Poolie Podcast: Robbie Stelling brings you all the latest news and updates from the Suit Direct Stadium as Darren Sarll’s side begin pre-season and their preparations for next season with a bang.
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00:30Hello and welcome to the latest Puddy podcast with Robbie Stelling and myself Richard Vanier, how are you doing Robbie? You okay?
00:40I'm very well. Thanks for reaching you.
00:42Yes, battling on. It's a nice sunny morning here in Hartlepool. We're recording this on Monday morning, fresh from Hartlepool United's first pre-season friendly of the summer.
00:54Plenty to discuss following that game, which was obviously mainly youth team and trialists, but Robbie was there so we'll get his insight shortly.
01:02He also spoke with the boss last week, so we'll get the latest from the manager on the transfer front.
01:08There was quite a lot of interesting things as well, wasn't there, on the tactical approach that he intends to take this season and probably a no-nonsense approach as well I'd imagine.
01:18We'll see how that's going down with the players. You'll have to keep me in line as well Robbie.
01:23And we'll end with the latest transfer news as well, keep Poole's fans up to date with the latest in-goings and out-goings.
01:30Just reflecting on the weekend first then, Robbie, Poole's obviously playing away too, I say away, I suppose it was in town wasn't it, so it's a home game for both teams.
01:41How did you see the big victory at the weekend over FC Hartlepool, obviously with a mixed line-up from the Hartlepool United sense?
01:50Nice short drive, like you say Rich, that was great, especially with the England game in the afternoon, so that was perfect.
01:58First and foremost it was a great occasion, a massive crowd, 1,500, FC Hartlepool I think will have made some good money out of it as well.
02:09There was music banging out, there was food stalls, drink stalls, it was a really good occasion and I was really impressed with FC Hartlepool actually.
02:16It was a big win for United like you say, but the first half in particular was really competitive.
02:22The second half, both sides, they start making loads of changes, that's just the nature of pre-season isn't it?
02:28And it sort of disrupts the flow of both teams and they start to become a bit disjointed and United were the ones that benefited from that.
02:36It was like you say, a Pools XI consisting of a number of trying lists and a number of academy players.
02:44Ian McGuckin, the academy manager, was leading from the touchline with Nicky Featherstone who's just signed his player-coach deal.
02:50He was in an assistant managerial role if you like and Darren Sung and Carl Dickinson were there just watching on from the sidelines.
02:58There was lots to like about Pools. I mean it's difficult to judge the trying lists I would say when you're playing with respect to FC Hartlepool, a Northern League Division 2 outfit.
03:07It would be quite interesting to see them test themselves against an opposition that's closer in level to the National League.
03:14I think then you get a better idea of what they're about, but it's a unique concept from Pools really and that they've invited a lot of trying lists.
03:23Most of them young players who have been released by football league clubs or National League clubs and the like to come and prove their worth at Pools.
03:31I think some of them have been training with Sung and the group. Obviously that's a good chance for the manager, particularly a manager like Sung who's really big on character and personality, mentality and resilience.
03:42He needs to have a look at them in training. So I think a lot of them trained in the week and then they played on Saturday.
03:50I think at both ends of the pitch there were some good performances. I think the number nine leading the line fit for United stood out.
03:57There was a young defender who I think is in the academy who had a good game as well.
04:02It was good to speak to Ian McGuckin about some of the young lads after the game because the academy over the last 12 months, 24 months has been a real strength for Pools.
04:11Obviously Louis Stevenson was watching on from the sidelines but Pools produced a number of good players who broke into the side at the back end of last term.
04:20Definitely from the point of view of the young players, Ian McGuckin will be hoping that we might see another one or two.
04:25As he said after the game, there's that pathway now which is really positive. So lots of good young players.
04:31The trying list, I think some of them, the ones that impressed enough are going to be remaining with the squad.
04:38And I think we'll see some of them again this Saturday, this coming Saturday when Pools travel to West Auckland.
04:44So that's going to be another chance for them to impress.
04:47And I'm sure we'll talk about the sort of composition of the squad in a minute.
04:51But Pools have made some good signings but the squad is still a little bit thin.
