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Back room team "best yet" for O'Keefe

Sunday, July 13 2003

Hitchin manager Robbie O'Keefe believes that the current backroom team is the best he has seen since he joined the club in 1998.
Summer additions of Kerry Dixon and Darren Salton and a revamped role for Ian Donnelly fills O'Keefe with confidence for the coming campaign.
"We have every base covered now," he says. "The four of us have different skillsets and personal qualities that can really make a difference this year."

The arrival of Kerry Dixon has sparked off a flurry of activity at the club,not least in the amount of post received each week at Top Field from admiring Chelsea fans. But Dixon's modest demeanour has impressed O'Keefe.
"This is a man who has done more than most in his football career and played in a World Cup. But there's no big-time attitude with Kerry. He's come here to do a job and already the response from the players has been tremendous,"
says O'Keefe.

Dixon has immediately won the respect of the players and Dixon, in turn, has been impressed by their fitness levels and application in training sessions.

O'Keefe expects Hitchin's "D force", strikers Andy Douglas, Carl Drew and Chris Dillon to benefit from Dixon's experience.

Darren Salton returned to Hitchin after more than three years away. An ebullient character, Salton's enthusiasm has rubbed off on others and he has already built up a strong rapport with the players. "Darren's hungry to
be involved and will play an important role in developing our reserve teams this season," insists O'Keefe.

Ian Donnelly's new role is more organisational, drawing on what O'Keefe considers to be his strengths. "I'm delighted that Ian was happy with his new position as we wanted him to remain and play his part. He's a great motivator and 100% reliable. I see him providing some necessary balance to our team."

As ever, O'Keefe will be backed up by a physio team led by Peter Prince, who is in his 12th season with the club. Prince is assisted by Nick Sopowski.