Theterras.com sat down with New Head Coach Tom Prodomo and his brother, goalkeeping coach, Joe at the Bob Lucas Stadium.
Firstly, we spoke to the former Bashley manager and older brother Tom.
Josh Barton: Tom, a new role for you at a new club. How excited and ready are you to get going?
Tom Prodomo: I’m very excited to get started. The work has already started with the rest of the staff and I’m already looking forward to getting going with the first training session and the first game.
JB: You’ve had a little look around the Bob Lucas Stadium, how does it compare to your previous clubs?
TP: I’ve always been lucky with my previous clubs in that there have always been good people around. That’s a really exciting aspect of being here, it’s a big club but it really has that family feel to it. Already, I can see how many people put in hard work and time into the club which is great.
JB: You’ve already met people like Tuney (Dave Tune, kitman), so when you mention family feel to it. He ticks all them boxes?
TP: Everyone has already been really welcoming. I think that is a massive part of a football club, when there is that connection with people. It makes you realise what you are working for and everyone is together singing from the same hymn sheet.
JB: You’ve obviously started your work at the club with the other coaching staff. How have you found your new start with manager Mark Molesley and Assistant Paul Maitland?
TP: I’ve known Mark for a couple of years now and we’ve had a good relationship. We’ve had some really good conversations and challenged each other on a few things. Obviously here at Weymouth, it’s only been the last couple of weeks that we have had an official working relationship. Mark was a massive factor for me deciding to come here. Myself, the rest of the staff and the players can really learn from him and his work ethic. Paul I’ve only really got to know in these past couple of weeks. He really has got this club at heart and he works hard every day which is something we will all do and we have already struck a good relationship amongst the whole coaching staff.
JB: This club has a big fan base for the level it is at and also a very expectant fan base that are desperate for success. What is your message to the supporters at this time?
TP: The supporters are a massive part of this club! I think the staff here are looking at this as a project in that we are trying to establish this Football Club and not just the Football Team! To do this we need to be reaching out to the community and bringing Weymouth back to the level it wants to be at.
JB: You are working with your brother Joe, as you have done with your previous clubs. Mentioning the family theme again, you obviously have that with yourself and your brother Joe.
TP: I won’t hide the fact that it is a privilege to be involved in this club and to be able to share that with my brother is special. We have always had an honest relationship and that will continue here.
We now move on to new Goalkeeping Coach and Tom’s younger brother Joe.
JB: Joe, I’ve just been speaking to Tom and he’s excited to get going. You come to the club again, this time as a Goalkeeping Coach. Can you tell us how excited you are to get going as well?
Joe Prodomo: Massively excited. I’ve been fortunate enough to be here twice before but not for as long as I would have liked! I know what a great club it is and what a great fan base it has and that’s the exciting part, to hopefully help get this club back to where it wants to be. I can’t wait to get started!
JB: You played in that infamous 0-9 game against Rushden and Diamonds back in 2009. How have you moved on in the game from that point?
JP: It was a bit of a baptism of fire! The way I look at it now is that I had a chance to play for a great club in the conference which is something I never really thought I’d do. Since then I’ve been at Wessex League and Southern League level as a player and I’m looking forward to getting started as a coach here.
JB: You and Tom have got a bit of experience from your previous clubs. With the experiences you’ve gained will you be looking to use that at Weymouth?
JP: Yes, absolutely and the key message that we will be going from is hard work. In our previous club there was lots of rebuilding to do and lots of hours were put in. I’m looking forward to this next challenge on a bigger stage.
JB: How much are you looking forward to working with the other goalkeepers at the club, from first team to youth level?
JP: Yes definitely and I think that is a huge part of what we are trying to do here. Tom mentioned about getting this club to be linking between youth, to reserve and then to first team level. What would great for me is to have a first team goalkeeper this season keeping clean sheets and helping us win games and then in a couple of years time having a local youth player be good enough to step into the first team.
JB: Is it just as important developing the club off the pitch as well as on it?
JP: Again, as has been mentioned we want to be really reaching out to the community as well as getting immediate results on the pitch. Progress would be judged by us getting these homegrown players into the Weymouth first team.
JB: Same sort of question as Tom had. You must be looking forward to continuing to work with your brother at Weymouth?
JP: I can only really echo what Tom said. It’s going to be a great honour working at this great Football Club with my brother. Our honest relationship is important as we will question each other when needs be, this ensures that we are making sure we are always on top of our games!
JB: Obviously, it’s not just coaching a team in training sessions and during matches. What will the club be doing from an analytical point of view?
JP: This is a big part of this extended back room team in that we have analysts in place. It’s really important that we are learning game by game as a squad and as a group of staff and that we are improving as individuals. It’s also a point about being complacent. We are a big club with good players but we can’t just turn up and get a result. We’re going to be needing that extra 5-10%, whether that be on the training field in pre-season or reviewing our matches as they happen.
