O’Callaghan looking forward to Racing Club challenge

O’Callaghan, who guided Redditch United to Southern Premier League survival last season alongside Graham Hyde, joins a club facing a player exodus and still beset by off-the-field wranglings with Warwick District Council.

However the former Woodford, Southam United and Stockton manager insists he would not have it any other way.

“I miss being a number one and it ticked all the boxes for me,” said O’Callaghan.

“It’s local and it’s a challenge.

“I’ve turned down jobs before when I’ve thought it would be too easy to go into the clubs.

“You’ve got to keep testing yourself and this is a good test.

“I think we can do a good job, but it’s going to be difficult.

“Racing Club have fallen down the pecking order locally.

“There’s Leamington Southam, Whitnash, Stockton and then Racing Club.

“We’re competing with all these teams to get the best local talent and it’s a tough environment.

“But we want to be top of that list and we’ll work hard to achieve it.”

O’Callaghan says in addition to success on the pitch it is imperative that Racing Club reconnect with the Warwick community and entice disillusioned fans back to Townsend Meadow.

He has brought in Tony Clarke, who used to play for the club and still lives in the town, as assistant manager, and says as well as helping him tap into the wealth of talent in the district, the former Rugby Town assistant boss will help project a more professional outlook.

“A lot of the old boys have given up on Racing Club,” he said.

“What we want to do is get more people down and that’s all about having local players.

“We want to go back to the club being local and progress it.

“It’s about getting a stability and building a foundation.

“We need to get all the teams down there singing off the same hymn sheet and be a bit more professional, which me and Clarkey will help add.”

The duo face a tough task to rebuild the squad, with the bulk of the first team expected to leave following Knight’s resignation and subsequent appointment at Studley.

O’Callaghan has already been working hard to form the nucleus of next season’s side and says players considering a move to Warwick will find a club with a positive future.

“I’m under no illusions.

“I don’t expect any of the current squad to come back.

“The players are loyal to Lee and I’ve no problem with that.

“I’ve been busy speaking to people and hopefully we’ll get a lot of those to come over and have a little look at us.

“I’ve already been impressed with Tony’s drive and enthusiasm and players will find we’ve got more to offer than most.”

 Racing Club rounded off their campaign with a 3-1 defeat at Walsall Wood, Luke Fuller scoring their goal.

Meanwhile, Danny Charlton picked up both the player of the season and the players’ player of the season awards at the end-of-season presentation evening.

Promising defender Jamie Vadasz took the youth team award.