Huw Jenkins: More interest to be Newport County's new boss

South Wales Argus

04-05-2025

The Exiles are looking for a new head coach after the departure of Nelson Jardim and chairman Jenkins has said he hopes to make his decision by the end of this month.
That would give County more time to build after a disappointing 2024/25 that saw them avoid a relegation scrap but finish 22nd, the last safe spot in League Two.
Previous manager Graham Coughlan left on June 20, 2024 and Jardim was appointed in the first week of July, initially as lead coach and then head coach.
Former Swansea supremo Jenkins believes the club are in a stronger position than 12 months ago.
'Things have changed,' he said to BBC Radio Wales Sport. 'The perception about Newport County has changed a little bit and some of the conversations we had last summer are different to now.
'We have had many phone calls from people who are interested in putting their name forward. Much, much more than last year.
DECISION: County owner Huw Jenkins is on the hunt for a new boss (Image: Lewis Mitchell/Huw Evans Agency)
'Hopefully that's because they can see we are trying to do something at the club. We are not a Wrexham or Birmingham getting promoted [with big budgets].
'We are a club that has to build slowly and people can see what we are trying to do with the players we have brought in.
'Perhaps there might have been a few eyebrows raised, we could have had a few more wins and been in a better position but we have held our own.
'People can see and feel what we are trying to do as a club and perhaps they may have been reluctant to dip their toes in the water last season and they wanted to see how things went.
'Perhaps they've reconsidered that and feel we can provide as a football club the opportunity for people.'
Jenkins has a longstanding relationship with Jardim from their time together in Swansea and insisted his appointment 'definitely wasn't a mistake'.
BOSS: Nelson Jardim was head coach for just under a season at County (Image: Huw Evans Agency)
'There is nobody who could've worked harder than Nelson,' said the chairman, with the Portuguese coach having to work with an inexperienced squad.
Jenkins will not waver from his approach but recognises the need to make some small but significant shifts if they are to enjoy a stronger 2025/26.
'We can't hide from the fact we have struggled to find consistency. We started off in a reasonable way, winning a few games and then went on period of losing a few.
'That sort of form continued through the season, every time we thought we were getting somewhere we went backwards, and when we would go backwards we somehow found something that got us forward again.
"It's slightly been below the word comfortable but overall I think we've got to take it on the chin.
'It's not been ideal and what we wanted but we've got to quickly move on and make sure we learn a few lessons from this year and make sure we're better next year.'