John Lavery: “We WILL win a trophy”

John Lavery is back, and make no mistake about it, he is looking to pick up from exactly where he left off in the BBL 15 months ago when his Cheshire side were on the verge of preventing Newcastle Eagles’ clean sweep of the 2011-12 campaign.

“To lose by five points on the aggregate was sickening,” said Lavery reminiscing on that second leg semi-final, where Eagles’ Joe Chapman caught fire just when his side needed it most, “If you’d been in that locker room after the game, you’d have realised what went on, we should have pulled out the win, but we didn’t.”

And that is something the man who won the final Coach of the Month award that season wants to rectify.

Last summer when the uncertainty of the future of Cheshire Jets first arose, businessman Haydn Cook stepped in and chose, instead of keeping on Lavery, to appoint former Jets captain, James Hamilton, as head coach. Hamilton left the role, and whilst Lavery revealed he did discuss coming back, nothing came to any fruition, and soon after the BBL took control of the franchise after doubts concerning fixtures being completed due to Cook’s admission to the league that running costs were “greater than expected”.

The franchise, thanks to the supporters and local businesses coming together, was saved and reborn as a Community Interest Club were ‘Cheshire Phoenix‘, but despite making it to the semi-final of the BBL Trophy, there was to be no end-of-season playoff journey, finishing in 11th position in the BBL Championship; what did shine through was the spirit from the players who were left high and dry.

“I have a lot of admiration, especially for the players last year, they stuck through it, thick and thin,” the returning head coach began by saying. “There was a lot of upheaval, so you have to tip your hat to those guys for staying in the country; getting thrown from pillar to post with who was in charge one day, and who was in charge another. Obviously with the fans saving the club, getting Andrew [Donaldson] and Terry [Hearfield] on board, now the future looks bright and lot of  positive things that are getting done off the court, which is a really good sign.”

“To save the club was massive, the Jets history goes back a long, long way, and Mike Burton has been part of that set-up for many, many years ago,” said Lavery, who was played for the team in the 1991/92 season under the guidance of Burton, “To just lose that, would have been a huge thing, so it was extremely important for the fans to fight and keep it alive.”

“We’re going to make sure there is a big push to get that brand out there in the community so everyone is aware of who the CHESHIRE PHOENIX actually are.” – John Lavery

2011/12 was Lavery’s season at the helm, after two years working as Paul Smith’s right hand man, and despite having dipped his toe in the water, he knows that there is more to experience in the season ahead.

“The step up [from assistant to head coach] is completely different; the buck stops at you, you make the decisions, you have to get the personnel right, etc. It’s a lot harder than people think it is, but i enjoyed it.

“I told people I would make mistakes in my rookie year, but you learn by them, and taking on the consideration of what we are doing this year, there will again be times after a game where I’ll go ‘Maybe I could have done this? Or maybe I could have gone changed it a little bit here and there?’, things like that. It was all a learning curve, where everyday you step on court to practice or game time,” Lavery went on to say.

As Cheshire Phoenix weave their way towards the start of their first full season as a fan-owned organisation, has that put more pressure on Lavery coming back into the fray, or does his selection allow for Phoenix a complete break to march on under their new guise in the quest for silverware?

“There were a few people going for the job, and after my interview I was offered the position,” Lavery revealed, “But I feel the board have faith in me, they wouldn’t have given to me in the first place otherwise, and I hope I can repay that faith and deliver a trophy for them and the supporters.

“Myself, Terry and Andrew all have the same goal; we want to win and put a winning team on the floor, and we want to win trophies, that’s good for the three of us to be singing off the same page, hopefully I’ll put the right team on the floor.

Coming in with such determination may be all well and good, and according to the man in charge, he feels the fans will be fully behind him, but after a disappointing end to last season, what does he believe Phoenix’s realistic chances are when fast forwarding to April and May 2014?

Defiantly, without hesitation, with a steely look and a new found Phoenix fire in his eyes, Lavery let it be known only one result would be happening.

“We will win a trophy – it’s as short and sweet as that.”

• There is more from John Lavery, the returning Cheshire Phoenix head coach, tomorrow on UKAmericanSportsFans.com

• Cheshire Phoenix season tickets are still on sale for the upcoming BBL season – visit cheshirephoenix.co.uk for more information and how to book yours today.