DOVER Athletic begin pre-season training on Saturday but it is still unclear who will be in charge of the session.

Chairman Mick Kemp is planning to interview a candidate for one of the senior coaching posts on Thursday, but would not reveal whether it was for the position of first or reserve team coach.

Mr Kemp said: "We have announced the youth team set-up earlier than I had intended because we need to get things moving on that side. But I am not going to announce the names of the chief executive and rest of the coaching staff until they are all definite.

"I am looking to sort out one more position,  but the coach we are interviewing this week may not be suitable."

The latter comment would seem to confirm that the newly-created position of part-time chief executive has been filled, although until an official announcement is made the "guessing game" will go on.

The chairman, however, was eager this week to talk about midfielder Billy Bone's appointment as Whites' first-ever full-time youth development officer.

He said: "The finances in football nowadays mean that there is no way we are going to able to buy players in the future, and so we felt that the best way forward would be to work on our youth development side.

"We want to create a situation where the best youngsters in Kent come here because they know they are going to get good coaching and the opportunity to make the first team."

And, explaining the choice of Bone as YDO, Mr Kemp said: "The youth side is going to be very important to this football club in the future, and we wanted somebody (as YDO) who was experienced, who had the right qualifications and who could communicate with people."

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