Ghosts boss wants a top-five finish

Fakenham Town have been reaching the heights manager Alex Walpole will have hoped for in the Thurlow Nunn Premier Division.Up until recent weeks, the Ghosts have been setting the pace at the top of the league standings.Helped by the goalscoring exploits of Jake Watts, a top-five finish and a place in the play-offs remains a realistic target for the club.Walpole spoke to West Norfolk sports editor Greg Plummer about the club’s season so far in his half-term report.How have you found your first full season in management at the club? It has certainly been a learning curve and it is certainly different to managing at youth level.From dealing with the players both on and off the pitch, to managing the budget, to meeting the directors, it’s all been a new experience, but it is one that I have thoroughly enjoyed. It has helped that I know the club. I know the people, I know the set up and I understand what it means to represent the town. The management team that we have at the club have been a great support.Neil, Harvs, Will and Allan have all contributed to our successes this season. I would like to think we work well together, and the team have benefitted from that.In terms of performances what have been your best and worst of the season so far and why? Due to the nature of our inconsistency, there are a couple of candidates for each. With regards to our best performance this season, Downham away and Hadleigh at home spring to mind, but for me it is the 1-0 win away at Harleston.A real ugly, battling performance to grind out the three points. Worst performance? Ely away in the league or Cornard away in the FA Cup, the less said about both games the better. How do you view your progress in the Premier Division this season? We have made good progress in the league in comparison to last season. I still firmly believe that we are overachieving, and that’s not to discredit any of our players, but to be where we are in the league when you are up against teams with a budget which is 50 per cent bigger than yours is some achievement.We will continue to try and finish the season as strong as possible. After the first half of the season, the top five is our aim.The club haven’t finished that high at Step 5 in a long time, so that would be a great achievement.You have a very young squad at your disposal and were forced into a few changes over the summer, did that change your approach at all? It didn’t no. Thankfully, we have a few loyal senior boys in the shape of Wattsy, Sturmo, Pearso and Youngsy who stuck around, and the young lads we have and have brought in have developed by playing alongside the more experienced players.As the season has gone on, and the pitches have changed, we have started to adapt how we play.It would be naive and foolish of us to stick to one method of playing all year round.It has taken some time to adapt as some players are so used to playing one way, but we’re getting there. Who has had the biggest influence for you on the pitch so far and why?I know it sounds really cliche, but everyone has had their own positive influence on the pitch at some point this season.If I had to pick one, it would be Wattsy. If the team see him full of confidence and he takes an early chance, they know we could be in for a good day.Who has had the biggest influence for you in the dressing room? We have some characters to put it politely! We have a group of lads who hold others to high standards and we have seen a few times where players are calling each other out in the changing room.It is important that if we want the team and the club to be successful, then everyone is firing on all cylinders.The players help create that culture, and we enforce it.Looking back at the first few months, has there been a turning point as such? I don’t think there has been any specific turning point. We had a really solid run throughout September and October, and that has laid down the foundations for where we find ourselves now.The team are quick to forget how well they have done this season after a loss but I think that just demonstrates the standards and expectations that they have for themselves and the team.What are your hopes for the remainder of the season? As previously mentioned, the play-offs are our aim.There is a lot of football to play, and with teams having games in hand on us, we can find ourselves dropping down a few places over the coming weeks if we are not up to the standard that we need to be at. The group know our aims, and its down to all of us to help achieve them.Where do you think there is room for improvement and why? Our achillies heel is that we concede poor goals and we do not score enough when on top of games.That is not solely down to the defenders nor the attackers. Our decision-making needs to be better in either box and that is something the whole team can work on.Who do you think will be contesting the promotion places come the end of the season? For me, and for most people, Thetford are favourites to win the league.They have an exceptional squad for this level and they have been knocking at the door for a few years now.Based on what I have seen so far, eight teams are fighting for those four play-off sports.Ourselves, Mulbarton, Downham, Brantham, Great Yarmouth, Ely, Dereham and Walsham-Le-Willows.There is still a long way to go, who knows what will happen.