Leyton Orient's Martin Ling says he is enjoying his role as director of football

Given his vast array of experience as a manager, which included a spell in charge of the O’s, some would have perhaps raised eyebrows when the 51-year-old returned to the club last summer as director of football swiftly after Nigel Travis’ takeover.

It has proven to be a challenging year for Ling at the Breyer Group Stadium, with the 51-year-old having to practically start from scratch with no manager at the helm and just nine players on Orient’s books.

Last year’s pre-season is what Ling describes as a ‘non-event’ as the O’s frantically put together a squad for the upcoming National League season and after a bright start, Orient’s form nose-dived, resulting in Steve Davis’ departure in November.

Justin Edinburgh’s appointment as head coach led to an upturn in fortunes and Orient finished the season with a flourish, losing just two of their last eight games as they secured a 13th place finish in the table.

Despite a challenging year, though, Ling says he has thoroughly enjoyed his role with the club.

He said: “It’s weird because everyone asks me do I miss not going out on the training ground? It’s the first question you would probably ask to someone who has been on the training ground all of their life. The answer is that I don’t.

“Even when I was a manager, I wasn’t obsessed by coaching. I was obsessed about managing people and getting the best results for the team more than I was the coaching. The role I do now is still very similar. I have to manage more people than I ever did as a manager and get the best out of people in all parts of the football side of the club.

“I normally go to the training ground on a Monday and Friday and I do go and watch a bit of training. But not very often because, as they say, the sun needs to be shining. I don’t miss that side of that because there is an awful lot going on for me.

“I’ve found it a real pleasure because I came into it and didn’t really know whether it would suit me or if it was a job I would enjoy. I feel it suits me ideally and it’s a job I thoroughly enjoy and as I say, the result matters just as much to me on a Saturday.”

But there has been some problems along the way, none more so than Davis’ departure as manager after just four months at the helm.

The O’s were lying precariously in 19th place in the table at that point, after a run of eleven games without a win and relieving Davis of his duties has been one of challenging moments so far, according to Ling.

“The difficulties come in and around relieving Steve Davis of his duties, but that is the same as you do as players,” he said.

“But when you’re working so close with someone, you want them to do well but it didn’t work.

“The interim period without a manger was difficult, because everyone was looking to me and thought I was going to step up and do it, but there was no intention. I’ve got no intentions of ever going back into a dug out.

“The first port of call is Justin and what he wants to do. But my job isn’t just about sitting and talking to Justin. It’s also about the physio side of it and whether people have got what they want and need. It’s nice because nothing becomes a major problem and you seem to get control of the problems quicker.”