By Q&A: An insight into Jimmy Dean and Dion Sembie-Ferris
Dion Sembie-Ferris has followed manager Jimmy Dean to Scunthorpe United this week – but what will the pair bring to the club?
Dean, who led Peterborough Sports to four promotions during his near eight-year stint, was announced as the new United boss last week.
The 40-year-old was keen to bring a couple of his key players at Sports with him to Glanford park and, after confirming the signing of winger Sembie-Ferris on Thursday, he has certainly landed one of them.
Ben Jones, senior reporter at the Peterborough Telegraph, provided an insight into Dean and his talisman.
Here’s what he had to say about the duo.
Dean and Sembie-Ferris insight
What kind of job did Jimmy Dean do at Peterborough Sports?
Jimmy Dean is nothing short of a Peterborough Sports legend. He took over at Sports in the 2015/16 season and preceded to oversee four promotions in five completed seasons. In the two seasons ruined by Covid, Sports were well set with his side sitting top during the first one.
Three of the promotions were league titles. Sports picked up 11 trophies in this time, including last year’s Northants Senior Cup. Jimmy is a big fan of Football Manager and he essentially played the game in real life with Sports.
What kind of style of play does he like to operate with?
He does like to see his teams play football. He’s spoken this season about enjoying playing at the top venues in the NLN as they allowed his team to get the ball down and play. They will only have more opportunities to do this in the National League I would assume.
Pitch issues at Sports this year have forced his hand into a more pragmatic style at home, which shows he is adaptable but he will be looking to play with the ball on the floor I would imagine there.
What does he expect from his players and how will he interact with the fans?
He’s a big character, who lives and breathes football and puts his heart and soul into the job. His passion will become obvious to the fans. He is always open and honest after each match and won’t sugarcoat things.
He always looks for what he could have done better when things don’t go to plan and isn’t one to make excuses. He had such an affinity with the Sports fans and I imagine Iron fans will warm to him quickly.
What kind of player is Dion Sembie-Ferris?
Dion Sembie-Ferris is one of the players that has been instrumental in the rise of Sports. He has gone through the leagues with the team and has proven himself every time.
Where is his best position?
He is a tricky winger, great with the ball at his feet, has pace and is a threat in front of goal and at set pieces.
How do you think he’ll adapt to the National League?
He has actually played up the leagues before with Colchester. He played 25 league matches with them in League One and Two but is one of those players that has taken a step back to move forward again – and now he has his chance.
He’s risen to the level every time he has stepped up in the past and I see no reason why the National League will be any different.
He has experience with pressure situations but those are in promotion battles rather than relegation ones, so it will be interesting to see how he deals with that, but he certainly has played in plenty of big games.
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