Photography by Stuart Tree
Corinthian-Casuals Women are delighted to announce the appointment of Dean Gaynor as our first manager since reforming.
Dean joins shortly after the reformation of the women’s setup at the club and now has the task of putting together a squad ready to join the seventh tier of the pyramid next season beginning with the first set of trials this Tuesday evening.
We caught up with him at King George’s Field, where he took in the surroundings and the history of the club, before telling us how much he is looking forward to getting to work.
Dean, welcome to the club. How does it feel to be named the first manager of the reborn Corinthian-Casuals Women’s team?
Very exciting. I can’t wait to get started. What I’m most looking forward to is getting a team together and getting the mentality right straight away. That’s probably the best thing about being first in the door. I’ve got a clean slate – I don’t have to change anyone’s mindset or anything. I can start from scratch, which is really good.
We’re starting with open trials on Tuesday. What is your approach to building a team?
I need a team with a good spirit, so at the trials I can see what I need, what fits my philosophy, what players I need, and go from there. I believe in attacking football and players that will work hard for each other. I don’t need flashy, “I can do it all on my own” players, because you’re never going to win anything that way. It’s about working together as a team. I like having good, talented players as long as they are part of a team and help push everyone forward. It’s about togetherness – that’s a massive thing in my football teams and something I’ve always instilled. Everyone is one. Even if you’re on the bench and you’re angry that you’re not in the team, remember that when the team wins a trophy, you’re still going to win, you’re still as much a part of it as everyone else. You all have to be in it together.
Why did you want to get involved in women’s football?
I have three daughters and I want to show them that it’s not all about men’s football. There is nothing to stop women achieving what men have in this game. I think empowering women is a good thing, and that’s my task. The energy and enthusiasm that everyone in the women’s setup has is only going to help me more, and strive to do good things. I can tell everyone’s really excited and up for the challenge, so it’s really good to be around that.
Have you got a glimpse of this club’s significance on your first visit to the ground?
Yeah, and I want us to bring more history to the club. I want, in a 100 years’ time, people to remember this time. I want to bring more trophies in to this clubhouse, enjoy more celebrations like the ones on the walls here, and I think we can do that. That’s my main aim. Let’s make a mark on this club.
If you’re interested in getting involved as a player or a volunteer at Corinthian-Casuals Women, please contact our general manager Paul Mitchell at [email protected]
