Ashford Athletic head coach Shane Petersen admits he is still finding his feet in his first full season at the helm but insists he is relishing both the challenges and responsibilities that come with the role.
After a satisfactory return of one win and one defeat from their opening two league fixtures, Ashford now turn their attention to a difficult away assignment against league newcomers Vasco da Gama at Parow Park on Saturday afternoon (15:00).
For Petersen, the step up to head coach has brought increased demands, but also a greater sense of ownership and accountability.
“I’m definitely still navigating it all.,” Petersen acknowledged to No Bones with Jones. “This league has already thrown up plenty of surprises, even at this early stage of the season. The demands are certainly much greater, but with that comes full responsibility and accountability, which is something I’m excited about and fully embracing. I’m taking it one training session and one game at a time.”
Like many clubs competing at this level, Ashford have encountered their fair share of obstacles off the field. However, Petersen credits the support around him for helping the club maintain its focus.
“As you know, there are always challenges within clubs at this level, but having a strong technical team and management behind me makes a big difference,” he explained. “We face each challenge, find solutions and move forward. It’s about adapting, making decisions and keeping everyone moving in the right direction.”
Despite admitting there is still plenty to learn, Petersen is enthusiastic about the project unfolding at Ashford and remains confident in both his methods and the club’s direction.
He further stated: “I’m genuinely excited about the journey ahead. It’s my first full season as a head coach, and I’m embracing every part of it. There’s a lot to learn, but I’m confident in myself, my ideas and what we’re trying to build. Step by step, session by session, game by game.”
Attention now shifts to Vasco da Gama, who are still searching for their first points of the campaign. Petersen, however, is refusing to place any significance on his opponents’ early struggles.
“It’s certainly a big away fixture against a club with plenty of history, and we know what to expect at Parow Park,” he said. “We’re coming off a good win, and that gives us confidence and momentum going into this one. We know what we’re capable of, we know how we want to play, and it’s important that we stick to our principles, trust the process and execute our game plan.”
With confidence growing after last week’s victory, Ashford travel to Parow Park focused firmly on their own performance rather than Vasco’s league position.
“We’re going there with belief, confidence and one objective: to get the job done,” he concluded.
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