Nunn doesn’t want Diamonds to be ‘outworked by anyone’ as he sticks to his plan

Nunn is gearing up for what will be his first full season in charge at Hayden Road.

Diamonds are preparing for life back at Step 4 after they were relegated from the Southern League Premier Central last season.

But Nunn and his much-changed squad finished a tough campaign both on and off the field with a bit of a flourish to ensure feelings were slightly more uplifted heading into the break.

Diamonds will be playing in the Northern Premier League Midlands next season - a division in which some of the big guns have already started flexing their financial muscles.

Nunn, however, is happy to go about his business quietly and Diamonds have made some moves of their own with the likes of Michael Harriman, Luke Massingham, Ryan Hughes, Will Glennon and Mitchell White agreeing to stay on while striker Ethan Johnston has signed and young frontman Will Jones has returned to the club a year after leaving to join Bugbrooke St Michaels.

And, as he continues to build his squad, Nunn insists he is sticking to his plan.

“It’s not a criticism of any club but there’s a lot of money being thrown around at the moment,” the Diamonds boss said.

“That’s not something we can even try to attempt to get involved in. We set ourselves a target to try to get some young, hungry boys in and I feel we are sticking to that plan.

“And we want lads with a point to prove as well and I think that’s what Will Jones is all about.

“We sat down and had a coffee and a chat and I have seen enough of him to know there is a player there and he wanted to come back to the club.

“These boys aren’t coming to us for any other reason than they want to play for us and I know that because I know where we are financially so that’s a big thing for me.

“We will lose games but if we are ever beaten because we have been outworked then that’s when I will have a problem.

“We should never be outfought or outworked by anyone. The lads’ mentality will have to be spot on and that’s what we will be working on.”

More retained players are set to be announced soon as Nunn continues his summer rebuild.

Diamonds are due to report back for pre-season training next Tuesday (June 27) and Nunn insists it will be during pre-season that the squad will be finalised as he seeks “those pieces missing in the jigsaw puzzle”.

“There will be players who have already gone to clubs but there will be plenty who become available,” he added.

“I am happy with where we are at the moment.

“If I needed to put out a team tomorrow, I could. And it would be decent and competitive so that’s how I am looking at it and we are still in June.

“Now it’s a question of just finding those pieces missing in the jigsaw puzzle.

“We will have some lads I have managed before coming along in pre-season but I feel we are in a really good place.”