04:54So I think that there might be an interest in picking up one or two of those trying list ones with plenty of potential just to fill the squad depth.
05:01Especially this year, there's going to be seven substitutes allowed on the bench and five that you can bring on.
05:06You do want to have that. You do want to have a squad that you can make use of.
05:10Pools were sort of found wanting a bit last season, a couple of injuries and they were suddenly looking really threadbare.
05:15So I don't think they'll want to repeat that mistake. So it'll be interesting to see what comes of it.
05:21Obviously, another week on the training ground, which will be good for Sal and the players that are there.
05:26Would you expect to see a more experienced or a more of a first-team type starting XI for the West Auckland game this weekend?
05:34As things kind of crank up. Fixtures also out on, is it Wednesday, I think, July the 10th?
05:38Yeah, yeah, Wednesday.
05:40Which is shockingly late, really, for fans, I think, in the National League. A month or so before the season starts.
05:46That's probably a different debate. Yeah, would you expect to see a lot more first-team players involved on Saturday?
05:52I would think so. I mean, like I say, I think there'll be some trying lists involved.
05:56But obviously what you want to see is how the trying lists fit in with the squad.
06:01Obviously, they've been training with the first team and that gives you an idea.
06:05But it'll be nice if we can see some of the trying lists, the outstanding ones from the weekend, within a sort of core Hartlepool United squad.
06:12And of course, the first team, you know, they'll be keen to, like you say, crank up.
06:17The National League returns on August the 10th, so it is closing in just over a month away now.
06:22Pools still have five or six pre-season friendlies.
06:25They've just confirmed they're going to play Nottingham Forest B on August the 3rd, so the week before the season begins.
06:31And in terms of level and intensity, it is going to start cranking up.
06:34It's difficult to say, really, how many of the first team we're going to see on Saturday.
06:39But I would imagine that there will be more.
06:42Yeah, definitely more of a mix and more of a balance for the trip to West Auckland.
06:48And yeah, just on the fixture, I mean, it is late, isn't it?
06:51July the 10th. I think it doesn't give fans a huge amount of time if, you know,
06:56Pools have a run of kind of some longer away games to start with in terms of travel arrangements.
07:00It's not great, is it?
07:02No, it's really late.
07:03It's really late and the National League season actually finished early this year, unusually early.
07:08April the 20th was the final game, that long trip to Dorking Wanderers.
07:13And obviously a lot has happened from a Pools perspective in between then.
07:17But it feels like a long time since we've played a National League game.
07:21It will be a really long time come August the 10th.
07:24It is a long time. I mean, it's difficult.
07:27You know, these things do require a lot of logistics, I suppose, from the league.
07:31But like you say, it's obviously the fans who are going to part with their hard-earned money
07:35to follow their teams up and down the country.
07:38And it would be nice to see it made logistically as easy as possible for them.
07:43And they have left a bit late.
07:45Let's hope Pools get a nice home game to begin the season
07:48and then we don't have to worry about that too much.
07:51Just talking on the squad then more broadly.
07:54Obviously, you know, still plenty of time and plenty of business, I'm sure, to be done.
07:59Where do you see the main sort of gaps in the squad that Sal and Co need to fill?
08:05What kind of areas? And you gave a little bit of insight in terms of some of the positions
08:08that were targeted and prioritised, which I guess won't come as too much of a surprise to fans.
08:13And just one more as well.
08:15How much of a threat is it that, you know, Pools may sell one or two key players
08:19in the next few months?
08:21Yeah, well, I mean, I would say first and foremost,
08:24I think the recruitment so far has been good.
08:26Four new signings and they've identified positions that were maybe problematic
08:31for Pools in last season.
08:32So that's really pleasing.
08:33And after a sort of underwhelming campaign and then a little bit of a controversial end
08:37to the season, there was a bit of negativity around the place, I felt.
08:41But I think the initial recruitment and also the way Sal speaks,
08:45the way he carries himself, has struck a chord with fans.
08:48So there is a bit of positivity.
08:49I was speaking to loads of fans prior to the game on Saturday
08:52and there is a renewed optimism, which is great.
