Jack Lonergan called Lennie Lawrence who has been brought in to mentor and aid the Co-Interim managers Max Kretzschmar and Craig Saunders, to speak about his footballing background, what he brings to the Bev, and what his role will look like.

Jack Lonergan: Hey Lenny, you all right? It's Jack.

Lennie Lawrence: Yeah, good to chat!

JVL: Firstly, you've only been around for a couple of days, but how have they gone so far?

LL: Yeah, good. it's a great setting the ground, and I'll tell you what; For a 3G pitch, [it's] very good. [We] did one training session on it on Tuesday and, it's a good surface, miles better than most of the 3G pitches that I've worked on. So that's a great start. [The] players were receptive on Tuesday and worked hard, and what can I say? The coaching staff is better than this level.

JVL: That's good to hear. I heard you have been to Beveree before?

LL: A long, long, long, blimey, long time ago. The main thing I can remember about it was the trees around the ground, and they're still there. It's a good setting, to be fair, nice setting for a stadium.

JVL: Yeah, it's quite idyllic.

LL: Yeah, that's a good way of putting it. 

JVL: Obviously, you've had a long career in football, both playing, managing, and in a slew of other roles as well. Is it true you have managed over 1000 games?

LL: Yeah, as a manager, I did about 1,100 odd games in my career with six or seven clubs. But more importantly to this, for the last few years, I have been in [more of a] mentor, advisor, coaching assistant role. I've done it with half a dozen young managers. Depending on the level, I have either been a full-time assistant at Crystal Palace with Dougie Freedman, or at Bristol Rovers with Paul Trollope, who have both went on to have excellent careers.

Other times it is part time, [for example at] Newport in League Two with Michael Flynn. That was excellent. We had a great time there. Each time you do it, it's a slightly different thing. But it's basically, being involved with the players, taking parts of some sessions, and developing the coaches. In this case, [a] big part of the job is developing Max and Craig. They'll be leading some sessions, I'll be leading others. We'll work out how we're going to do it on a match day. You can't be certain, but my instinct is that I sit in the stand for the first half and in the dugout for the second half, [something] like that.

JVL: And do you enjoy being able to do both? I'm sure it gives you a different perspective on the game, and you’re able to see it differently.

LL: Yeah, that's it. Circumstances might change so I am able to be flexible. It's not a conventional role, but [it's] what I've specialised in for the last few years, and for Craig and Max, Max is obviously still a player, it's not a conventional "assistant manager" role [for them], they're going to be doing more.

JVL: Yeah, and it's just about, as you say, kind of finding that balance and what works for this group, right?

LL: Correct. And obviously the other thing we have to do is get some results on the board, get out of the bottom four. That's what we've got to do.

JVL: The Hayes and Yeading game [in the John Taylor Senior Challenge Cup] is five days away. Obviously, it's a cup competition, it's not in the league. You still want to take it seriously. Is there any inkling as to how the squad and you guys, as a management staff, are going to approach that match?

LL: Yeah, I mean, we're taking it seriously. We're not messing about; we want to try and win the game. I think there's been two wins in thirteen, or whatever it is. We need to progress. We need to take it seriously and get a result on the board. Put it this way, we'll be strong.

JVL: Good to hear. And part of nature of this role, it's very much a temporary thing. You're coming in on an interim basis correct?

LL: We'll see how it goes and what you hope is, is that however long it does last, when you leave it, there's an old phrase, it’s not strictly applied to me in this current role, but: "always judge a manager by how he leaves a place."

Obviously, I'm not the manager here, but whenever I leave, I hope that the club's in a decent position, the staff have developed and improved, and the players have enjoyed the experience. That's what we're trying to do. There's no contract, we are doing it on a week by week basis whilst the club looks for a permanent manager, there's a few sessions this week and next so hopefully that’s enough time for everyone to get the key ideas over to the players and get things cracking.

JVL: You're mainly here to help Max and Craig. What specific qualities, using all of your experience, do you feel will be most valuable in helping these two who closer to the beginning of their coaching career?

LL: You've got to recognise what their strengths are, what their weaknesses are, and you've got to encourage them. You know, I've said to them already; Sometimes when you're doing a training session, and you see something as a coach, don't be afraid to step in. You've got to pick the right time but don't be afraid to say if you disagree with something. Don't be afraid to step in, step up. Otherwise, you [and the squad] don't learn as quick[ly]. What type of character they've got, what they're comfortable doing, and what they're less comfortable doing in terms of sessions etc. I work with the Wales Football Association on their coach education programme for the UEFA Pro Licence, it’s all the same principles here that I deliver on that.

JVL: And from what you've seen so far, was Tuesday a good session?

LL: Yeah, it seems to [have] be[en] received well. We've got quite a bit to do tonight, and we've got Saturday morning, so that's good. And then we got the game next Tuesday. We've got to get the ideas over quickly and hopefully the players can implement what is worked on. But in the end, it's no good being an expert on this system or that system. The players have got to be able to carry it out.

They were receptive [on Tuesday]. I said, to the players and the staff, the one thing I'll always be, is honest with you. I try and be fair, but you can't always be fair, but I’ll always be honest with [them], I've been impressed with the staff, as I said earlier, so hopefully their strengths can be brought to bear and that'll improve us.

JVL: We're always looking to improve the squad, not just with what we have, but by potentially adding some new bodies. Will you be part of recruitment discussions?

LL: I don't know the league and the players as well [as the current staff]. So, my contribution would be, for example, I'd say, "we've got a goalkeeper, the other one's gone out on loan, we need a second goalkeeper" and then it's up to Max and Craig to pick the one they want.

JVL: And then finally, kind of as an extension of that, do you reckon you'll be part of the discussions regarding the appointment of a new manager?

LL: We’ve not spoken about it so far, the conversations all happened very quickly. In the end, that's the prerogative of the owners and the chairman. I know Joe is going through applicants and discussing relevant ones with Ben [Hudson] and the Ownership, if he asks me to assist in any way I’d be happy to help and make a contribution to that if that's what they wanted.

JVL: Lennie that's all for now, thank you for your time!

LL: Not a problem.