Maidstone United manager George Elokobi facing a challenge to keep top players at the club after missing out on promotion

Maidstone manager George Elokobi is anticipating interest in a number of his players this summer.

United missed out on promotion at the weekend after losing 1-0 to Boreham Wood in the National League South play-off final.

That’s likely to make it harder to hold on to the club’s top performers and while Elokobi will do his best, he knows the score.

“It’s always a challenge with the model we’ve got at the football club,” he said.

“When players have performed with so much quality and determination and pride in how they wear the Maidstone badge, of course, they’re going to attract interest.

“We just have to make sure we try to persuade them to stay at the football club, to carry on with the development programme they’ve been on.

“But, as a manager, I can only do the best I can.”

Elokobi has always respected Maidstone’s wage structure and the owners’ determination to run a sustainable business.

He’s never begrudged anyone the chance to move on, taking departures in his stride and embracing the task of finding replacements.

“There’s thousands of players out there and come next season we’ll build a squad and that squad is going to be rotated throughout the season as well,” said Elokobi.

“That’s what we do as a football club.

“As a manager, I’ve understood these levels, I’ve understood the club’s structure and it’s important we keep moving on.

“We can’t stand still and if players want to stay, they know what they get in our environment under my leadership, and it’s important they look at it.

“If not, we shake hands and wish them well.

“When you look in the stands, every game, you see players who have moved on to better things still coming back and being part of the family. So they’re family to me, it never ends.

“We’ve got our