08:55I think when we spoke to Sal last week, the one position he identified
09:01was goalkeeper.
09:02I think that's probably got to be their number one priority.
09:05They had all sorts of problems in the goalkeeping department last season,
09:09ironically having signed Pete Jamieson and Joel Dixon,
09:12who were sort of signed to compete as two number ones.
09:16And in the end, they did sort of end up competing,
09:18but maybe not in the way we would have liked.
09:20Pete Jamieson has just signed for Darlington.
09:24He obviously improved at the back end of last season
09:26and was a potential option for Pools, I felt, especially as a free agent.
09:30They've obviously decided not to go in that direction,
09:33which means their only senior goalkeeper is Joel Dixon,
09:36who was transfer enlisted, but it looks like Pools
09:38are going to struggle to shift him.
09:40He had a really difficult first season at Pools, just one clean sheet
09:43in 26 games, lost his place on two separate occasions
09:47and struggled with a lot of facets of goalkeeping,
09:49kicking, command of his area and confidence.
09:52And he's obviously been a really good goalkeeper.
09:54A National League title winner with Barrow,
09:56almost 200 appearances, I think, for the Cumbrians as well.
09:59And he's a bit of a legend over there,
10:01but he just seems to have lost his confidence,
10:03and especially in goal, it's difficult to rediscover that.
10:06So I would like to see a goalkeeper,
10:08and I would be amazed if we don't see a goalkeeper
10:11before August the 10th.
10:13Plenty of names bandied about.
10:15I understand Pools are exploring a lot of options.
10:18Zanlut Laban seems to be one of the names
10:21that is most commonly linked.
10:23He's a 21-year-old Slovenian under-21 international, rather.
10:29He's on Everton's books.
10:30Everton seem to have a habit of producing good goalkeepers,
10:34and he had a good season online in the National League North
10:37with Farsley Celtic last term.
10:39So he's certainly a name that Pools fans are,
10:43I would suggest, fairly keen on.
10:45There's always a bit of a risk with a young goalkeeper,
10:47but we'll see.
10:48Ultimately, it's speculation at this time,
10:50and I'm sure the club are working hard to explore
10:53a number of other options.
10:55I think another winger would probably be a welcome addition.
10:59They've definitely added some pace,
11:00and I think in an attacking sense,
11:02they do look relatively well-stocked,
11:04but just, again, that strength in depth.
11:07Another central striker as well.
11:09Josh Umera and Chris Wray sort of played second fiddle
11:12or third fiddle to Manny Disrueng last season.
11:15They were both released at the end of the campaign,
11:17and obviously you would think that,
11:19I'll talk about the potential saleable assets in a sec,
11:21but you hope that Manny D will be the man to lead the line,
11:24but they do need someone to provide a bit of cover
11:27because when he missed a month last season,
11:29Pools were a bit rudderless, and they struggled without him.
11:32I think also maybe a creative presence in midfield.
11:34They've signed a couple of sort of solid,
11:36workmanlike central midfielders,
11:39but Anthony Mancini, who is that creative presence,
11:41only played 14 times last season
11:44and has struggled with injuries throughout most of his career so far,
11:47so it would be a big risk, as talented as he is,
11:49if you were going to put all your eggs in his basket.
11:52In terms of the saleable assets,
11:54you'd have to look at, of course, Manny Disrueng,
11:5625 goals in all competitions last season,
11:58and Joe Gray, 13 goals last season,
12:01had an outstanding campaign and is still only 21.
12:04Incredible experience for a 21-year-old
12:06having played more than 100 games.
12:08For Pools, I think first and foremost,
12:11they're both under contract for another year.
12:13They're both great lads.
12:15I don't think either of them would ever angle for a move away
12:18or look to be disruptive,
12:20and they're both happy at Pools on Manny D.
12:23A lot of his career, he's had to be content
12:26with coming off the bench, playing second fiddle.
12:29Pools is one of the first places where he's really been the main man.
12:33That's something he's often spoken about,
12:35and that's really important to him,
12:38and Joe Gray obviously has been with the club now for four years
12:41and has that connection.
