Head of recruitment Lee Dykes on his changing role at the club
In the final part of our interview with first team coach Lee Dykes we spoke to him about the change to his role which brought him into the dug out for first team matches home and away this season.
“I’ve found that it’s difficult watching players when you’re sat on the bench and when you want things to go a certain way,” he admitted. “The amount of involvement I’ve had in first team operations has obviously increased and I’ve really enjoyed it.
“It’s developed me as a person because it’s been such a big learning curve. I thank the manager for that because he’s put a lot of trust in me. I think he realises that he can trust me and I’ve been able to run with the role I’ve been given.”
“It’s been a great season overall,” he commented. “Sitting in the dug out at Anfield, pitting your wits against Everton and seeing the team come back against Luton and Hartlepool ... I could go on and on. These are memories which will stick with me for a long while.
“The time I’ve spent with the first team has meant that I’ve had to use my contacts a heck of a lot more for the other side of my job. The important thing is that I’ve got good people around me, developed over the last three or four years, and I know I can trust them to be my eyes and ears at football grounds around the country.
“I suppose I always knew I would get to a point where I would have a difficult decision to make on what I wanted to do with my career and they’ve all come through for me. My recruitment strategy hasn’t dwindled in any way, shape or form.”
On the subject of difficult decisions, and looking back at an approach made for his services by a club from a higher division during the quiet months last season, he confirmed that the choice he made at the time to stay in Cumbria was the right course of action to take.
“Yes, without a doubt,” he said. “To be fair, it’s brilliant when somebody acknowledges your abilities. When they put something on the table in front of you it does make you stop and think about what you should do.
“When it happened to me last season my work here, with Carlisle United, was done. It was going to be a case of having done all that work but not to see the fruits of it. I knew we were going to have a good season last year and it was just a case of how good a season it was actually going to be.
“The same feeling is there for the season ahead so, speaking for myself, we’re in it for the long haul. We’re looking forward to hopefully having a fresh and successful period in the club’s history. The more of a part I can play in that the better it will be as far as I’m concerned.”
And he confirmed that talks to finalise his new contract are now at a very advanced stage.
“Talks have been very positive,” he told us. “It’s now just a matter of time because I know that the decision makers and the manager at this club are on the same page as I am. We’re all looking forward to a successful future for the club.
“I want to be sat here at the same time next year talking about how we get into the Championship. All I’ll say to the fans is that if we can develop and build on this year, and all the challenges we’ve come through, then it will mean it will be very successful for us.”
Click HERE for part one of our interview.
Click HERE for part two of our interview.
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