Interview ~ Keith Ryan

KEITH RYAN, 'The Blues' assistant player-manager let us have a word with him following the draw at home to Macclesfield.

So Keith, how do you feel the game went today?

KR: I know it’s a cliché but it really was a game of two halves. They obviously had the best of the first half and we struggled to contain them because the big guy Parkin up front who was a constant danger, but in the second half we dealt with them a lot better and we seemed to know what we were doing a bit more. I think we were unlucky not to go away winners in the end.

How do you, John Gorman and Brownie divide up the management duties?

KR: John obviously is the manager and sorts things out and Brownie has a lot more time on his hands than me so they work quite closely together and they leave me to it in a lot of ways. I have to concentrate on my duties as far as playing goes and J need my rest. I can’t be off watching games till late if I have training early the next morning so not much has changed for me at the moment. However, I’ve started to do a little bit of coaching with the younger boys and I’m enjoying that and I really can’t wait to get my teeth into working with the boys fill time.

Do you find it difficult being both a coach and a player?

KR: As I say at the moment no. It’s been Ok because the gaffer’s sensible enough to let me have the rest I need to prepare for games. But when the time comes that perhaps I’m not playing regularly in the first team it might be easier for me to slip in to the coaching side of things.

How did it feel when you were asked to take temporary charge of the team?

KR: It was an honour and a privilege. It wasn’t something I had not really thought about before. I had to give it a lot of consideration because it not only affected me it affected my family as well but once I thought it through I was more than happy to take it on. I’d do anything for this club.

Would you like to go into management full-time when you eventually stop playing?

KR: Maybe. I think I’d be a fool to turn it down if the opportunity arose later in my career. Having said that if it affected my family too much then I probably wouldn’t because my family mean more to me than anything else. I’ll have to see how it pans out.

Would it be here at Wycombe if it did happen?

KR: I can assure you it wouldn’t be anywhere else. It would only be Wycombe.

How do you feel the players have responded to John Gorman?

KR: There’s been a good response from the boys. The one thing about John is that he’s a good person to work for. It’s a happier, really lively place. He doesn’t like people coming in to work with moods or grumpy faces so he really instills the fret side of things along with the determination to win games.

Has the constant change of manager over the past 18 months been disruptive in any way?

KR: I think that you can only say that it has. If you look at the really successful sides in the country, they are usually the ones that have had a settled backroom staff and playing staff and right the way through the club things tend to be quite settled. But we’ve had quite a turbulent time here with the changeover of the constitution, new people coming in behind the scenes and obviously the change around in management.

Why do you think the team is in the play-off zone one minute then languishing near the bottom the next?

KR: It’s a hard one to put your finger on. It’s one of those seasons that’s gone in phases, we’ve won a few games and then lost a few games. We haven’t had the consistency that you need. It’s something that we’re building on. The performances have been very good of late but now we need to get the results and points to show for it.

Is this division harder or easier than you expected?

KR: It’s never easy. It was a tough league when I played here before and that is still the case. I think there’s less football played in this division. You have to be physically strong but I think we can handle it. If we carry on the way we are then we’ll be fine.

So what’s the difference between the league now and the way it was ten years ago?

KR: I think there is a bit of a difference, I don’t know whether it’s worse or better. I can’t remember that far back to be honest! I know every match was tough that time around and you had to be on your mettle every game to get points and it’s proving much the same this time.

So what is a realistic finish this season?

KR: I honestly think we can get in the play-off's. I look at the games we’ve got to play and I don’t see any opponents that scare me, I really don’t. I know we’re not picking up points at the moment but I think that the play-off's is a realistic target given the way we’re playing.

How did it feel when you scored your 50th goal for the club?

KR: Yeah it was lovely. It hadn’t played on my mind too much but it was obviously a milestone that I wanted to reach before I pack up playing. I was stuck on 400 odd games and 49 goals so I wanted to get past 500 games and 50 goals.

Of those 50 which is the most memorable?

KR: There’s been a lot of good times and a lot of good goals but I think the one that stands out for everyone is the goal against Liverpool in the F.A Cup. Not many people have played in semi-finals of F.A Cups let alone scored in them so I think that will have to go down as the most memorable.

We all know the story of Wayne Rooney‘s t-shirt that stated he was ‘Once a blue, Always a blue’ before he sold out and went to Manchester. Some say there are no loyalties in football. Meeting Rhino and hearing what he had to say proved otherwise. He’s even more loyal than a lot of so called ‘supporters’ that have given up when the going got tough and his service to Wycombe is unparalleled. Whether it be a play-off final or a relegation dogfight, Rhino has been there doing his all for Wycombe Wanderers. Let’s hope he sticks around, and some of his passion and drive rubs off on the youngsters he is working with.