Puritans job is the one Whing has been 'waiting for and wanting'

Andy Whing insists his managerial role at Banbury United is the opportunity he has been “waiting for and wanting”.
Andy Whing is looking forward to his first managerial role with Banbury United. Picture by Dave ShadboltAndy Whing is looking forward to his first managerial role with Banbury United. Picture by Dave Shadbolt
Andy Whing is looking forward to his first managerial role with Banbury United. Picture by Dave Shadbolt

The former Oxford United player, who made 346 Football League appearances in his career, was appointed as the successor to Mike Ford last week.

It represents Whing’s first job in management while he will be joined by former Oxford team-mate James Constable who arrives as player/assistant-manager.

Whing has already had experience of coaching at the likes of Oxford United, Kidderminster Harriers and Hereford.

But he can’t wait to get stuck into his first job in the hotseat.

“It’s been just over a week since I was appointed and the number of good wishes I have had from people in the game, within the club and within the whole Oxfordshire region has been brilliant,” Whing said.

“It seems like the appointment has been welcomed and hopefully I can give the club a bit of success back on the pitch.

“I am really looking forward to it. I have been coaching and I have been waiting for and wanting an opportunity for the past couple of years.

“I think it’s fair to say I wasn’t ready for it two or three years ago but the experience I have had, certainly in the last six months to a year, has stood me in good stead and I have learned a lot in that time from various managers.

“Talking to Phil (chairman Lines) and the board of directors here, they have been absolutely first class with me since I first started talking to them.

“It seems a really well run football club, it’s a supporter-owned and a community-based club which is fantastic and I popped down to the ground last week and met some of the volunteers, obviously from a safe distance.

“I am fortunate to be able to work with these people and I am really looking forward to it.”

Whing confirmed he has already spoken to the majority of last season’s Puritans squad, who were pushing for a play-off place in the Southern League Premier Central before the season was declared null and void after the the Covid-19 outbreak halted football in mid-March.

But he is looking forward to turning those phone conversations into face-to-face discussions once the chance arrives.

“I have managed to speak to the majority of the players and that’s been over the phone because we can’t really meet face-to-face at the moment, which is obviously the way I’d prefer to do it,” the Puritans boss added.

“But to be fair to all of them, they have been first class. They understand the situation we are all in and their attitude has been spot on.

“We are obviously a bit up in the air with not knowing when pre-season will be and when the first game of next season will be.

“But once it is safe to do so, I will have a sit down with them and go through what they are thinking and what we are thinking.

“It has been difficult but it does give us a bit of extra time to prepare and plan, which isn’t a bad thing.”