McKenna: The problems with Welsh Premier soccer

Mar 23 2008 by Chris Wathan, Wales On Sunday

KEN McKenna has told the Welsh Premier to aim high if it wants to be taken seriously.

And McKenna, one of the league’s most successful managers, insisted sorting out its pitch problem is the number-one priority.

McKenna stepped down from The New Saints earlier this month after a trophy-lined decade with the club.

And looking back on his time in the Welsh Premier, he states he has definitely seen an improvement in standard across the board since he first arrived at TNS.

But the Scouser, who led the professional outfit to three successive league titles before making way for Andy Cale, believes more must be done to bring the division up to scratch.

“I’m not saying it to try to be controversial and I don’t know the ins and outs of things because I was just a manager but there has got to be more help for these clubs,” said McKenna, who was replaced at Park Hall by Cale after originally deciding to step down at the end of the season.

“And when I say that, I mean the FAW or whoever have got to help the clubs help themselves.

“They can’t just throw money at it but they can help with the structures, being run the right way and all that side of things.

“I think there’s no doubt that the league has improved, you only have to look at this season when it’s probably been more competitive than ever. It’s difficult but it has come a long way for a very, very young league.

“It’s a good product but there are still things that could improve.

“How you go about a lot of them I don’t know but it must try and aim to emulate the Conference. It may seem a long way off but you have to set high targets.

“And with the help of the FAW and the Welsh Assembly Government I don’t think it needs to be an unrealistic target.

“I don’t know how but if it wants to be taken truly seriously, then it has to be something to aim and strive for.”

McKenna, who joined TNS as a player in 1999 before becoming boss two years later, cites the relative boom in the Conference that has seen the majority of its sides turn full-time compared with only a short time ago, together with an increase in standards of stadiums and cash-raising hospitality.

It has now been dubbed the Football League’s Fourth Division and has even bagged its own money-spinning sponsorship deals and TV rights with Blue Square and Setanta in recent years.

In comparison, only two sides remain professional in Wales’ national league – TNS and Llanelli – and reaching the profile of the Conference does indeed seem like light years away.

Steps are being made to streamline the division with Uefa’s club licensing laws insisting on certain standards being met in all aspects of the league’s outfits, while the FAW plans to give the competition a fresh impetus.

But McKenna insists other small steps can be made, with the Scouser pointing to pitch standards as an issue of urgency.

“To play attractive football that people want to pay money to come and watch, whoever you are, you have got to have set standards of pitches,” he said.

“The league needs a pitch criteria because some of the surfaces are worse than Sunday League.

“We almost had to have two teams at times; one to play at certain grounds and one for elsewhere.

“You can go on about stadiums and facilities or lack of crowds but got to have proper playing surfaces.

“The problem is you can’t say teams have to do this or that because of the money needed but something needs to be done.”

McKenna is now hoping to try his luck in the English league system after his lengthy spell with the Saints, although he admits opportunities will be tough with Peter Taylor an example of the quality of experienced managers plying their trade at lower levels.

But he won’t rule out a return to the league where he made his name as a boss, including TNS’ Champions League contests with Liverpool.

But, despite insisting he leaves The New Saints on good terms, McKenna admitted he couldn’t understand the panic that set in before his early departure as Llanelli led the way to snatch the Oswestry side’s crown.

“I thought we had weathered a little bit of a storm so I couldn’t figure out why people were getting frustrated with us,” he added.

“We were still very much in with a chance of a fourth consecutive title.

“We were fighting against sides not wanting us to win it again. I don’t mean that disrespectfully, but I think in sport it’s natural others don’t want the same teams to succeed.

“But I’d already decided I needed something different and I told (TNS owner) Mike Harris I would step aside if they found somebody.

“So when they told me Andy would be coming in I texted him to wish him all the best.

“He’s a good friend of mine and I have a lot of respect for him and I’ve told him I will be there to help if he needs anything from me.

“But my time is done now. I think almost 10 years at one club in this sport is an achievement of which to be proud.”