WIMBORNE Town boss Matty Holmes is already busy plotting for next season after discovering the secret to enjoying his job.

Holmes admitted he became bogged down by frustration during the first half of the recent campaign, before adopting a more holistic attitude – one which helps him rest easier when his head hits the pillow at night.

The former Cherries midfielder, in what his first season in management, ultimately guided Magpies' daring young team to a club-best 11th-place finish in Southern League South & West.

Holmes told the Daily Echo: "I was probably getting too frustrated initially but I enjoyed it more as the season went on. We started really well but then hit a blip in October.

"That was hard but since Christmas I have enjoyed it far more.

"I have realised that all I can do – along with (assistant manager) Danny (Holmes) and (coach) Shane Traynor – is put on the sessions, tell the boys what we want and how to play the games.

"Then I can sleep at night and say ‘I have worked really hard this week, with Danny and Shane, to give the players the information they need’.

"If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. As long as they work hard and try there is no issue. I appreciated that more in the second half of the season."

Holmes accepted the Cuthbury post 12 months ago with a remit to ensure Wimborne survived in the division. As it transpired, only goal difference separated his team from a place in the top 10.

The manager, though, accepts that to meet his future goals he cannot afford a repeat of recent months, when his playing squad became markedly stretched.

"The players did tremendously well this season," said Holmes. "They are the ones who went out and got the results.

"I think we would have finished higher if our so-called ‘bigger players’ – like Dan Cann and Luke Holmes – had been available in the closing weeks.

"If we can keep this group together they will get another year of understanding how we want to do things.

"Then if I can add one or two my aim will be to break into the top 10 and that is what I will be telling the boys."

Holmes admits his club must operate cannily in order to strengthen and he will be fully engaged in Wimborne business throughout the summer, even during some rare downtime.

"These lads have come from Wessex League teams who paid them more than we do," added Holmes. "They now deserve a little bit more and if you are adding on extras for 10 boys that is a lot of money to find in the budget, so it is case of juggling things around.

"I will have a fortnight off at the end of May but your phone is always on. If a player becomes available you can’t say ‘sorry, I’m off for two weeks, bye-bye’.

"I don’t think you ever switch off."