Well over a year ago, before Hartford Athletic even played its first professional game, Paul Buckle spoke with ownership for the USL Championship side. Flash forward to late last week and Buckle joined Hartford as technical advisor to chairman and CEO Bruce Mandell, having most recently coached with Southampton’s U-23 team.
Joining a project in its infancy is no strange task for Buckle, the owner of over 500 appearances across England’s soccer pyramid. His first managerial job come with Torquay United upon its relegation to the fifth tier of English soccer, then eventual promotion back to the Football League. He also led Sacramento Republic, a fellow USL championship side, for three years after Preki steered its early days.
Buckle, as he told New England Soccer Journal, hopes to draw from those experiences as Hartford gets off the ground.
