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As You Are Mr. Hendon
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Ian Hendon is doing just fine, thanks
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By:
Eric Hitchmo
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12/07/2009
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More On Ian HENDON
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"Even with the first seven games under Ian Hendon failing to yield a win, you could clearly see that the team and the club had a huge sense of freshness about it. It seemed a matter of time until the results on the field would turn, and once Hendon was able to stamp his authority on the squad and make some of his own shrewd additions, lo and behold they did so, quite emphatically in fact with a 4-1 win over massive Bradford City.
Let's be honest, he inherited a really poor side. As much as I liked Paul Fairclough as a person and as a manager, the club had become stagnant and it wasn't going to get any better. The time was right to make a change. Once Hendon was able to get his teeth into loan deals, he made some very adept additions to the side and we were dragged dramatically away from the bottom two.
The team has now turned a corner and there is an air of positivity around the club and supporters this summer after an encouraging few months under Hendon's tutelage. Therefore it was somewhat unnerving to note that he was 90 minutes away from going back to his coaching role in Tony Kleanthous' interview with the BFCSA after those first seven games. Fortunately results picked up and he was offered the job permanently.
Hendon clearly commands a lot of respect over his team, there is no nonsense within the squad and those who do not perform will be replaced in the XI without hesitation. His interviews on the Official Site were an interesting insight into the new manager and the way he would be working with the team. It all adds up to the fresh feeling around the club.
So a lot of the deadwood was cleared out at the end of the season, which lead to some speculation and perhaps panic from some quarters regarding who, and when, these replacements would be signed. To be fair, time was getting on a bit and there was not a scrap of official news. Hendon has always kept his cards close to his chest and he played this one absolutely right. When you're at a club like Barnet, declaring interest in a player will alert other, bigger clubs to his availability. They'll swoop in, offer him a substantially better deal financially and there it is, gone. It's a no brainer, isn't it?
It did raise a smile when news did start coming through of some significant retainments being made, such as Gary Breen as player/assistant manager, as well as some very adept new faces like Micah Hyde. The returns of Jake Cole and Yannick Bolasie after their impressive loan spells last year have also come as a very welcome boost. This Barnet team actually looks pretty strong on paper y'know! And I'd like to think that's without the foolish optimism that has been prevalent in recent pre-seasons past. The team really does look quite good. I look forward to seeing what else Ian Hendon has up his sleeve in the coming weeks.
So to bring this entirely one-sided view to a close, things are looking up. I'm cautiously optimistic for the upcoming season. Playoffs will be fine. Thanks."
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