Caddis talks King's Lynn recruitment and 'players I've worked with before'

Paul Caddis

Former Hereford boss Paul Caddis says he is determined to prove doubters wrong at King’s Lynn Town after admitting he was not the supporters’ first choice for the role, and has urged fans to give him six months.

Caddis, who guided the Linnets to National League North survival in the final 12 games of the season, secured safety on goal difference with a goalless draw at Chester on the final day. He is now preparing for a major summer rebuild at The Walks.

“I understand I might not have been everybody’s first choice - maybe not even their fifth or sixth,” he told the Lynn News. “I just ask people to be patient, give us an opportunity and get behind us.”

A key part of that rebuild will be recruitment, with Caddis insisting the club will move quickly to identify targets who fit his style of play. He also acknowledged there will inevitably be speculation around players he has previously worked with.

“There will naturally be players linked with us who I’ve worked with before,” Caddis said. “There are players who want to come back, players wanting to step up and others looking to move full-time.”

However, he stressed recruitment will not simply be about familiarity, but suitability and detail in decision-making.

He said: “I don’t just look at a player and think: ‘He’s decent, let’s sign him’. We do background work on everything. What’s his injury history? What’s he like around the group? Has he played full-time before? Can he handle pressure?”

Caddis added that personality and adaptability will be just as important as ability as he reshapes the squad.

“The difficult thing is when you look at a part-time player who’s scored goals in the division below, you’re not just paying wages, you might also have to look at employment opportunities for them as well,” he explained.

“There’s so much to consider. Personality matters. How will they cope in a full-time environment? What are they like when things are tough?”

The former Bulls manager says he is also looking for a more dynamic style of play next season, moving away from the pragmatic approach used during the survival run-in.

“We won’t play in the same style we did during those 12 games,” he said. “It was about simplicity and survival. Now it’s about bringing in players with athleticism, pace and power.”

Caddis, who has assistant Adam Rooney at King's Lynn, has asked supporters to reserve judgement until his squad has had time to settle.

“Get behind us, stick with us and judge us after five or six months,” he said.