Eastern Counties Football League
Haverhill Rovers explain sudden departure of another manager
O'Callaghan left the club yesterday after only four months in the job
Fergus O'Callaghan
Haverhill Rovers agreed to a mutual parting of ways with former manager Fergus O'Callaghan as they didn't want to be a 'safety net'.
The former Ipswich Town Women Development manager was only appointed to the New Croft hot seat four months ago, but departed yesterday following an approach from another of his former clubs, Walsham-le-Willows.
O'Callaghan spent some time in charge of Walsham, who like Rovers play in the Eastern Counties Premier, last season, and last week parted company with their manager.
"We had a seven-day approach from Walsham last Thursday for Fergus, and we talked to him after Saturday's game to let him know," said Rovers chairman Ali Shulver.
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"When we told him he turned around and said he wanted to speak to them, so we asked Fergus if he was offered the job, would he be tempted to take it.
"He said he would be, and we understand that because they're his local club. But we can't afford to wait around and see as we have a team to be managed.
"We can't be his safety net, we only want people who are 100 per cent committed to the job. We need to keep our own shop in order, and in the end it was a mutual agreement."
Rovers moved immediately to appoint O'Callaghan's assistant, James Bloomfield, as his permanent successor, and the 26 year old will take charge for the first time in tonight's Suffolk Premier Cup tie at home to Needham Market.
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"James is a young lad but we have every confidence in him," said Shulver. "He was at the club already and knows the club already, and he's done some good work for us."
Bloomfield becomes Rovers' fourth mamager inside a year following the departures of Marc Abbott, Stuart Wardley and now O'Callaghan.
"The trouble is, we've now got a reputation for swapping managers, but it's mainly through other clubs coming in for them, so we must be doing something right," Shulver added.
O'Callaghan has not yet been named as the new manager at Walsham, who had Trevor Collins in charge as caretaker manager for their game on Saturday.
Meanwhile, former Middlesbrough and Reading striker Leroy Lita, who has been coaching youngsters at the club, will step up to first team coach.