Dennis Annear looking to the future at Porthleven
12:30pm Wednesday 26th September 2012 in Sport
By Simon Larkins, Sports Editor
Former Cornwall county goalkeeper Dennis Annear says he is looking to the long term future as his bids to stabilise the fortunes of Carlsberg South West Peninsula League club Porthleven.
Dennis was appointed as Port’s new first team manager last week following a turbulent few years for the club.
Despite reaching the semi-finals of the Cornwall Senior Cup in March, the Fishermen have struggled the past 12 months at the wrong end of the CSWPL division one west table.
A difficult summer also saw star striker Rob Carey leave to join Jolly’s Combination League side Mullion, while captain Chris Strike and midfielder Jordan Adlard went to local rivals Helston Athletic.
Then in late August, when manager John Dent resigned, the club were left searching for the third manager in the space of a year.
However Annear, who is taking his first role in management, says it’s time for Port to look to the future.
Speaking after his first game in charge against Penzance, Annear, said:
“I have come down here with the vision of years to come.
“I know you had Stevie Allen come on today (against Penzance) and you had Shaun Halford out there, but you have mostly got boys that are 21 or under playing for Porthleven. You have got a 16 year-old who has just come off the bench today as well.
“So it is not about now, it is about putting in place things for the next two or three years. As long as Porthleven want me, I’m happy to come in here and bring some youngsters through and hopefully turn them into good players. This year we want to finish mid-table. If we can get that then we will be happy, but it is not all about the here and now.”
Asked what attracted him to the position at Porthleven, Dennis, added: “It is my first managerial appointment. I have managed to get some good guys around me. Symon Winnan and Steve Allen have joined the club and there is Daryll (Hunter) already here as well. I have played for a few years and I felt I wanted to give something back.
“I have heard some good reports (about Porthleven). Everybody you speak to, players who have played down here, say it is superb. There is just genuine people down here and that is what I
like.
“Me and Sy (Winnan) had a good chat about it and then we spoke to the people at Porthleven and said we would come down and do it.”
Dennis lost his first match in charge of Porthleven as they went down to a 2-1 defeat - ironically to Penzance who are managed by Port’s former manager John Dent.
However, Dennis was pleased with the performance of his players who battled hard to take their higher league opponents to extra-time before being undone by a Jimmy England free-kick.
