Yorkshire Amateur’s new assistant-manager Emeel Mati describes his promotion within the Ammers’ management team as “five years work” come to fruition.
The appointment follows his progressive steps from coaching u12s, then with a semi-professional academy, to now becoming a semi-professional, first-team assistant manager.
Mati currently coaches three different sides; manager of Chapeltown Juniors u13s, assistant manager of Farsley Celtic Academy u23s and now adds Yorkshire Amateur assistant manager to his CV.
All whilst working as a full-time pharmacist, recently appointed within chemotherapy and asceptics at Barnsley hospital.
Mati’s decision to pursue university instead of a Kingstonian FC academy scholarship led him to Leeds due to work. This is where he began volunteering as a football coach at Chapeltown.
Five years later, he’s appointed assistant to The Ammers’ new joint-managers Casey O’Reilly and Jake Boyd.
“In terms of my coaching, [Ammers] has made me think more in-depth tactically, physically and technically, in order to win games,” began Mati. “To set up against men rather than u23s. The game play is totally different – a complete new set of tactics to win games.
“At Ammers, it’s a different challenge, because of the external factors, such as finances, but also the pressures of keeping the club where it belongs, with it’s history.
“In comparison, with Farsley Celtic Academy, we as coaches are there instead to help nurture and develop players to be able to play first-team football, whilst trying to win the league, also”.
A new approach needs to be taken in regards to the outcomes for players at senior level, says Mati.
“Game management, understanding triggers, being more physical. Our players quickly need to learn how to manage games.
“It was always going to be difficult for us, with the majority of the squad coming from the u23s, to be able to compete in these areas immediately.
“With a few additions of proven quality, the team is starting to gel now and understand the level, with improved performances over the last few weeks”.
Wants ahead of Winterton
Mati says ‘time’ will take his new team to levels able to avoid the narrow defeat to Penistone Church in the opening fixture of the new regime, on Wednesday evening.
“With new management, we need time to allow each player to understand their individual roles better. We want to be able to have a clear understanding of how to react to each scenario we face from opposition.
“I know their [Penistone’s] assistant manager well from our UEFA B course. He’s a good manager and he’s drilled his players really well.
“The new management team wanted to imprint our philosophy on the players, go out, get in their faces, distract them from their game plan.
“The first twenty minutes the press was brilliant, it was a really physical game and took the lead. We dropped off for the next twenty minutes and allowed them to play”.
Amateur face a second successive away trip, visiting Winterton Rangers on Saturday afternoon in the NCEL Premier, kick-off at 3pm.
Ticket prices for Winterton: Adults – £6, Concessions – £4, U16s – £2, U10s – £1.