New boss Naim Rouane has a 'lot to offer' Lancing

Lancing unveiled the 34-year-old as Mark Pulling’s successor earlier today.

It will provide Rouane with his first taste as a senior manager.

But he is not daunted by taking charge at the club he captained to Peter Bentley Cup glory in 2016 and secured a fourth-placed SCFL Premier Division finish in the same season.

Rouane also went onto skipper Haywards Heath Town at Bostik League level after leaving the Culver Road outfit.

And combined playing alongside joint management duties at Heath’s under-18s last season.

David Altendorff, who was joint manager with Rouane last term, has been named Lancing’s head coach/assisstant manager.

Meanwhile another of his Haywards Heath team-mates from the previous campaign, Kane Louis, has become assistant manager/player.

And Rouane is excited at the prospect of taking charge at a club he skippered.

He said: “I just felt it was the right time (to move into management).

“I’ve been struggling to get my fitness back to play how I want to play.

“I love my football so I didn’t want to come out of the game.

“I feel I have a lot to offer in the management department.”

Having played at Lancing previously, the club’s playing principles and facilities were also a key part in him taking up the role.

Rouane added: “The style of play that I want to implement is ideal with regards to the surface and the facilities.

“Being at the club for two years and captaining the side to silverware, I enjoyed my football there.

“I enjoyed the surface, I enjoyed the changing room and everything about the club, so it seemed a good fit.”

Rouane has already identified a list of players he wants to bring to the club.

But believes things will become a lot clearer in terms of his playing squad over the coming weeks.

And he is refusing to set any targets for his first season in senior management.

“I’ve got names that I want to bring in, David has players in mind and so does Kane," Rouane added.

"I’ve got two unbelievable assistants and we’ll know a lot more in the coming weeks.

“But I don’t want to set any targets.

“I want to have a look at who we can recruit, what we can pull together and then assess our targets from that point.”