Meet the manager one week into his new Irish League job but yet to see a player

Excitement at a first taste of first-team management for Clapham has been tempered by the timing of his appointment within football’s Coronavirus-led lockdown.

As a result, the 44-year-old former striker has been unable to get his squad together for a team meeting or training.

With the growing health crisis dominating affairs, a return to the football field remains uncertain but Clapham admits acceptance of his frustrations under the circumstances.

“Everything you want as a manager at a new club has been put on hold,” said Clapham. “I love getting out and working to improve players on the training pitch so it’s a frustrating situation.

“Obviously everyone’s health must take priority and, in terms of the football, we can all only wait and see how things develop.

“The timing meant I met with the Board of Directors last Monday and everything was confirmed and announced the next day but I’ve not been able to see any players.

“This is my first management role at senior level so you’ve all the enthusiasm and excitement that comes with reaching that goal...then the realisation so much is no longer possible under the current circumstances.

“Normally it would be about getting everyone together for that first team meeting face-to-face, then getting out on the training ground and getting my ideas across.

“Those early impressions can be crucial to try and establish yourself as a manager and introduce the players to your ideas and way of working.

“But it is instead now about utilising the time in a creative way so that when we do manage to return to normality, we can hit the ground running.”

Clapham may have limited personal knowledge of his playing squad but is more than familiar with the Distillery history and surroundings thanks to a successful spell on the club books in the late 1990s.

“Distillery has gone through some tough times but I know how many hard-working and wonderful people are connected to the club,” said Clapham. “It is one of our great names in Irish League football and I spent three or four seasons under Paul Kirk when we won the First Division and Ulster Cup and then played in the top flight.

“I have so much respect for Paul and we had some great characters and players in the dressing room back then at Distillery.

“It has a proud history and one of my goals now is to try and create a fresh history, with the first step to bring everyone together so we can move forward as one.

“Paul gave me my chance out of Amateur League football and I tried to embrace every moment - that is a philosophy I’ve taken into my coaching career and will pass on to my players.”

Clapham enters the Distillery hot-seat at Bluefin Sport Premier Intermediate League level with his UEFA ‘A’ Licence qualification alongside around 15 years of coaching across the game - past experiences which shape his philosophy for future progress.

“I was most recently in as number two to Warren Feeney at Ards but have been involved in the game across all levels really,” said Clapham. “I’m a joiner by trade and had to serve my apprenticeship - football should be no different and I knew once I retired from playing I wasn’t then ready to take on the role of first-team manager but am relishing the chance to tackle it now.

“The Board of Directors made it clear there is no immediate pressure and we are all determined to build, I want to repay that faith from the club officials.

“Everything has gone into reaching this stage now and I’m staying positive during this situation by speaking on the phone to the players and people around the club.

“It is not just about the first-team squad, I want to bring everyone along as we need to work together.

“Now it’s about trying to sell my vision to the people at the club and put a culture in place.

“At our level, it’s not about money so it comes down to having a culture and work ethic.

“When I think back to my time under Paul Kirk, you could see the importance of a good changing room - we had a team spirit which meant you would run through a brick wall for your manager or team-mates.

“I had another great experience as a player with Harland and Wolff Welders and you want to be in it as one, working hard over the highs and lows but putting everything into helping each other.

“That is a key part of my plan at Distillery and, unfortunately, that cannot come into effect in full until we can get together as a group.

“But I’m staying positive and enjoying getting to know the players one by one over the phone at this point as people until we do return to the regular routine of training and games.”