Orient boss pleased with managerial start and praises recent additions Nicky Hunt and Shaun Brisley
Leyton Orient player-manager Kevin Nolan isn’t bothered about being one of the youngster managers in the Football League.
Only Stevenage’s caretaker boss Darren Sarll, born February 1983, is younger than the former West Ham United captain in the top four English divisions.
Nolan is eight months older than Sarll, but 33 isn’t very old to be a manager at a professional club.
Even though the O’s boss lacks experience as a boss, it hasn’t shown as his team have been very impressive since he took charge.
Victories at Portsmouth and Wycombe Wanderers have caught the eye and Nolan managed to play 70 minutes at Fratton Park last weekend as well.
He said: “Everyone keeps saying I am old but I am only 33! There is a lot of people that I have looked at for the last couple of years and spoke to them when I was doing my B license this year.
“I watched how certain managers done things so I have always been trying to grasp that because I knew it would happen at some point.
“Being one of the youngster manager doesn’t bother me, I am really enjoying it and I loved it at Portsmouth. It was great to be out there with the lads and be amongst it.
“I trust Andy Hessenthaler and Lee Harrison with everything and the decisions they make so it was great. What we worked on during the week has come off so I am delighted.
“Although I am bit gutted I couldn’t get my first goal and gutted Jay Simpson couldn’t get one either, but hopefully we save it for another day.”
Simpson and Nolan missed great opportunities to score at Portsmouth as O’s could have easily won by more than one goal.
In the end Jobi McAnuff’s strike was enough to give them the points as the new defenders Nicky Hunt and Shaun Brisley shined.
The pair made their debuts at Fratton Park and were praised by the Orient manager after the full time whistle.
Nolan added: “Obviously Nicky is a good friend of mine on and off the field. We are really close through our Bolton years and still kept in touch.
“When I realised he was available and that we could get him I thought it was a no-brainer because I knew the quality he has and what he could bring us with his experience and his ability on the ball as well as his defensive capabilities.
“With Shaun I went a lot with what ‘Hessy’ said and watched a lot of videos before we got him in. I thought he did everything we needed and wanted and what we needed as a team and a back four.
“I’m delighted with Shaun and that we were able to get him until the end of the season, and hopefully he will get fitter now and get better so we keep on keeping clean sheets.
“It is such an amazing feeling when we do get clean sheets. The quality we have got on the ball all around the pitch, I am expecting that we are going to get chances and hopefully I’ll start putting them away and Jay so we can make it easier for those lads at the back to keep a clean sheet.”
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