Rochdale have been boosted by the news that Caretaker boss Keith Hill and Assistant Dave Flitcroft have agreed three year contracts that will tie them to the Lancashire club.
Former Youth supremo Keith Hill took charge of first team affairs following the departure of Steve Parkin in December. Hill’s 22 games at the helm have seen the Dale rise from the foot of the table into a mid table spot just outside the play-offs.
A recent defeat at Barnet has now extinguished any faint hopes of reaching Wembley this season but he can justifiably be proud of a sequence that has included 12 wins and 6 draws.
Hill states:
“Everything we’ve tried has so far seemed to have worked, we have implemented our own training techniques, we are specific with regards to the time of training, where, when and how we train and we’ve used our own management skills to motivate the players.”
Hill appears to be relishing the job of being ‘The Gaffer’ but is still mindful that youth development has a crucial part to play in clubs futures.
“I’ve still got my eye on developing the kids here into first team players, by doing that it will hold the club in good stead for the future.”
While obvious high points have included the thrashing of Macclesfield, MK Dons and history making Stockport County, Hill is still not fully satisfied and the good news for all Dale fans is that he is looking for ‘Dale’ to replicate their end of season form next term.
“Since I’ve been in charge here the run we’ve had has actually been promotion form. We have a good nucleus of squad to work with for next season, it’s now a case of adding one or two and bringing a couple of kids on and if we can do that it will give us a good opportunity of challenging for at least a play-off spot next season.”
