Ebbsfleet make quick appointment of new manager to replace Danny Searle

Ebbsfleet make a quick appointment of new manager to replace Danny Searle with Harry Watling coming in to try and get them out of the drop.

The 34 year has most recent experience as first-team coach in the Scottish Premier League with Glasgow Rangers and before that he was first-team coach at Championship side QPR.

Now he is tasked with improving their form, with the Fleet currently sitting bottom of the National League table with just 2 points from 8 games played, and 0 wins so far.

Ebbsfleet United are pleased to announce the appointment of Harry Watling as the club’s manager ahead of our home match against Hartlepool United on Saturday.
Alongside Watling in the Fleet dugout will be assistant manager David Kerslake and first-team coach John Cotton.… pic.twitter.com/TGEjjscmDs

— Ebbsfleet United FC (@EUFCofficial) September 12, 2024

David Kerslake has wide-ranging experience as both a player in the Premier League and a successful coach and assistant manager working with well-known managers at all levels.

John Cotton joins following his time with Charlton Athletic’s academy, most notably the U16s.… pic.twitter.com/KOMuvlRK2Q

— Ebbsfleet United FC (@EUFCofficial) September 12, 2024

CLUB STATEMENT:

Ebbsfleet United are pleased to announce the appointment of Harry Watling as the club’s manager ahead of our home match against Hartlepool United on Saturday.

Watling, 34, has most recent experience as first-team coach in the Scottish Premier League with Glasgow Rangers and before that he was first-team coach at Championship side QPR.

Prior to those high-profile roles at the top end of the Scottish and English games, the new Fleet boss was head coach at USL Championship side Hartford Athletic, spending 18 months from January 2021 in the United States where he broke several records including most goals scored and most clean sheets in his first season.

He was one of the youngest coaches in England to achieve UEFA A, B and Pro licences having started out as an Academy coach for Chelsea aged 20. He spent more than five years at Stamford Bridge before embarking on similar roles at Millwall and West Ham United where he was academy head coach from 2018 to 2021.

Alongside Watling in the Fleet dugout will be assistant manager David Kerslake and first-team coach John Cotton.

Kerslake has wide-ranging experience as both a player in the Premier League and a successful coach and assistant manager working with well-known managers at all levels. As a full-back, he played for QPR and Swindon Town and was part of the Robins team that achieved promotion to the Premier League under Glenn Hoddle in 1993. He then spent four years at White Hart Lane with Tottenham Hotspur. As assistant manager he has achieved promotion with Northampton Town and Nottingham Forest while also serving impressive spells at Watford, Cardiff City, Gillingham, Lincoln City and most recently Blackpool in a long and successful career.

John Cotton joins following his time with Charlton Athletic’s academy, most notably the U16s.

New Fleet boss Watling said on his appointment “I’m delighted to be here. It’s a brilliant setup at Ebbsfleet and it was really important to align myself with a club that allows me to play football on the front foot and the way I want to play it. I want to develop people here, and what I saw on the pitch on Tuesday night, I loved the commitment, the honesty and work rate, and the quality on show. It was a marker for the bare minimum I want to see and now myself, David and John can’t wait to get started in front of the Fleet fans on home soil against Hartlepool on Saturday.”

Fleet CEO Damian Irvine added, “We are very strong on getting the right characters into this football club through rigorous processes, people who are devoted to the job, to the club and to their desire to succeed. Harry is one of those. The footballing world is a small one – players and coaches will know who commands respect and who is capable of leading and delivering results. With a new up-and-coming manager in Harry assisted by someone as hugely respected, experienced and successful in the industry as David Kerslake, our new management team will be getting to work immediately to deliver those results.

“We went through a process back in January for a new manager and so it hasn’t been a process we’ve had to start again from scratch when it came to do so this time. We’ve done our due diligence, we’ve done our groundwork and our planning and we’ve been able to move quickly to secure the right people with the right credentials who are very highly regarded in football coaching circles to take this club forward.”

Here’s how fans reacted as Ebbsfleet make quick appointment of new manager to replace Danny Searle…

@tomhwilliams23: As far as appointments in National League go, I’d say this is one of the more exciting. Harry Watling is a highly rated coach, and from my (albeit limited) interactions with him, he seems an astute and very aware character. Element of risk attached; but potentially high reward 🤞

@NigelPlumb: Never heard of this guy. A bit underwhelming to be honest but of course we need to get behind him and the team. Anyway welcome to the club Harry.

@philreeves08: Good luck to Harry. For me a very risky appointment with no experience of the league at all. Interesting that Damian has gone for someone who has only ever been a coach but hopefully we can produce the results we need to climb out of the pit we are in.

@s_webb83: Done well in the states tbh. Yh not the best of leagues but neither is this one. How about get behind the guy. He knows he’s stuff and has good people with him.

@Mike_Sewell: Quite an exciting appointment. Welcome to the club!

@joe_field3: No one with managerial experience… where’s the proper appointment

@FleetDieHard: Is it a good move or is it a panic rushed move? I have no idea to be honest. Let’s see how the next few weeks pan out and get behind the new management team from the start. #utf #eufc #FleetDieHard

@TheFleetZone: Wasn’t expecting that! Watling has coached at a very high level in his career but hadn’t had much management experience, will be very interesting to do a thread on him, welcome Harry 🔴⚪️

@DB1993: Interesting appointment – could be a coup considering he was in the running for the Plymouth job a few months back. Kerslake has massive experience so will hopefully be a guiding hand. #EUFC

@JoshPeck_92: Not sure how to feel about this. Could be a masterstroke. Could fail miserably. Who knows.

@ARLukomski: Will keep an eye on this. He was rumoured to be on Plymouth’s shortlist earlier this year. Someone I put on a list of potential candidates for the Notts job in January

@trevk37: Interesting choice. Most will see it as a left field appointment against the grain, can he hit the ground running on Saturday? Very swift appointment too.

@DarranPearce: Interesting choice and seemingly has no experience of non league football at all which I always consider a negative