Matt Bloomfield: New Wycombe Wanderers boss says he will not 'impersonate anyone'
- Published
Matt Bloomfield played 558 games for Wycombe before joining the coaching staff under Gareth Ainsworth
Matt Bloomfield says he does not want to "impersonate anyone" after replacing Gareth Ainsworth as Wycombe manager.
Bloomfield has moved from Colchester to Adams Park, after his former boss left the Chairboys to take charge at QPR.
The 39-year-old played under Ainsworth at Wycombe for several years and then worked alongside him as coach.
Bloomfield ruled out making wholesale changes but told BBC Three Counties Radio: "I want to be my own person and authentic to myself."
He has moved up a division with the change of clubs and now has the task of trying to secure Wycombe's place in the League One play-offs for a second successive season.
They are seventh going into Saturday's trip to Shrewsbury Town, just three points outside the top six.
Despite his previous 19-year association with the Chairboys, Bloomfield does not want to be "leaning on the past" in terms of his relationship with the team and supporters.
"This is a different job to what I was doing here before. It's a new beginning," he said.
"I spoke to the players and the staff and I'll have a slightly different dynamic with them, a slightly different relationship.
"Whilst it is a very comfortable feeling to come back to this football club, I'm employed to do a job and that's what I intend to do."
Bloomfield said that Ainsworth, and his assistant Richard Dobson, had left a "long-lasting legacy" at the club and he would be "naive" to change everything with the team doing well.
"I have so much respect and love for him and Dobbo. They played a huge part in my professional life in the time we spent together," the former midfielder added.
"I'm certainly not going to undo any of the good work the gaffer has done here because I was a huge part of that for many years and I totally agree with so much of what he's done.
"At the same time, I don't want to try and impersonate anyone. I'm not trying to copy or carry on illogically, it has to be with my stamp and my personality on it. I hope I can combine the two."
But he said: "The boys are in good form, they've been playing some really good football, getting some really good results and that comes back to my point, 'if it ain't broke, you don't fix it'."
Bloomfield again thanked Colchester for giving him his first managerial role in September last year and said that it was now, at Wycombe, a case of "trying to navigate and negotiate each day as it comes, make sure the processes you put in place are the right ones and everyone's buying into it, then hopefully when you get to matchday, those processes pay off".
He added: "I want to make a success of this job and nothing can deviate me from that path."
Looking back: Matt Bloomfield's BBC column highlights
May 2016 - 'The most worrying time of the year'
Sep 2015 - 'I had gym addiction while injured'
Oct 2014 - Coaching courses on my summer holiday
Dec 2013 - What a new manager means for players
Apr 2013 - 'Injured players are no use to anyone'
Oct 2012 - Enjoy the lower leagues
Sep 2012 - Manager exits are unsettling
Mar 2012 - The myth of the League One footballer
Aug 2011 - Life in League One