Moore has a clear vision on what Pools need

RONNIE MOORE is the manager who, as he says, doesn’t have picked onions for eyes. He can see what’s in front of him, he’s clear already that so much needs improving at Hartlepool United.

Taking over the Football League’s bottom club last week, it hasn’t taken Moore long to see the frailties with his own eyes.

He wants a new spine to the team – centre-half (one, probably two), central midfielder and forward.

Whatever the rights and wrongs on considering offering Ched Evans a route back into the game, a goalscorer has to be a priority.

Moore did bring some improvement at the weekend. After three days on the training ground with his new charges, Pools were a more solid unit.

They never looked exposed and open as they have of late, nor did they appear ready to collapse.

A win would have been the most memorable of starts for Moore, a point was a small step forward.

“The reaction has been good, they surprised me,’’ he admitted. “Hand on heart when I took the first session on Wednesday we had a full 11 v 11 game and I went home and actually slept well, thinking it wasn’t bad that.

“Then on Thursday it was the same again 11 v 11 and I couldn’t sleep that night – it was that bad.

“That’s why they are in this position, bottom of the league.

“If we can get a bit more experience in, we are lining things up, speaking to a lot of managers, agents but it’s hard to get an experienced centre-back, midfielder and striker.’’

Moore will strip Pools down to the basics on the training ground. Two banks of four, two compact lines to offer some much needed solidity.

He’s not afraid to get stuck into his players and upset them. Chances are plenty of them won’t be around come next month when he gets the backing of new chairman Peter Harris and owners TMH2014 to work his wand in the transfer market.

He added: “We need a leader at the back and two if we can. In the meantime, I had a pop at Batesy and (Matteo) Lanzoni in training this week for not doing the right things, but he (Bates) did it in the game.

“We do need help there and a striker too. If we can get pace out wide to liven up and a sitting midfielder, a passing midfielder. Plenty of work to be done and in the meantime, two very important games to play before then.’’

Pools go to Mansfield on Boxing Day, a different test to this against Oxford. Mansfield chuck the ball forward and do it quickly, the Us try and play football.

But in the first-half especially, Pools were well on top. They didn’t have many openings, but Marlon Harewood went close on half-time when he was put through by Jon Franks. His low, driven finish was well kept out by Ryan Clarke, although Moore felt his striker should have been clever and chipped the advancing keeper.

Second-half and, after Franks went close to force a save from Clarke, he was beaten.

Sidney Schmeltz, sure to play the next few games as Moore likes a 4-4-2 system with direct wingers, curled in a lovely pass across and beyond the visiting defenders for Joe Ironside to meet and finish well.

But Pools don’t know how to play when in front, it doesn’t happen very often and it showed.

They sat back, but trying to defend for over half an hour isn’t a very good idea. After Scott Flinders made one save from Danny Hylton, he could do nothing about the striker’s close-range finish.

Moore added: “We needed a second goal, you could sense around the ground – players and spectators. We were getting deeper and I’ve had a row with the whole back four in the dressing room, they don’t think they went deeper.

“My eyes aren’t pickled onions – I can see what’s happening. We had a set-to about it and we will sort that out on Monday, but there’s only one winner there that’s for sure.

“Last week we folded at Burton, it was a worry for me after watching it. We kept going this time.

“We are going in the right direction and I’m trying to get the confidence up.’’

Moore was back in management after eight months out following his exit from Tranmere. His character is just what is needed at Victoria Park right now and he admitted: “I’ve enjoyed it. The most pleasing thing is when the whistle went, it meant I was back in the dug out again. Forget that horrible feeling beforehand, but this job is fantastic Monday to Friday – it’s just the Saturday that gets in the way!”