12:43As I understand it, Pools are confident of keeping hold of both of them.
12:47Sal spoke last week, and he said he was quite bullish about it, actually.
12:51He's very confident that he's going to keep hold of the pair of them,
12:54so that bodes well for supporters.
12:56Obviously, if you have them both in the side come August 10th
13:00and obviously beyond that, it's going to be a massive boost to Pools,
13:03and you look at that National League top scorer chart from last season,
13:07a lot of them have moved on.
13:08Chris Concord got 22 goals for Ultrium.
13:10He's gone to the Football League.
13:12Marcus de Nanga, who had a loan spell at Pools,
13:14he was banging them in for Gateshead.
13:16He's moved to the Football League.
13:17Laurent Tamarge, who scored loads of goals for Aldershot,
13:19he's another one who's stepped up.
13:21So Manny Disarue has suddenly jumped up a couple of places,
13:25and it would be a massive boost if Pools can keep hold of him,
13:28and of course Joe Gray.
13:29As it stands, I think the club are confident
13:31that they're going to be able to call on their services again next season.
13:35We shall see. Fingers crossed.
13:37You caught up with Darren Sarr last week.
13:39He spoke well.
13:40I think Pools fans have warmed to him,
13:43relate to a lot of the messages he says,
13:46and if nothing else, he seems to have a very clear way of doing things
13:50and a very clear style of play that he wants to introduce,
13:54indeed with a high press and a high line.
13:56What did you make of his comments last week
13:58about some of the more technical side of elements
14:01to what Pools fans should see in pre-season the next few weeks?
14:05Yes, absolutely.
14:06He speaks really well,
14:08and I think that's really endeared him to Pools fans.
14:12I think maybe unlike some of the previous managers,
14:15he's more inclined to wear his heart on his sleeve,
14:18and I think that supporters will love that.
14:20We'll see it in the dugout as well, I'm sure, when the season begins.
14:24He's a passionate manager.
14:25A lot of fans will remember when he visited Victoria Park
14:28last when he was in charge of Woking,
14:30and he's one of those managers that I think if you're an opposing fan,
14:34you think he's a pain in the neck,
14:36but you love him to be on your side,
14:38and I think supporters will really enjoy
14:40that sort of more blood-and-thunder approach.
14:43And like you say, tactically, I think we can expect
14:45a different Pools side, a different Pools set-up last season.
14:49Sal's style of play is built on that, that high press,
14:52that relentless, energetic, intense style,
14:55and he's obviously recruited a number of players
14:57who are going to be capable of doing that, I think, last season.
15:01And in fairness certainly to Kevin Phillips,
15:03he was hamstrung to a degree by the players that he had at his disposal.
15:07Pools were a little bit more passive.
15:09They tended to invite sides onto them.
15:11I certainly don't think we'll see that under Sal.
15:14I just simply don't think he will stand for that.
15:16It's going to be press from the front.
15:18Sal actually said he intends to press every single member
15:21of the opposition team, including the goalkeeper and in,
15:23Adam Campbell, Luke Chalm and Joe Gray,
15:25three really energetic forwards.
15:27You feel as though he's got the personnel to be able to do that.
15:32He said that he'd recruited.
15:34The recruitment had so far been for a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 formation.
15:39Again, plenty of bodies further forward,
15:40which is going to allow Pools to take the game to the opposition,
15:44both in possession and out of possession.
15:47He had a great line about Luke Waterford.
15:49And he said, I don't care if he's 34,
15:51he's going to defend the halfway line. That's his job.
15:53That's going to be a really interesting change
15:55in terms of seeing Pools defend much higher up,
15:58play a much higher line.
15:59Obviously that lends itself to getting the team further up the pitch
16:01and that will allow Sal to implement his high press.
16:05I mean, Waterford is 34. Tom Parks is in his 30s as well.
16:10So it's going to be interesting to see how those two central defenders,
16:13who you would assume will form the cornerstones of Sal's defence next season.
16:17It's going to be interesting to see how they get on.
16:19They do have plenty of pace in the fullback areas.
