Dulwich Hamlet set to interview boss candidates next week – and interim head coach Paul Barnes wants to be considered

Paul Barnes is keen on becoming Dulwich Hamlet manager on a full-time basis.

The National League South side named him as their interim head coach on September 15 after choosing not to extend the contract of Gavin Rose, who had been at the helm since 2009 and won two promotions.

Dulwich are set to start interviewing a shortlist of candidates from the start of next week – Barnes will be one of them.

“Since coming in as interim I’ve let it be known I’d like to be considered for the role longer term,” said Barnes, who has 20 years of coaching or managing at  the likes of Greenwich Borough, Welling United, Staines Town and, most recently, Redhill.

“The club put out for applications to apply for the role. I know there will be some strong candidates, and why shouldn’t there be? The club has got great support and is going in the right direction.

“I’ve been told that I’ll be considered, like anybody else. At the moment it is a little bit different for me because I’m probably doing part of my interview, as in I am taking the team.

“It’s making sure we stick to our values. The way that we’re trying to get the team to play is one that I think is the Dulwich way. We want to be known as a footballing side and to get the ball down and play. We want to entertain the crowd at Champion Hill.

“I finished last season and started this season with Redhill. After my last role it was probably a bit of a surprise for them to take someone from step five – to jump up to step two. But I’ve got plenty of experience on my CV, both managing and assistant managing at the levels, I’ve got good relationships with players and people around the game.

“That probably contributed in the club making the decision to bring me in. I feel great pride to be asked.

“It was quite surreal. I was sat at home on the Sunday and I saw the news break [about Rose]. Like probably everyone, I was shocked. Then you start talking about what kind of names are going to be linked with it and who is going to be going in.

“The following day I got a phone call from the chairman.

“I know the chairman, some of the players and some of the people around the club – we’ve always stayed in touch to talk about how I see the game and how it should be developed.

“I’ve had a relationship, always from a distance. I was asked about helping in this transitional period and potentially having a part to play in helping the club develop. It’s an opportunity that doesn’t come around very often. Anyone in their right mind would jump at it.”

Dulwich have won three of their opening five matches under Barnes.

A first league victory since the opening day, 3-0 at Cheshunt 10 days ago, lifted them out of the relegation zone. But they were knocked out of the FA Cup by lower league opposition at home last weekend as Folkestone Invicta prevailed 1-0 despite former Hamlet player Nathan Green being red carded.

So what should be the objective for the South Londoners this season?

“It’s almost consolidation now, with such a big change,” said Barnes. “Gavin had been here for years and was such a figurehead and legend. Kads [Junior Kadi], his assistant, had been here for years.

“It’s a consolidation season because it is about resetting and just getting across the new ideas of the  new head coach or manager who gets the job long term.

“It is about assessing and working with the people at the club to identify what the club wants to be long term, how they see it and align themselves across the whole club. It needs to keep building links with the community.

“It’s an exciting time but it’s always an awkward time when you change a manager. We need to push on from a first-team perspective. If it was me then I’d want to finish as high as possible.

“If we can start picking up points and pushing on then who knows where it can take us.”

Rose led Dulwich to the FA Cup first round in 2019, losing 4-1 to Carlisle in front of the BBC cameras.

This time their journey went no further than the third qualifying round.

“I think some of our players just expected to win,” said Barnes. “They turned up on the back of a really good away win at Cheshunt.

“We played okay at times but it wasn’t to the same standard that we had set before that.

“Lady Luck was against us. I lost track of the amount of chances we made – we hit the bar a couple of times, had one off the inside of the post and had a goal disallowed.

“Folkestone defended brilliantly. It just wasn’t our day. I was gutted, not only for me but everyone connected to the club.”