The second and final part of my catch up with former Eastleigh boss Ben Strevens as we chat about the possibility of life after football management and what plans he has to make sure he’s ready for a return to the game.
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TK: I think if we go back nearly 12 months when you, myself, Darren and Neil (Smith) were on a Zoom call it was only you in a job back then and now the boot’s on the other foot, but you can see how long it’s taken both of them to get back into the game.
BS: I know, I remember when we all spoke last year they were threatening to come and sit in the stand in the hope a job became available! I’m definitely not that type of person, I know it’s the nature of the industry though, I know of a current National League manager who was in my chairman’s ear for my job before I was even gone.
We see it all the time now where a manager gets sacked and the new guy is ready to go the day after, one thing I will say is that was never the case at Eastleigh, it took them a while to appoint my successor.
Of course I’ll be out at games to watch, scout players just in case to be ready but I’m not going there hoping for someone to lose three or four games so I can get back in the door.
Maybe I do need to be the guy whose doing that and getting my face in places but it’s really not me though.
TK: You alluded to it a little earlier about doing something else if no managerial vacancies come your way have you been doing some preparation away from the game if that’s to be the case?
BS: Yeah, I’m doing it now for that reason I might not get back in or I might find myself in the same situation in the future. I’ve never had five or six months not working, from college I went to working with my uncle to signing for Barnet when I was 17 and a life of football since.
But maybe it’s meant to be and now I need to look at maybe working part time and the same for football we’ll have to see. At least if I end up having to come away from football then I know I’m still going into work the next day.
I’ve nearly finished a teacher training course; I’ve already got a Sports Science degree which it will go nicely with. I need to be doing something in the next couple of months I can’t be sitting round the house forever, don’t think my wife and kids would allow that anyway!
I was leaving the house at 5.30am daily and not getting back till 7pm so they’ve gone from hardly seeing me to overkill, so it’s getting that balance about right if I get back into the game.
TK: I think Darren and Neil would both agree that despite being out of the game the memories and time they had back with their families they certainly wouldn’t have seen otherwise.
BS: 100%! I had the opportunity to go with my eldest to watch him play in a tournament in Holland with my dad and I never would have had the chance otherwise to do that.
And here I am talking to you while I’ve taken my boy to training, if I was still at Eastleigh no way would I have been home in time to do that. Football management is a selfish job and while you try not to let it affect your home life it certainly does.
Its so hard to find the balance, you have to be there, you have to watch games, you have to put your heart and soul into it or you’re not doing the job properly, very hard to find the right balance.
TK: Other than the teaching prep, did you get involved in anything else, people phoning you up to do a bit of scouting?
BS: Yeah I did a few for someone who used to be at Barnet, went out and looked at a couple of players for him. I’ve fielded so many calls this summer about my ex-players, I wouldn’t say I have the best grasp on League Two players and my National League South knowledge needs to get better as well and the lower leagues too, I need to watch more games there.
I’m good with National League players having seen a lot of them or been around them and I’ve tried to help out people who have been good to me before and will be there again for me when I need them.
The one good thing that doesn’t come out of this is you find out who your friends are and who you want to be around when you do get back into it, my old assistant Jason (Bristow) is still involved at Eastleigh but he’s always been on the phone checking up on me and there’s been others who haven’t picked up the phone so when I get back in there’ll be those who I’ll do stuff for and plenty I won’t!
TK: So what does the remainder of the summer look like for Ben Strevens?
BS: Well this is something I never thought I’d be saying as everyone begins pre-season training, I’m off to Spain with the family for the week. I’ve got the final part of my teaching qualification to finish, two assignments are done and the last one has to be in by 17th July.
And then once that is out of the way I need to be out watching games being prepared in case something comes up. I’ve got applications in for youth team roles, in some colleges where they’re starting up football programs and someone might still phone me up and ask me to come in and help them as a coach short term as well but you just keep moving whatever happens.
Then start to look at 10-15 games into the season and people will start losing their jobs, not nice but it’s the way it is and a chance maybe for me to get back into the game.
I know I’ll be ready, that moment could come at any time and I need to make sure I’ve been out there watching at all levels looking at those who could make a difference if I get somewhere.
I’m happy to be involved at any level and with a position within a club, that might be a first team manager it might not and I’m fine with that I just know I want to be involved in football in some capacity.
If not I’ll be off to watch games as a fan, at Barnet, Eastleigh or even Southend as Daz is there, and then maybe it’s not meant to be and I’ll transition off to do something else.
My thanks to Ben for his time and hopefully he’ll be back in the game in some capacity sooner rather than later.