16:22David Ferguson is known for getting up and down the left flank
16:26and Dan Dodds is nearing a return.
16:29He's got great pace and Louis Stevenson and Campbell Darcy,
16:32more than able deputies on the right hand side,
16:34they've got great pace as well.
16:36So they might have to do plenty of filling in,
16:38but it's going to be a different approach.
16:41And I think it's one that's going to chime well with the Victoria Park support.
16:45So often you hear the moans and groans whenever Pools go sideways.
16:51I think uniquely in the North East, they love that blood and thunder,
16:56full steam ahead approach.
16:57And they want to see their side be a bit more progressive.
17:00And I think certainly under Sal, we might see Pools be a bit more direct,
17:04but they're going to be, I think, more forward thinking in the main.
17:08And I think that'll hopefully get the fans on side.
17:12I fear there might be quite a lot of opposition long balls over the top
17:15through the middle next season with Pools playing so high, but we'll see.
17:18It was interesting, Sal, on players and the condition that they'd come back in.
17:23He'd obviously praised Nicky Featherstone, who's obviously 35.
17:27The kind of his approach to training and how he gives it his absolutely all.
17:33And he mentioned they'd tried to recruit around, I think,
17:35sort of players of athletic nature, genetically athletic.
17:39And that always helps, of course.
17:40That was one of the issues last season, wasn't it,
17:44in terms of around fitness.
17:46Pools didn't always look like they had the fittest squad
17:49towards the back end of games.
17:50Is that fair?
17:51I think it is fair.
17:52I mean, he was really interesting on that.
17:55He wasn't keen to criticise the squad really.
18:00I think he was happy for, even though, as he said,
18:03he was satisfied with the condition that some of his players have returned in
18:06and others maybe not so much.
18:08He did point out that for 10 months of the year,
18:11their bodies do take a pounding.
18:12So he was happy for them to take a break.
18:16He's determined to get them in shape this preseason.
18:19And I think having spoken to a number of the players,
18:22that's certainly the case.
18:24It's going to be an intense and rigorous preseason,
18:28which is much needed because, like you say,
18:30they weren't always the fittest last season.
18:32And I think to play in Sal's style,
18:35especially bearing in mind that he said he prefers a slightly smaller squad,
18:39players are going to have to be extremely fit.
18:41I mean, the National League is so demanding,
18:43not just because of its physical nature,
18:45but because you play Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday, Tuesday.
18:48That can be really difficult.
18:51Poole's last season only won two midweek matches throughout the entire campaign,
18:55which is, I think, a fairly damning indictment of their fitness levels.
18:58They often struggled, especially if they'd won on a Saturday.
19:01They really struggled to go again in midweek,
19:04which Kevin Phillips, towards the end of his tenure,
19:07he often felt that that was down to a lack of fitness.
19:10So it's certainly going to be important that the players get fitter.
19:16You're right, he's looked to recruit those sort of more genetically athletic players,
19:20in his own words.
19:22Another thing that Poole struggled with a lot was injuries.
19:25I think that that final day trip to Dorking,
19:27they couldn't even field a full bench,
19:29and they had three or four teenagers involved, two goalkeepers as well.
19:33So you really want to avoid that.
19:36I mean, you look at the two midfield lads,
19:38I think most fans would say the midfield was probably the area
19:41where they were most glaringly unathletic, if you like.
19:44They were quite often overrun,
19:46and Crawford, Cook and Featherstone are all quite similar players.
19:50Good players all in their own right,
19:52but not necessarily the most dynamic.
19:54And Cook missed a fair chunk,
19:57and they had plenty of players, of course, all over the pitch
19:59who missed lots of time with injuries.
20:01But you look at Hunter and Shearer,
20:02and 89 games between them last season in National League sides
20:06that both finished in the top 10.
20:08I think more workmanlike than spectacular,
20:11but I think that's what Sal wants.
20:13He wants two solid players in midfield
20:16that are hopefully going to get through 40, 45, 50 games each season.
20:20That obviously solves a big problem in terms of the sort of fitness,
20:24and definitely that they're going to be more athletic.
