NEW Barrow AFC head of football operations Paul Ogden says manager Paul Cox is fully behind his move into a fresh position at Holker Street.

Ogden was announced as overseeing 'all aspects of the first team, seen primarily as player evaluation and squad planning, player acquisition and player development' in a club statement issued on Sunday.

His appointment came following a meeting between AFC chairman Paul Casson, managing director Andrew Casson and Ogden himself on Friday night.

While Cox was not at the meeting, Ogden said he spoke to him both beforehand and afterwards, and wanted to be sure it was a move which fitted in with the manager.

And Ogden says he has Cox's full backing as they look to move the Bluebirds forward.

“It's for the benefit of the club,” said Ogden. “I think, at the moment, in this day and age and in this business, it is very hard to control everything. When you look at comparisons with League clubs and their structures and infrastructure, it does more realistically give Paul the time to spend on his priorities – winning football matches and preparation.

“Paul and I have had good talks about it before I made a decision – of course I talked about it with Paul.

“If you go back and look at it, I was talking to the chairman on separate issues. He was coming over and I met with him on Friday, with Andrew.

“We got talking, and one thing led to another. I confirmed my views of what I thought I could bring to the party, then, with reference to that conversation, I spent time talking to Paul. Paul wholeheartedly, 100 per cent, gave his backing.

“As far as I'm concerned, I have worked with Paul Cox for a long time. The way we have all got to look at this is in the interests of Barrow Football Club to makes sure we cover all avenues in regards to what is required at a football club these days.”

He added: “The situation arose, purely and simply, by the chairman making contact with me to discuss certain things. I said we needed to discuss certain things in much more detail, which resulted in the meeting. It was a very constructive meeting, and at the end of that meeting there were proposals I made, and Andrew and Paul made.

“I said all I wanted to do then was talk to Paul Cox, because I had worked with Paul Cox and I didn't want anybody mentioning anything until I had put my thoughts across to Paul. Paul, typically, said I had his 100 per cent backing, and let's get on with things.

“If Paul had put any obstacles in front of me, we would have had a private conversation and we would have discussed them.

“We've had a very, very good working relationship over a number of years, and that will continue to happen.

“I know he is 100 per cent committed and he knows now he has to get results. That's the name of the game.”

Ogden was full of praise for Cox's ability as a manager.

Cox will continue to be in charge of all matters relating to match-days and squad preparation, and Ogden said: “I've worked with Paul Cox and, without question, Paul Cox is the best in the league at what I call structuring players. I've seen Paul Cox take ordinary players and make them into very, very good players.

“Paul's ability on the coaching ground is second-to-none. He has proved that and he wants to continue to spend as much time doing that job. Quite rightly, you use a person's strengths and, as far as I am concerned, in the past with the way we worked, it was very similar to the way we are going to work going forward.

“Paul was very happy with the situation, Paul knows what the score is – we've got to win football matches, we've got to be hopefully in that top-seven.”

He added: “Paul is the manager of a football club. He is responsible for the Barrow football team. He knows that, as we new at Mansfield together, when you are talking about people's job descriptions, it's amazing when you formulate them, how much time you spend that you don't get a return on.

“We are both experienced people in the business. All we want to do, both of us, is devote our time to try to bring some success to the club.”