ALLAN BICKERSTAFF TALKS TO LILYWHITES ONLINE - EXCLUSIVE

ALLAN Bickerstaff realised a big ambition when he was appointed Rhyl FC's senior coach on Monday.
Denbighshire's regional football development officer told Lilywhites Online he has longed for an opportunity to be involved in managing Rhyl's first team.
Bickerstaff believes big things can be achieved at Belle Vue in the 2008/09 season. He remains hopeful that those players who are undecided about remaining at the club or have expressed an intention to leave could still be persuaded to stay.
And he spoke of his delight at the chance to work alongside Rhyl head coach Osian Roberts as he has done on a daily basis in a professional capacity for some time.
LILYWHITES ONLINE: How have things been going since your appointment?
ALLAN BICKERSTAFF: The players have been fantastic. I wasn't sure how they'd respond to me but they have been brilliant. Myself and Osian have stressed to them that from day one everything will be open and transparent - no hidden agendas.
LO: How will the new management/coaching structure work?
AB: Osian and I will manage team affairs. Osian is the FAW's technical director and I am regional football development officer for Denbighshire, so Osian is my boss; we work together on a daily basis and know each other inside out.
We will be responsible for picking the team on match days, all the coaching and the signing of players. Osian's job means he is based in Cardiff much of the time whereas I am on the doorstep with my office being in Rhyl, so having someone close at hand, which wasn't previously the case, will be a good thing.
LO: How do you think Osian Roberts will benefit Rhyl?
AB: Rhyl as a football club has made massive strides forward in recent years and it has made another one by bringing in Osian who in my opinion, technically and tactically, will be the most astute coach these players will have worked with.
LO: The two Intertoto Cup ties against Bohemian are just around the corner. How is the squad looking? The supporters are concerned that several key players have not yet committed themselves to Rhyl and may be lost. If this is the case are there other quality signings in the pipeline?
AB: Things are looking good. A number of last season's key players are signed up. The likes of Gareth Wilson, Chris Sharp and Paul O'Neill have signed, as has Mark Connolly which is great news for the club. Marc Lloyd Williams has also committed himself which is great and I expect him to score 20 goals this season. Craig Jones, arguably the most exciting player in the Welsh Premier, has also signed.
We talk to the players on a daily basis and I think any player worth his salt would want to stay at Rhyl.
George Horan has ambitions to play full-time but we are talking to him regularly and he's happy about what's going on at the club. With Lee Kendall and Carl Ruffer, the situation is still in limbo but still negotiable; we're not giving up on anyone apart from those who have already left of course, such as Lee Hunt.
Myself and Osian are also talking to a number of experienced players about signing for Rhyl.
LO: Both Osian and yourself are highly qualified coaches. You both also have some managerial experience, but neither of you has full-on managed a Welsh Premier side for any great length of time. Will this be a drawback when it comes to attracting new players?
AB: Osian has a wealth of experience in football - amateur and professional - and has a lot of contacts. I have had managerial experience at Airbus and Porthmadog. The only difference in trying to sign players for Rhyl is they expect a bit more money which reflects how big and appealing the club has become.
LO: You played for Rhyl Football Club in the 1990s. How is the club today compared to how it was then?
AB: In my opinion Rhyl is now the best club in the Welsh Premier by a country mile. Peter Parry has totally transformed the club over the past few years. The last couple of weeks have been a real eye-opener; I never realised what a big club Rhyl is. The infrastructure, the facilities, the potential...it's the place to be.
It has always been an ambition of mine to become involved in running the first team and I'm going to grasp the opportunity with both hands.
LO: The weekend friendly in Northern Ireland went well (1-0 win over Lisburn Distillery). A good experience?
AB: Fantastic. We played against a very strong side, we had only six regular first teamers, and Gary Powell playing up front with a broken hand, and got a great result. The youngsters who came in did really well; they know they are reserves and have a fight on their hands to win a place in the first team, but the challenge is there for them.
We played a mixed side again on Tuesday night against the Anglesey Island Games squad and won 2-0, and we've got another good warm-up against English Colleges next Tuesday.
LO: What are the ambitions for next season?
AB: Myself and Osian are both dedicated to coaching teams to play good football. We hope to take Rhyl forward and help the club win trophies again.