Colin Kazim-Richards has acknowledged Crawley Town's difficult start to the season but insists the club is building for the future. The head coach believes the results will come once the process of overhauling the squad and culture takes hold.

Crawley sit bottom of the standings with four points from seven matches, having lost their last four games. Their most recent outing was a 4-1 defeat away to Milton Keynes Dons on 22 September, where Nathan Tinsdale scored a late consolation.

The scale of the rebuild

Kazim-Richards and his assistant Julian Gray, who both arrived in March, oversaw a dramatic final-day escape from relegation to the National League last season. The pair have since overseen a major squad turnover, bringing in 16 new players to the squad. Eight or nine of them made their debuts this term as part of a fresh start.

"The results are not showing the work we’ve done," Kazim-Richards said. "It’s more a case of when the process is going to start showing." He stressed that short-term results are the immediate focus, but the core ambition shared with the owners is to eventually reach the Championship.

A new era off the pitch

Last year's change of ownership marked a turning point. KB Sports and Leisure, headed by Raphael Khalili, took charge and hired Kazim-Richards from his coaching role at Arsenal’s academy. The 40-year-old became only the third black head coach in England's top four divisions, alongside Nuno Espírito Santo and Lee Grant.

Kazim-Richards insisted Gray become his assistant during talks with Khalili. The 47-year-old former Arsenal trainee brings extensive coaching experience from youth levels at Hale End and Birmingham. Their partnership is central to the project.

The appointment also follows a dark chapter for the club. Former manager John Yems received a three-year ban from all football activity in 2022 after being found guilty of 12 breaches of anti-discrimination rules, the longest such ban issued in English football.

Looking ahead

With the club having scored just six goals while conceding 13, the immediate task is to stop the slide. Their next test in the fixtures is a tough trip to face fifth-placed Walsall on Friday.

Kazim-Richards, who played for clubs like Fenerbahce and Galatasaray, brings decades of playing experience to his first managerial role. When asked about barriers for black coaches, he was direct. "Is there still a glass ceiling? Of course," he said. His focus, however, remains fixed on the long game at Broadfield Stadium, where the aim is to build a club capable of climbing the leagues.

The original report is at The Guardian Football