HAYDEN Bird has spoken of his sadness after former Bromley manager Mark Goldberg’s shock departure last weekend.

Goldberg quit Hayes Lane ahead of Saturday’s 1-0 home defeat to Basingstoke, blaming an ongoing internal conflict behind the scenes which he claimed prevented him from picking who he wanted in the first team.

Bird, who was Goldberg’s assistant, has been placed in charge until the end of the campaign and saw the Lillywhites draw 0-0 at Lewes last night.

But it was Goldberg’s sudden exit which remained the big talking point afterwards and Bird had a different interpretation of events from his predecessor when asked for his views by News Shopper last night.

He said: “Everyone has been saddened by what has happened and it has been difficult but football being football, things move on very quickly.

“There have been issues for quite some time and those issues were we weren’t winning football matches.

“One problem we had was we were 11 points ahead of the team in sixth position and suddenly we found ourselves having teams breathing down our neck and winning their games in hand, so that tells a story things weren’t quite right.

“I was working hard with Mark to get things right but the way he has decided to address the situation is sad.”

Having watched his side gain a point in last night’s goalless draw away to Lewes, it was a tale of two halves which should have seen Bromley two or three goals up in the first period.

But they were pegged back by a spirited Lewes in the second half and the home side could have grabbed a couple of goals themselves.

Bird will now continue to manage Bromley until he is told different, alongside the same management team.

He said: “The current football management, which of course I head, will remain the same for the rest of the season and the club have issued that statement.

“There’s enough experience in the management team to do very well.”

And Bird is keen to continue the push for promotion with his own ideas and style of play before anything is announced at the end of the season.

He said: “I think it is like any football manager coming in - you’re in the job for the rest of the season.

“If things go well this season, we look to move on towards the new season but that’s the case with most managers.”

With a big derby at the weekend against Ebbsfleet United coming up, Bird knows his side are in for a tough game but he is still full of admiration for Liam Daish's side.

“They’re the best team we’ve played,” the Bromley boss said.

“At Hayes Lane they were excellent and at their place they are very, very good.

“They deservedly beat us 4-0 in the FA Trophy earlier in the season but it will be a good game on Saturday.

“There is a new approach in the dressing room now and if we continue to play with that verve and quality, I’m confident we will go there and give a very good account of ourselves.”

Despite the shock departure of Goldberg, Bird was quick to address the club’s supporters and insists the squad will continue to fight hard for promotion.

He said: “My message to all the Bromley fans is that Mark was a friend of mine and all of the management but it was his decision to go.

“But we’re very positive and we’re going to work very hard to realise our ambitions, which at the start of the season was to improve on last season’s performance.

“We’re going to work very hard to get into that top five and get behind the players.

“We appreciate the support you have given us and hopefully these boys won’t let you down.”

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