Nub news goes UP CLOSE with Marc Rowland, who outlined his managerial style, his faith in youth, gratitude to his predecessors and how want to continue generations of Shotley Rose FC success.

One of the most daunting challenges in sport is taking over as manager of a team or club that has been run by a legend for many years, and for Manchester United fan Marc Rowland, Alex Ferguson is a cracking example.

Marc has taken over at the helm of the Shotley Rose, replacing the man mountain, both is stature and size, that is Paul Adams, who not only has 129 league appearances under his belt but has kept the club running through good times and bad since Mark Shemmings and Sam Nunn led the team to a league and cup triple glory in 2010.

Care home co-owner and former RAF technician and Ministry of Defence policeman, Marc is not fazed. Although passionate about his football, family and life in general, Marc is pretty unflappable and after paying tribute to his predecessor, he makes it clear he is very much his own man.

"With Paul and some of the other looking to step down, I was asked if I would manage and as my son Cameron was going to sign for them anyway, it made sense for me to do it," said Marc.

"I'm the first to recognise what Paul has done for this club and I want start by thanking him. Others too, like Luke Boor who has stood down as captain and hung up his boots, he was brilliant as a captain. Both have family commitments, new additions and other things to focus on and we all wish them the very best.

"Paul has already said he will play when called upon, and I wonder how long Luke will be in 'retirement' from playing.

"This club has an amazing tradition and been very successful over the years so it is important it keeps going."

The Shotley Rose team is all know for his tight, close knit team spirit with players literally growing up with each other on the peninsula. Look at the Adams family, brothers Paul, Steve and Lee, along with dad Graham before them, who have spooked more than one lot of opposition over the years.

Ditto the Scutchers, with dad Terry still playing in his 60s, Ryan is now captain, while Dean and Daniel still put in full shifts.

"Then there are the Weedings and the Wearings who go back generations, with Teddy the latest to keep a Weeding name on the team sheet, while Tommy Smith is another of the many from good Shotley stock who is signed on.

Marc, although he has been in the village nearly 20 years, admits he is still something of an outsider, despite briefly playing for the Shotley Rose reserves himself.

"Coming in with a different set of eyes may help," said Marc. "Although I know them, I have not grown up with them, I didn't go to school with them, I don't have close friends in the team, so I can approach things my way.

"I won't be worried about upsetting people if I need to, although I don't intend to do that in any way. It will be about communicating."

A testing pre-season and a 4-2 loss away in their first Ipswich Sunday League game of the season at Gainsbourough, with Shotley goals from from Steve Adams and Daniel Scutcher, has left Marc under no illusion at how big his task is but he is prepared to be patient and develop the squad long term.

As an experienced youth team coach, he is used to managing younger age groups at Shotley Rangers, and as number two with Chantry Grasshoppers under 18s, where the manager Nigel is his assistant at the Rose team. Marc is keen to let the younger players loose in the senior side, confident in the knowledge the older, more experienced players will help them flourish.

Marc said: "The next batch of youngster are now moving through. The likes of Ciaron Wood, Tommy Smith and Cameron and we have already seen Teddy at 17 do well.

"We still have a number of experienced players and with the youngsters coming through we have the basis if a very good side. It will probably take a season for the team to bed in, find each others strengths and their weaknesses, but we will get there.

"We have played better in some of friendlies than scorelines suggest and we need to take positives from each of those games.

"The friendlies we had were all against Premier Division sides, and we are in league two, so it says a lot about what the team is capable of doing."

As an experienced boss with skills honed during his career in the RAF and the care home, Marc is used to being in charge (although his business partner and wife Nicola, and their daughter Charlotte, may offer an alternative view) and he has developed his own managerial style.

"I tend to assess the moment, who is playing well, who where the strength of the team is and who has the potential to improve with game time," he said. "It is no good bringing players in and leaving them on the bench. I'm looking ahead over the whole season and to develop a squad.

"It is also important fo me to talk to and listen to the players, find out what do they think is going to work best in certain situations. We have seen that in pre-season when during one game I was looking to change things at half time but the skipper said he thought the team should stick with the formation so they could get used to playing it. I was fine with that but told them what I needed from them if they were going to stick to that formation and they went out in the second half and, did what I asked, and the compromise worked.

"Players have to buy into what I want but I also know I need to listen to them because some of those players have been together a long time and know each other.

"I'm still learning but I now have a very good idea of what I see will work and we will go from there.

"I'm not expecting great things from this season because half the team are new but again, they have bonded really well. The older guys have been very supportive of the new players, and the numbers are good as well, which shows a lot of commitment.

"For a lot of the kids it is about building their confidence playing at this older level, with men and all that means.

"I feel it will be good. The aim is top half of the table and if we can play as I know can, there is no reason why not.

"More games and keeping together is the secret."

When not away serving his country in places like Cyprus, Marc was a stalwart with the Colchester Castle team, then their vets. before ankle injury curtailed his playing days.

A subsequent heart attack ended any thoughts about another comeback but the love and lure of the game, and circumstances have made him an ideal choice for the Shotley Rose, that play their home games behind the pub on a Sunday morning.

"I love being involved in football and if I can do it for our local village team then even better," said Marc, who will be looking for his first league win as a manager on Sunday morning when Boleyn FC are the visitors to the Shotley Rose.

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