Ex-Fleet boss ready to return

Dennis Kutrieb, the former manager of Ebbsfleet, hopes to take on an English football challenge next.

With a record-breaking point total in 2023, Kutrieb won the National League South, but he was let go by the Fleet early the following year.

The 44-year-old German, who is prepared to return to management, has used the opportunity to refuel.

“I’ve spoken with clubs a few times, but I wasn’t prepared at the time,” Kutrieb stated. “I am eager to see what the next opportunity would bring, but I wanted to make sure I was prepared when I seized it.

“Managers don’t have much time for introspection because games happen quickly and in large quantities. As you rush from one game to the next, you can ensure that the players and the squad are doing well, but you really don’t have time to take care of yourself.

“It was a great opportunity for me to take stock of who I am, where I excel, and where I still have room for improvement. From that vantage point, taking a little break from work strengthens you. I’ve grown psychologically stronger in the last four months.

“As a manager, you ought to improve annually, but in your tiny world, time is not always on your side.

“I’ve taken a break now, watched a tonne of other games, observed how other people operate, and thought about who I am. I’ve observed several methods, and in an ideal world, I ought to be a more capable boss.

“I believe that you should be able to develop yourself as much as possible if you want to be a successful manager.”

Kutrieb had an impressive promotion-filled CV in Germany, but he was unknown in this nation when he joined Ebbsfleet in 2020.

His passing football technique was visually appealing and, most of the time, yielded great outcomes. Without a sure, he’ll fit in well with a lot of these sides, and Kutrieb believes that England—rather than his native country—will be his near future.

He continued, “I’m really grateful for the 90% of the last four years that were fantastic for me.

“I’m ready to be in this country and manage here, that was always the question at the start – can you manage in a different country, in a different language with different mentalities and a different culture?

“I thoroughly enjoyed it and I can’t wait to see what is next waiting for me in this country. I think in this country you have a fair chance to be successful and climb up the pyramid. I definitely want to stay here.

I’ve turned down offers from Germany, particularly from my hometown of Berlin, because I want to move forward in this nation.

“I wouldn’t close anything off at this time. I’ve spoken with National League and National League South (sides), as well as league clubs.

“I feel quite at ease with the way we handled things full-time at Ebbsfleet, where the manager and players benefit much from professionalism. My overall goal remains managing in the Football League; this will not alter.

“The conversations I’ve had have been intriguing, but I want it to be a good fit. I felt four years ago that Ebbsfleet would be the proper club and that we would have a successful story together, so they were perfect for me.

In the 2022 National League South play-off final, Kutrieb’s squad came within a hair’s breadth of promotion, but a year later, they easily won the league championship.

But he was fired at the end of January, with the Fleet fighting relegation as a result of his bad performance.

That meant he never got the chance to work to much extent with Bryant Bilongo, Tommy Fogarty or Declan Skura. But those three key loan signings were all made on his watch.

“I’m still proud that we made some good decisions in bringing loan players in which was quite crucial in the end, bringing Bilongo, Fogarty and Skura,” said Kutrieb, reflecting on his Ebbsfleet departure.

“We made mistakes in our summer hiring, but at least we made some progress in the loan market—we even started with Jack Wakely and brought in Mustapha Olagunju.

Was I taken aback by my dismissal? I’m not sure, but as a manager, you should always be mindful that it might occur when things don’t go your way. We were getting better than we had been in previous months. Being a manager is not something you want to experience, so I wasn’t ready for it.

“It was crucial that they maintained their position in the league. After such a fantastic season, it wouldn’t have been fair to be demoted, therefore I’m delighted they survived and can now continue forward as a team with a fresh roster.

“I wish the club and those concerned the best of luck in their future endeavours. The manager can introduce his own ideology from the beginning of pre-season. I believe that excellent days are ahead, especially in light of the stadium announcement.

I have nothing negative to say about the club because it was my first in the UK, I was greeted warmly by everyone in the town, and the supporters were always incredible. Therefore, I will always consider their results.

“I’ve seen highlights, watched a few games, and was always interested in how the team was doing. I had worked with some of those musicians for two or three years, so it wouldn’t feel right to abruptly say I wasn’t interested in them any longer.

“I spent so much time with the guys that I wanted to check in on them, so that wasn’t me. Even after I departed, they remained kind to me. They understood that I was a nice person and that I was a terrific player, so it went beyond just a player-manager connection.

“When they had a poor game, I didn’t turn against them and try to recruit new players; they appreciated my loyalty.”