September 11, 2019 - 1142 views
Craig Hogg celebrates his first anniversary as Colwyn Bay manager this week and although he admits it has been a roller coaster ride, he says he has enjoyed every moment.
"It has been a bizarre time," he says. "I took over a young team in the English League with a remit to keep us in that division. We progressed to put ourselves in with an outside chance of the play-offs, only to be told with 15 games still to go that we would be going into the Welsh Leagues.
"Under the circumstances I think the players did well to keep their focus and finish 11th, but then of course we had to work hard in the summer to put together a new squad to play in a different country.
"It has been hard work and real baptism of fire as a new manager, but I have loved every minute.
"I think my favourite memory of the last 12 months is the game at Prescot Cables when we came from behind to win 2-1 helped by a wonderful goal from Lassa Mendes, but of course winning my first game 2-0 at Clitheroe is also high up there.
"Myself and Neil Coverley put in a huge amount of work in those early weeks in charge, with the frustrations of delays over getting international clearance for players we wanted to bring in. But I thought to finish 11th with everything that was going on off the pitch was something we can be proud of.
"There have been a few low points as well, of course, but they are in the past. We have a project here now where we are building for the future with a plan of where we to get to and that is what we are focused on.
"Its a bit frustrating at the moment with the team not putting the ball in the back of the net or getting results, but myself and the staff will give absolutely everything to this football club and its supporters to try and achieve our goals - if it may just take a little time."
Reproduced with thanks to Colwyn Bay FC.
