TAKEOVER TALK WON’T AFFECT POOLS’ FOCUS
Hartlepool United boss Craig Harrison is determined to not let takeover talk affect his players’ focus.
Pools face a quick turnaround, following Saturday’s 2-0 National League Premier Division defeat at home to Wrexham, with the rearranged trip to Chester tomorrow, then another away day at Eastleigh this weekend.
All the while the club could find itself under new ownership by the time the trip to Hampshire comes around.
But Harrison, whose players will get paid as scheduled on Thursday, says his squad are focused solely on matters on the park, not with things they cannot control off it.
“We hear of a possible takeover. Do we have hope? That might be a bit dramatic,” he said.
“We need to do our jobs. It’s hard to say. We all know there’s a lot going on, lots of rumours, hearsay.
“We need to stay focused. We need to get something in the next two games to kickstart the season.
“Confidence is low from top to bottom and football is a huge mental game. The same players went on a long unbeaten run, not giving goals away.
“It’s up to them to turn things around this time, too.”
Mistakes are proving costly for Harrison and Pools this season.
The manager admits he finds it hard to remember a game this campaign where his side have been handed victory on a plate by the opposition.
But he can certainly recall numerous occasions where his players have obliged in giftwrapping three points for the opposition.
“It’s a mad division,” he said.“But I’m sure going back over things, the teams who concede the least goals and make the least mistakes will always find themselves at the top end, maybe top four, of any division. Since the start of the season, we haven’t done that. “It’s hard because the same players battered Macclesfield for 86 minutes at home and lost. “That results took the wind out of our sails and we have suffered since then.
“We have had games when we could have lost 6-0 and won, games we should have won 6-0 and didn’t win. The team, 100 per cent, at the top makes the least mistakes.”
Wrexham eased to a 2-0 win over Pools on their big day as a sell-out crowd came out to support the troubled club, who have to find £200,000 by this Thursday to meet bills.
Former TNS striker Scott Quigley popped up with two second-half strikes to pour yet more misery on Harrison, his former boss.
Pools have now gone nine games without a win, a run stretching back to the 4-0 defeat of Halifax on November 21.
Meanwhile, Great Escape boss Ronnie Moore has offered to help Harrison in his hour of need – but only if he feels he needs an experienced hand on deck.
Having taken in the 2-0 loss to Wrexham from the Victoria Park press box, Moore – who led Pools to survival in sensational style in 2014-15 – says he is there if the club comes calling again.
“It is hard for him,” Moore said of Harrison’s situation.
“I have sympathy for Craig. It is very difficult to get things going in the dressing room when the players do not know of they can pay their mortgage.
“He has come out of Welsh football and this league is unforgiving.
“There are league clubs who have been here years – it took Lincoln City six years to get out.
“That just goes to prove it is one of the hardest leagues to get out of in the world.
“He is maybe looking for a little bit of help.
“Maybe he needs a little bit of experience to help him along, because he doesn’t have that at this level. And hopefully whoever comes in will allow him to do that.
“I am always looking to get back into work.”