MANAGER Tom Killick insisted it had been his decision to draft in ex-Cherries boss Shaun Brooks as head coach.

The Dolphins today announced the addition of Brooks, 52, to their backroom staff and that the rest of Killick’s support cast would remain unchanged.

In a candid interview with the Daily Echo, Killick acknowledged public perceptions over Brooks’s new role could be shaped by long-time associate Eddie Mitchell’s presence at Tatnam but quickly rebuffed any suggestion his position had been undermined.

Brooks was promoted from head of youth at Cherries to the top job alongside Paul Groves, initially on a caretaker basis, in March 2012 and despite landing the permanent roles, were relieved of their duties within seven months and returned to the youth ranks.

Mitchell, who also employed Brooks during his time in charge of Dorchester, acquired a two-year option to buy Poole in December 2013, weeks before Brooks and Groves left Dean Court.

Last season, former Winchester manager Brooks took on an informal coaching role with the youngsters at Dolphins and was on the sidelines with Killick during their run to the FA Youth Cup first round proper.

And the long-serving Tatnam boss was adamant that connection had persuaded him to hand Brooks an official title.

Killick told the Daily Echo: “I am happy to have Shaun on board and look forward to working with him. I think he will help us and that is all I am looking at.

“It is my own appointment. Contrary to what some people are saying, Eddie (Mitchell) doesn’t have a direct role with the club at the moment.

“The aim was to draft in some coaching expertise. It is all well and good looking at what you can do better on the pitch but that has to extend beyond the playing side of things.

“It is about the input the players are getting, there is no point doing everything the same and expecting a different outcome.”

Killick continued: “At some point I am going to leave my position, whether that is in one month or 10 years. Until that happens, I have to do what is best for the team and this appointment is purely a question of doing that.

“I am not too interested in what people say, I want the club to be as successful as it can be and I make my decisions based on that.

“Say I had an opportunity to sign a really experienced player that had managed at another club? Would I not sign them?

“We had Marcus Browning when we were in the Wessex League. He was a very experienced professional who had been coaching at Weymouth. If it is about self preservation, you don’t make those calls.

“I make decisions to try and make the football team better, that is my job and all I am interested in.”