Former O’s captain believes he has learned from past experiences and is ready for another crack at management

Ian Hendon is keen to show he is a good manager after being appointed Leyton Orient head coach last week and that he has learned from his past experience.

The 43-year-old has been a coach at Premier League outfit West Ham United since the summer of 2011 initially as a development coach before being promoted to the first-team.

O’s former captain has also managed Barnet in League Two and had a brief spell with Conference South team Dover Athletic before leaving to become Andy Hessenthaler’s number two at Gillingham.

Although Hendon was sacked as Barnet manager towards the end of the 2009/10 campaign, he believes he did a good job at the north London club.

He steered them away from relegation trouble after being appointed as caretaker boss but the Bees struggled the following year and after a run of five consecutive losses the Londoner left the club.

Barnet did stay up that year and the new Orient head coach believes he has learned a lot since he was last a manager.

“I wouldn’t say I have improved a lot as a manager since my time at Barnet, but I would say I have learnt a lot more,” said Hendon.

“People can take what I did at Barnet how they want but I know I did a good job at that football club with all the circumstances around in and around the club.

“I have no regrets about what happened there and it was a good learning curve for me.

“All I will say now is I have another job and very good backing and I want to prove I am a good manager.

“I have learnt a lot more since my time at Barnet and I want to put that to the test this season and see where we go.”

Hendon was keen to look forward in his opening press conference and not dwell on the mistakes made last season.

Orient ended up having four different managers last year – Russell Slade, Kevin Nugent, Mauro Milanese and Fabio Liverani – and it resulted in them finishing 23rd in the table and suffering relegation to League Two.

A big rebuilding job appears to be in Hendon’s hands with the likes of Scott Cuthbert, Kevin Lisbie and Adam Legzdins departing Brisbane Road.

However the new O’s boss is confident about the future and adamant exciting times are on the horizon.

“We don’t want to dwell on last season. Mistakes were made,” added Hendon.

“What is done is done. It is about moving forward and getting everybody behind what we are going to try and achieve.

“As the chief executive Alessandro Angelieri said, mistakes have been made but we can’t go back on that.

“Let’s look forward and this is a new chapter for everybody and I can’t keep stressing it is exciting times for this football club.”