Colchester United’s interim head coach, Matty Etherington, acknowledges that it took him a considerable amount of time to recover from his brief stint as the manager of Crawley Town.
Last season, Etherington assumed the role of manager for Crawley for just 32 days, overseeing three games in his first senior management position in football. However, he left the club the day after the sale of striker Tom Nichols to League Two rivals Gillingham.
This experience had a lasting impact on Etherington, and it was a difficult decision for him and his family to leave the club under those circumstances. He described it as a unique experience, and he feels that Colchester’s football club is a world apart from that.
Currently serving as the interim head coach at Colchester following Ben Garner’s departure, Etherington isn’t looking too far into the future.
He recently had a conversation with Dmitri and Robbie, and they want him to lead the team for the foreseeable future, although the exact duration remains uncertain. Etherington is not pushing for the job but is willing to see how things develop.
Etherington joined Colchester in the summer as the under-21 lead coach and has been impressed with the club’s infrastructure. He believes everything is in place for success, with good people and talented individuals within the organization.
As Colchester’s interim head coach, Etherington is preparing the team for their upcoming match against Accrington Stanley after a 3-2 midweek victory over Grimsby Town in his first game in charge following Garner’s departure.
Etherington has drawn on his experiences as a former player when communicating with his team this week. Knowing the players and their abilities, characters, and concerns has been beneficial to him.
He recognizes the importance of providing reassurance to the players, as the world of football can change rapidly, with players constantly facing uncertainty about their positions and roles on the team.
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