Walsall appoint ex-Birmingham, Watford, Shrewsbury, Crawley, Stockport player Mat Sadler as their new permanent head coach.
He permanently replaces Michael Flynn in the dugout, having been their caretaker for the Saddlers’ final three games of the 2022/23 campaign.
They lost 3-2 to Salford, drew 0-0 with Crawley and won 2-1 against Doncaster, but finished the season 16th in League Two with 55 points from 46 games.
đź‘” Walsall Football Club are delighted to announce the appointment of Mat Sadler as our new Head Coach!
👉 https://t.co/8z7ojdqEbM pic.twitter.com/s1LLpq5hhD
— Walsall FC Official (@WFCOfficial) May 18, 2023
CLUB STATEMENT:
Walsall Football Club are delighted to confirm the appointment of Mat Sadler as our new Head Coach. Sadler has been an integral member of the coaching team over the past three seasons and was selected in a thorough evaluation process.
Prior to his coaching career, Sadler enjoyed a playing career that spanned 20 years and 575 appearances, gaining experience across all top four divisions, including highlights of winning promotion to the Premier League with Birmingham City, a Championship play-off run with Watford, and a League One play-off final with Shrewsbury Town. He concluded his playing career at Walsall, captaining the side on multiple occasions and moving into a player/coach role before becoming First Team Coach two years later.
In addition to his First Team coaching responsibilities over the last two seasons, Sadler has played an integral role in the day-to-day connection between the First Team and Academy, and the implementation of the club’s individual player development plans. The 38-year-old led the reserve team in Central League and Central League Cup matches during the 2020/21 and 2021/22 seasons. He also acquired his UEFA Pro License. In April 2023, he became Interim Head Coach following the departure of Michael Flynn.
Co-Chairman Ben Boycott oversaw the extensive recruitment process. “I am both pleased and confident in the appointment of Mat Sadler to be our new Head Coach,” he said.
“His knowledge of and intuition for the game is significant, with a playing career spanning from League Two to the Premier League, international experience with England U17s, U18s, and U19s, and several years now in a coaching and player development capacity at Walsall FC.
“I believe in who he is and who he can become as a football professional, I believe in who he is as a leader, and most importantly I believe in who he is as a man with high integrity, outstanding grit and determination, and strong personal values which match the culture that we are trying to build at Walsall FC.
“I want to thank everyone at the football club – staff, players, supporters – for your patience as we have run a very thorough process. Much was said in the media while this was going on, some of which was true, and much of which was not. We evaluated a vast number of candidates in an open process, and through a series of interviews whittled this down to a group of finalists. We then conducted a detailed process of reference checks, in-person interviews, and technical presentations with each of those finalists. We had many strong candidates for the role, with good experience in various leagues and countries, each of whom was evaluated via the same process and each of whom was given due consideration. Ultimately, at the end of all of that, and with several strong candidates having reached the end of the process and desiring the role, the first and only offer made for the job was to Mat Sadler.
“As I shared in my last note, we are implementing a comprehensive football strategy, spanning from playing identity, to culture, to recruitment, to player development, and on. This is a building process, and I am confident that Mat is the right man, given his values, his resolve, his ambition, and his abilities, to partner with us in building this future, and that he can continue to grow as a coach as we grow as a club. Lastly, I am pleased that Mat is one of the club’s own – he is from the Midlands, he finished his career at Walsall, and I know for a fact that he is deeply invested in the success of this football club.
“The club will now be initiating a similarly thorough vetting process to identify the right assistant coach to support Mat in his new responsibilities.”
Sadler is now looking forward to getting to work in his role as Head Coach.
“Firstly, I can’t wait to get started,” Sadler said. “We’ve gone through the process and in the back of my head was just being desperate to get started so I can’t wait for the opportunity to do that. I want to thank everyone who was part of the process for giving me the opportunity and it’s not one that I take at all lightly – it’s one I have real honour in being asked to do. It goes without saying that I will give it absolutely everything to make sure it’s a success over the coming years.”
“I want to make the point to the fans; we must now be together in this next phase in the football club’s journey. Fans, staff, players – everyone coming together over this next period and showing what a powerful thing that can be will be my rallying cry throughout the whole season, because we won’t achieve anything on our own. We all must be together throughout the wins, throughout the defeats, all of those good times and all of those tough times – we all need to be together throughout all of it and that’s the only way we’ll be successful.”
Boycott concluded: “I’d invite every person around the club to join me in getting behind Mat and the additional staff and players we’re setting up to bring in, as we continue to work to build the club into a more positive future.”
Here’s what fans are saying as Walsall appoint the ex-Birmingham, Watford, Shrewsbury, Crawley, Stockport player as head coach…
@ChrisSteele5191: We dragged that out a fair bit for a already internal appointment. Has earned his shot at the No1 spot but needs backing from a decent No2 now as lack of experience in the market etc scares me a little. Good luck Mat
@AdamHayesWFC: We’re on going on a non league tour 🎶
@richardpjackson: Everyone was loving it when we appointed Flynn and that didn’t exactly go to plan, will get behind Mat and the lads next season & let’s hope we have a good one! 🔴⚪️🟢 #UTS #saddlers
@LukeSmithhh: I welcome this given the football he tried to play was positive, however he needs an excellent backroom to be successful. The pressure on this appointment is massive, get it wrong and we’re done.
@Darren_Rhodes: What an embarrassing appointment. Extremely glad I haven’t renewed.
@RuytonShrew: As a Shrewsbury fan I may not like Walsall, but I love Mat Sadler. He was a great player and a top bloke. I’m delighted for him and, through gritted teeth, wish him luck! I hope we’ll see him back at our place as manager one day… 🔷🔶
@DannyCampbell02: Under qualified.. huge risk.. cheap option
@ArrowsmithLiam: Good luck sadds, I’ll get behind him 100%, baffles me how it’s taken so long for the announcement though, have the club missed out on targets and settled for Sadler?
@StefanoLawrence: This makes sacking Flynn make even less sense. Pay off an experienced manager to gamble on a rookie? Board have literally no clue what they’re doing. If it comes off and I hope it does it’s more luck than judgement. USA OUT.
@Ste_Healy: So the cheap option then. Will probably be replaced in 6 months.
@saddler1982: Good luck to him. Now back him and don’t sack him after a few months. He needs time
@butterzwfc: Great bloke but just not what we needed… Confirmed too me i dont wanna renew… Cheap and easy way out… Gamble, mole and whittakker get out my club!!
@Stuart91378984: Cheap. Rushall better watch over their shoulder.
@robert0wfc: Any chance for a refund on season ticket please
@GMillis: Absolute shocking embarrassing appointment , don’t why I’m so shocked when omelette mole and gamble are still at the wheel stinks off disappointment
@garym2728: Cheap option!! Wrong option!! Can I get my money back on my season tickets
@Stuart91378984: Gone by Xmas. Bring out the coffin.
@shrubby71: BB talks about a change of direction, yet appoint a coach who has been part of that very decline. Very suspicious!! You reap what you sow and they deserve all the flak they get. 5 weeks, no assistant, no structure. Shambolic.
@PhilipMaddox9: Typical Walsall part of 2 failed regimes and we give him the job. He should have gone with Taylor and McDonald never mind with Michael Flynn. Unbelievable
— Kev (@YGASaddler) May 18, 2023
The Birmingham derby with Sollihull isn’t far away pic.twitter.com/a0wDmuYyHS
— Very little context Swindon Town (@0fficalSTFC) May 18, 2023
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