Coleman wants to bring attacking football to Shots

New Aldershot Town manager John Coleman has promised fans "attacking football" as they look to move away from the National League relegation places.

The 63-year-old has taken over from Tommy Widdrington who resigned last month. The Shots are in 20th place after three wins in 16 league games.

"It's our job to get more people enthralled to watch Aldershot, and we'll only do that by winning, but I'd like to think we can bring attacking football," he told BBC Radio Surrey.

"This club has a good history, a good fanbase, and it's a chance that you can get it going again."

Just five months ago, Aldershot took over 18,000 supporters to their first ever Wembley final, beating Spennymoor Town 3-0 in the FA Trophy.

"You've only got to look back this year to the Trophy final for what is achievable, and what is achievable by the support basis alone," Coleman added.

Coleman has already had conversations with Aldershot Town chairman Shahid Azeem about the vision for the Shots.

"We both know it can be a big club. It's a vibrant league," he added.

"People realise it is the fifth tier, and I think it'll be recognised when they eventually allow the three up three down (between the National League and the EFL). In sense of fairness, I think it should be that."

'Without the players you are nothing'

Coleman famously led Accrington Stanley from non-league football back into the EFL in 2006, and won the League Two title 12 years later during his second spell with the club.

"We had the lowest budget in the league and no-one gave us a prayer," he said.

"We proved a lot of people wrong. I had a good set of players, and I've always believed that without the players you are nothing.

"So all these managers who try and champion themselves, and say they are the difference-maker, they're not.

"You can help, but the players make the difference. The players are the ones who win the games.

"I was fortunate that I had some unbelievable characters and players, and they had a love of football and a desire that I could harness, and hopefully I can get that same feeling here."

Despite his two promotions at Accrington, Coleman is most proud of keeping Southport in the Conference in 2014.

"I took over at a similar time (as Aldershot), maybe a month later," he added.

"That was a challenge, and that's the challenge that I want to get into now."

The man who spent a quarter of a century in two spells at Accrington has had three jobs this year.

He lasted 14 games at League Two Gillingham, and less than five months at League of Ireland side Waterford.

"It's bizzare but that's the way football has gone, and you have to accept that is the industry we're in, and move with the times," he said.

"One of the big difficulties is you're managing other people's players, and you get judged on them, which is possibly a little bit unfair. But that's the job."

Coleman belives managers are being given less and less time to make their mark at clubs.

"I think you can assess a manager when you see how he moulds a team over a period of time," he said.

"That time is shrinking by the year. I dread to think what the average tenure of a manager is now, I imagine it's probably less than a year.

"I really enjoyed my time at Gillingham. I look at it as a success. We went into a team that were in the doldrums, the fans and players' relationship was fractured at best. By the end, they were clapping the team off the pitch.

"Great set of supporters, and a nice place to be around. And I get the feeling here that it could be simlar, on a smaller scale, but on a bigger scale if we get success here."

'Non-negotiable - workrate, effort and desire'

Aldershot Town have fought relegation battles in six of the last seven National League seasons. They are only above the bottom four on goal-difference with 30 matches left, and Coleman is excited by the challenge.

"It's an opportunity for everyone connected to the club to take it forward, me included," he said.

"It's a tough division, and if you look at the games we've got to play, you couldn't have hand-picked a tougher start.

"And I'm quite pleased with that to be honest, because you've got to play them at some stage, and it'll give you a handle on how you're going to fare for the next few weeks.

"One thing that is non-negotiable is work rate, effort and desire, and our fans will be seeing lots of that this season. We've got really good facilities, everything's in place to do what we need to do to get into peak condition, and try and compete with teams."

The majority of Coleman's managerial career has been alongside assistant manager Jimmy Bell, but he will not be coming to The EBB Stadium due to the travelling involved.

Coleman said he was still assessing his backroom staff options.

"I'm looking at what we've got now. I'm going to take my time. I'm not going to rush into anything. It can be done over a period of weeks, rather than weeks or days," he added.

'He has great credentials'

Analysis - BBC Radio Surrey's Steve Gibbs

John Coleman has got great credentials, taking Acrrington - who by their own recognition were always a small club - from regional football up to League One on a small budget. And it's absolutely that overachievement, underdog mentality, and that success on a tight budget that the Shots need at the moment.

They play four of the top seven and then a local derby with Woking before the end of November. As Coleman says, it's a baptism of fire, but he loves a challenge.

He won't shy away from that challenge, and if the team do pick up anything from those games, it'll give them real momentum for the rest of the season to pull away from the relegation zone.