what are they? 

AS: Well, target 1 is to stabilise Basildon United within the bet Victor north division. The club have had so many ups and downs and changes in management of recent, so importance is to really bring club together with fans and bring a bit of consistency & continuity to the club.

We have superb foundations with the players I've bought in, it's looking like the squad will be staying together for the next season. So I'm sure we can truly cement our place in this division and build upon that.