Martin Allen: Mad Dog

Speaking ahead of pre-season, Barnet boss Martin Allen has spoken about his sides upcoming campaign ahead of his first full season since re-joining the club for a fourth time in March 2014.

The team finished 8th in the league last season after missing out on the playoffs. Allen was brought in with eight games to go in order to push towards that aim after suffering five straight defeats under joint interim managers Ulrich Landvreugd and Dick Schreuder.

Allen's side were denied the playoff places after suffering a heavy home defeat to part timers FC Halifax. The score finished 4-0. The manager after the game said it was humiliating for his side; he also claimed recently that is the moment he knew he had to speak to the chairman about rebuilding the squad.

“It was humiliating; I wouldn’t say embarrassing because it wasn’t really my group of players. That day I thought they were absolutely awesome and I have kept my eye on them since and been to watch them a few times ”.

“I knew from that day that I would need to do something different and we would have to change it, and God bless our chairman he has backed me all the way. The chairman deserves a lot of credit for actually getting the players here. I can recommend them but he has brought them in”

Allen added: “I told him that night that this needs massive change rather than tweaking and that is what we have set out to do”

Allen did so by bring in new faces, these were: John Akinde, Sam Muggleton, Bondz N’Gala, Charlie MacDonald, Sam Togwell, Sam Cowler, Lee Cook, Adam Mekki (now left) and Michael Gash. Despite already making these signings, Allen suggests a couple more faces are yet to arrive or depart.

He says he wants his squad to have the perfect balance for the season ahead.

But can Allen deliver the goods when his campaign for the new season starts away to Chester. We’ll begin to have a glimpse at his playing style during pre-season; and we’ll report to you on pre-season once it’s happened.

Nice start! Let's hope you can get Barnet back to the Football League before too long.

Thanks Yuttra, that's my aim for the season.

Pre-season was one of ups and downs. We started off away to locally based Hertfordshire lower league side London Colney which finished 2-1. We then invited the FC Twente ‘B Team’ over for a game which we lost 2-0 before inviting League One side Peterborough United which we got a surprising 2-0 victory. It ended with an 8-2 defeat to Championship side Watford.

I felt that despite the results, things are looking positive, the player’s fitness is improving significantly and we should be ready for our first game which is just 5 days away.

Great start to this story! I'm relly looking forward to follow this one! Good luck!

Thanks oddsiton

Yates is a very experienced full back who has spent many years playing in the Football League which will really help the atmosphere in the dressing room and on the pitch. Spending three years at Morecambe and five years at Port Vale. He was also a part of the Vale side that gained promotion to League One in 2013.

This talented winger was released by Scunthorpe United at the end of last season after only making thirteen appearances and scoring two goals. He also has plenty of experienced having played with Helmond Sport in the Dutch second division and also spent a few years in the Championship with Sheffield Wednesday.

Matt Bloomfield is very well known in League Two for being a very gifted midfielder for Wycombe. But after a row with current manager Gareth Ainsworth, he handed in a transfer request and was made available. With him available for such a cheap price, Allen couldn’t resist a bargain, especially with the CM position requiring some more depth.

Like Bloomfield, Jimmy Phillips was a prolific player in League Two for Burton but when being linked with a number of other sides, he became unsettled. With the larger clubs failing to pursue their interest in the wide man, Barnet took the opportunity and signed him up on two year contract.

The deal for Wright was a ery intriguing one, Allen had watched him play in two pre-season friendlies, one he attended himself and the other by one of his scouts. After managing to unsettle him in the media, Oxford had no choice but to make him available and for such a cheap price; the deal was too good for Allen.

With Allen later on the month of August opting for a two striker system, more options were required in the position. Allen monitored a number of strikers over a two week period but many were reluctant to join. With young striker Matt Stevens in the squad, questions were asked why he wasn’t used instead. But Allen says he would suit a loan spell as soon as he turns 17.

As a result, a deadline day bid was made for Tom Eaves but his asking price from Neil Lennon was too much for the club to afford along with his wages. With two hours left to go, a loan deal was agreed between the clubs. Either team can terminate this loan at any time.

NOTE
The only departures were youth players who have either left on loan or been released from their contracts as they are not in Martin Allen’s plans at the moment.

Good luck

Thanks Wellsy! Hopefully I will be as successful as you were at Eastleigh

Villa
Akinde

Barnet XI: (4-4-2)
Stack;Yiadom,Stephens,N’Gala,Johnson;Villa,Togwell,Weston,Cook(Marsh-Brown);Akinde(Gash),MacDonald

Subs:
Cowler (GK),Yates,Saville

Akinde

Barnet XI: (4-2-3-1)
Stack;Yates,Stephens,Saville,Vilhete;Togwell,Weston;Marsh-Brown,Villa,Muggleton(Gash);Akinde

Subs:
Cowler (GK),N’Gala,Sykes,Johnson

MacDonald
Togwell
MacDonald

Barnet XI: (4-2-3-1)
Stack;Yiadom,Stephens,Saville,Johnson;Togwell,Weston;Vilhete,Gambin(Akinde),Cook(Marsh-Brown);MacDonald

Subs:
Cowler (GK),Yates,N’Gala

Phillips
Wright

Barnet XI: (4-4-2)
Stack;Yates(Togwell),Stephens,Wright,Johnson;Villa,Bloomfield(Saville),Weston,Phillips(Cook);Akinde,MacDonald

Subs:
Esajas,Gash

Akinde (pen)

Barnet XI: (4-4-2)
Stack;Yiadom,Stephens,Wright,Vilhete;Gambin,Togwell,Weston(N’Gala),Cook(Esajas);Gash,Akinde(Marsh-Brown)

Subs:
Cowler (GK),Saville

Vilhete
Togwell

Barnet XI: (4-4-2)
Stack;Yiadom(Saville),Stephens,Wright,Johnson;Vilhete(Esajas),Villa(Togwell),Bloomfield,Phillips;Akinde,MacDonald

Subs:
Marsh-Brown,Gash

One positive we must start with is the fact that we are unbeaten. We drew our first three games, some we were lucky to draw and some we had chances to win. I felt that those first few games the players were still gelling together but by the end of the month we put in ome very solid performances.

We started to grind out results as soon I change to different style of play within the 4-4-2 system and as it has worked in the last three games I will stick with it and see what happens. I felt the players have worked very hard and if we keep it up we can have a very positive finish this season.

We’re on our way!
Martin Allen

Unbeaten. We are still yet to experience defeat this season which does give us leaps of confidence. A few of the draws could have been wins but hey-ho, we take what we can get. This month has been a very solid month picking up some good results and racking up good, well earnt points.

We have let a few more of our youngsters leave out on loan deals including Luke Gambin to Ebbsfleet United. As a club with not the biggest budgets, our youth development is key and I have begun talks with the chairmen over improving our youth facilities and we will know within the next couple of months if that goes through or not.

Thanks for the continued support and get behind the boys for the rest of season because we can achieve big things.

We’re on our way,
Martin Allen