FA Cup preview: Whitstable Town’ Jamie Coyle all set for a new cup challenge!

By Matt Badcock

Jamie Coyle and his Whitstable Town management team were back in the car on Wednesday night for a scouting mission at Brackley Town.

Their FA Cup fourth round qualifying opponents, Wealdstone, were in Northamptonshire and Coyle’s Oystermen pride themselves on their thorough homework.

“I love to be a fly on the wall,” Coyle told The NLP. “Just to listen to the information from the touchline and things like that.

“You can only pick up a certain amount watching games on TV or computers, so it’s really important for me to go out and get a feel of the style of play, set pieces, shape and whatever else.”

Exciting times

Coyle didn’t need reminding the task they face when they travel to the Stones on Saturday, just one win away from the first round proper. But Sam Cox’s won 2-0 just to emphasise the point.

“I’ve played at Wealdstone loads and managed against them,” Coyle said. “Obviously, Coxy is there now.

“He’s a top coach and works for Tottenham as well so it’s going to be a real tough nut to crack.

“But these are the exciting times. You want to test yourself against teams from these levels. It’s a difficult game away from home, but it’s a challenge.

“We aren’t going to go there to make the numbers up. We want to go there and really showcase our abilities and give a good account of ourselves. If we do that, it will be one hell of a game.”

HIGH RISER: Bradley Schafer heads home against Hungerford to delight boss Jamie Coyle, below

Confidence

The Step 5 side go there with confidence too, having added their third Step 3 scalp to this year’s FA Cup run last weekend when they beat Hungerford Town 2-0.

“I said after the game,” Coyle said. “You kind of expect a bit of a smash and grab or you go 1-0 up and sit back.

“But I thought the boys were outstanding. We did a lot of work behind the scenes looking at them tactically.

“We had a classroom session in the week and then went onto the grass. We couldn’t actually train – we had nine fit players on the Thursday night before the game.

“We were a bit like the Walking Dead and we still had two or three major players who couldn’t make the squad on Saturday.

“That shows you the strength and depth that we’ve got. We can do all the work behind the scenes with the coaching and management team, but ultimately, when the whistle blows, the players have got to carry it out.”

Tactical challenge

Former Welling United boss Coyle loves the tactical challenge these games present.

“It sounds ridiculous, but it’s almost easier to set yourselves up tactically against a side from these levels because they are a lot more structured and have really got an identity for the way they play,” he said.

“It can be a bit erratic and off the cuff at our level. When you’re playing against teams like that, it’s difficult to prepare yourselves.

“We’ve got software where we can watch clubs at that level and we’ve been able to draw up analysis of their play, what their strengths are and areas we think we can expose.

“It’s taking no credit away from Hungerford. They’ve got a brilliant management team and some really good players. Just collectively on the day our boys delivered a real dominant display.”

Promotion

Having won the Isuzu FA Vase at Wembley last season, Coyle is open that this year’s big goal is promotion from the Southern Counties East League. But they’ll enjoy the FA Cup ride too.

“There’s a real good feel around the club,” Coyle said. “We’re still riding the crest of a wave from the Vase last year.

“We had over 900 people through the gate. There’s a real good feeling around the town at the moment.

“Just to see the faces of the people who have been around the club for many, many years and to add some more history into the books of the club is nice. Long may it continue.”