GREAT Wakering Rovers’ Gary Ansell says he has learned a lot about himself in his first summer as a manager.

Ansell took over from Dan Trenkel at the end of last year, and endured a mixed spell in the run to the end of the Ryman One North season.

He admitted he should have started booking pre-season matches before the end of that campaign as he rushed around to set up the summer schedule, but is now fine-tuning his squad.

Goalkeeper Matt Belcher, winger Kris Newby and enforcer Adberto Pinto have joined, with Adam Seal, Charlie Barlow and John Bradley departing so far, with the remainder of last squad retained.

And Ansell said, after a frantic start to the summer, he is feeling more at ease now.

“I thought the hard work was done during the season but I can see now I was massively wrong,” he said. “I never knew pre-season friendless were arranged before the season ended so I was a bit worried at one time when I was calling around and everyone was booked up!

“But we have a good schedule sorted now and I want to thank East Thurrock and Billericay for squeezing us into their busy schedules.

“I have retained the squad, bar a couple of names who have left for non-footballing reasons, but all-in-all I am very happy with how things are going.

“I identified six targets I wanted to bring in and if we can get them all I think we will stand a very good chance of a top 10 finish next season.

“At first I was in a rush to get everything sorted by July 1 so we could all be together for pre-season but there will be other players from higher up the pyramid that will be let go and filter down the leagues and I have left a few gaps for that eventuality.”

Ansell was full of praise for Bradley, Barlow and Seal, with the latter two playing a key part as Rovers were promoted from the Essex Senior League two years ago.

But he feels confident that his new additions will do the business, as he continues to search for defensive and striking reinforcements.

Ansell admitted he had also been looking to lure former manager Dan Trenkel back to the club to work as his assistant manager but, after Trenkel turned down the move, he has gone down a different route.

Last season’s number two Rob Polkinghorn, who recently took a job with Southend United’s youth team, will be a first-team coach at Wakering along with another former Blues coach Steve King, who now works at Arsenal.

And Ansell said it is quite a coup for Wakering to have the duo alongside him.

“You need a lot of trust when choosing an assistant manager and I did ask Dan if he fancied it but he doesn’t at this time.

“Rob and Steve will work at their respective clubs and take sessions here alternately. Rob has his UEFA A licence and Steve is getting his later this year so we are in a very strong position where that is concerned.”