New Stevenage manager has had to utilise all sorts of skills in his first week

Teddy Sheringham, Stevenage’s new manager, says life in charge of a League Two football club is ‘very different’ to how he envisaged.

The former England front man has already knuckled down to his new role, signing three new players, missing out on a few others, and leading training sessions at Boro’s base at Bragbury End.

He didn’t, however, expect to have to unearth some architectural skills within a week of the start of pre-season.

“The changing rooms at [the Lamex Stadium] are old, and smaller than a lot of others. It’s 2msq short of FA regulations,” explained Sheringham.

“So, on one of my first afternoons, I had to design a new first-team dressing room. Do you expect to do that as a new manager in one of your first afternoons? The secretary came to me and said ‘we’ve got to enlarge it – want do you want to do?’ I spent the next two-and-a-half hours designing where doors were, where showers could be moved to, where corridors could be put in.

“Hopefully we’ve utilised it now, and there’s a bit of sunlight coming in from somewhere.”

Feng Shui of the dressing room aside, Sheringham admitted dealing with agents has been a challenge but an expected part of the job.

As for the squad, the new boss is happy with what he’s got, saying he’s got a lot of clever players and a good atmosphere. Still, there’s definitely scope to bring in two or three more.

“We’ve got a very small squad so we’re looking to bring in two or three more players at least,” he said. “

But I like what I’ve got – the basis of what we’ve got looks really good. We’ve haven’t done a lot in regards to team shape and what not but I like the togetherness of the squad.

“There’s a good atmosphere and good characters so if anyone comes in they’ll have to be really good to make our team better.”