Don't rule Haven out of NL1 play-offs

Last updated 11:59, Friday, 04 April 2008

MY thoughts go out to Paul Crarey, one of the most genuine blokes I’ve known in the sport.

To be honest, his departure from Whitehaven last week did not come as a huge surprise, though the circumstances, with a stress-related condition, came as a huge shock.

Continuing to work in his roofing business and making the tortuous trip from his Barrow home several days a week for training, allied to the team’s poor form, took its toll. It shows that coaching at League One level remains a full-time job.

On taking the post, Paul warned that he would walk away if things did not work out.

I feared the worst after the awful home defeat to Batley on Easter Monday. He took much longer than previously to emerge for his post-match media chat.

And while he said the right things, about sticking around and improving the team, he was clearly shaken by the result.

Three days earlier he had been understandably upset by the manner of the heavy loss in Haven’s league opener at promoted Featherstone.

Having recently lost key playmaker John Duffy, perhaps the team had suffered a collective loss of confidence.

The truth is that the squad is probably not as strong as in recent years, while others have strengthened.

Club legends Aaron Lester and David Seeds have retired, but that’s not to say Haven can’t prove highly-competitive again this term.

Three games in to the league campaign they lie one place from the foot of the table.

But don’t rule Haven out of having a major say in the play-offs.

We’ll never now know if the squad would eventually have adapted to Paul Crarey’s game plan, though I’d like to think so.