Packman wanted by top clubs

SACKED Sylvans manager Richard Packman is in demand among Guernsey's other top clubs. Vale Rec and Northerners want him to join their coaching set-ups and it is understood that he is also high on the shortlist to fill the vacant manager's job at St Martin's.

Reliable sources have told the Guernsey Press that Packman was interviewed for the Saints job 'a few days ago', but club president Henry Davey yesterday refused to confirm or deny those reports.

'We drew up a shortlist after Steve Ogier resigned and we have tried to speak to those coaches who we think would be appropriate as soon as possible,' said Davey.

'I'm not going to say who is on or not on that shortlist, but I will say it's not all that long. It's a case of speaking to the few names to see whether they'd be interested and to see whether they and our club would be compatible.'

Vale manager Ray Blondel and North president Dave Finn were less guarded.

Blondel admitted offering Packman a senior coaching position at the Corbet Field and Finn conceded that he was considering inviting Packman to assist manager Geoff Tardif at Northfield.

Blondel approached Packman less than 48 hours after the Londoner was dropped by Sylvans last month.

Packman was fired on the evening of Monday 7 July and Blondel made the offer on the morning of Wednesday 9 July.

'I phoned Richard and offered him a way back into local football if he still wanted to be involved,' said Blondel.

'We've had a bit of a go at each other through the Press while in opposite dugouts because we had jobs to do in the interest of our own clubs, but I respect Richard and I believe he's a very good coach.

'I'd have been a bit stupid not to have offered him something with us.'

Packman is yet to respond to Blondel's advance, possibly because he is holding out for a more substantial offer from another club. He said yesterday that he would shortly discuss the matter further with Blondel.

Should Saints offer him their manager's post, Packman would almost certainly find the lure of making a swift return to the game as a manager irresistible.

Even if Saints do not offer him the job and he does not fancy moving to the Corbet Field, he could still return to football with North.

'We're still looking for an assistant to Geoff and Richard would be a good appointment for us,' said Finn.

'He is a good man. People have spoken highly of him and it would be good to see him stay in the game. We'd like to have him with us for sure.'

Packman admitted that he was considering an offer from Vale, but did not wish to comment on the possibility of joining Saints or North.