20:27And you look at Campbell and Charmond as well further forward,
20:29as I said, good athletes who are hopefully going to lead the press.
20:32So I think we'll definitely see a more energetic,
20:34athletic poolside next season.
20:37And you mentioned, you know,
20:38players that are going to have to be able to play 30, 40,
20:41well, 40-plus games.
20:43One of those that didn't, but clearly has a lot of talent,
20:45is Anthony Mancini.
20:47Sal was – I thought you spoke well on him last week.
20:52You know, what did he – let's get the quote up.
20:55He said, I think it's important that this isn't the Anthony Mancini show.
20:59It doesn't say Mancini on my badge.
21:00It says Hartlepool United, which maybe is a little harsh.
21:04But, you know, it's just an example, isn't it,
21:06of how he's going to manage and the demands physically,
21:09he's going to want from the players and the squad.
21:11How do you see kind of, you know, a fit and ready to go Mancini
21:14would almost certainly start most XI's, I think, in the National League.
21:19How do you see his Hartlepool United future panning out?
21:21Yeah, it's such an interesting one, Mancini, isn't it?
21:25Because he sort of established himself as a fan favourite
21:27even before last season got going.
21:30He sort of emerged as a floppy head trying list.
21:34And within 15, 20 minutes of his debut against Blythe in pre-season,
21:38people were taking to Twitter and Facebook.
21:41And, you know, who's this lad?
21:43Because he has immense natural talent and he was fantastic.
21:46He really lit up the National League in the first four weeks of the season,
21:49but thereafter has really struggled with injuries.
21:53And Sarr, who prides himself on being a straight talker,
21:57and he certainly was that when I asked him about Mancini.
22:01He doesn't mince his words and he's never going to be afraid to mince his words.
22:05I think if you're a player that's going to play in a daring squad
22:07and a player that's going to thrive, you've got to have that mental resilience.
22:11You've got to be prepared for Sarr to say it how it is and say it how he thinks it is.
22:16Like you said there, Mancini's talent is such that a fully fit and daring Mancini
22:21will probably walk into most sides in the National League,
22:24probably all sides in the National League in truth,
22:27such as his sort of creative flair.
22:30But he's got his work cut out.
22:32I think he's not necessarily a natural fit for a daring Sarr.
22:36We've spoken about the intensity, the energy and the pressing style that Sarr wants to play.
22:43Mancini prefers to sort of drift into pockets of space
22:46and obviously he's fantastic with the ball at his feet.
22:49Out of possession, he probably doesn't give you as much as Sarr would necessarily want.
22:56It's going to be really interesting to see what Sarr plans for him.
23:00The first priority for Mancini and the first priority for Sarr has to be
23:03let's get him fit and let's see that he can prove his fitness
23:06because he's struggled throughout his career.
23:07He's only 23, but he's had a lot of fitness issues, not just last season.
23:11And Sarr said it, he said 15 games every campaign.
23:15That's not going to be enough to make an impact,
23:17especially as we saw with him after Christmas.
23:20It was so stop start.
23:21He really struggled to recreate his best form.
23:24I think Adam Campbell, who arrives as sort of a marquee signing,
23:27having won promotion to League One with Crawley,
23:30I would suggest is the likeliest man to play that sort of second striker,
23:34number 10 role, if you like, in behind Manny Disarue.
23:37So Mancini is going to have to prove that he is such a talented player
23:41that Sarr can't afford not to select him, if you like,
23:44because we've spoken about the two lads who are probably going to form
23:47the base of that midfield.
23:48And they've, of course, got the experience, Nicky Featherstone as well.
23:51So finding a place in the side will, I think, be a challenge for Sarr
23:55and proving that he's worthy of a place in the side,
23:57I think, will be a challenge for Mancini.
23:59But if they can get him fit and if they can sort of get working in tandem,
24:03Pools have a fantastically talented player on their hands.
24:07So it's going to be a really interesting one to see.
24:09It's quite hard to call, I would say, how it's going to turn out.
24:13But Pools fans will certainly be hoping that Mancini can have more of an impact
24:17than he did last season and certainly play plenty more games.
24:21Not a bad play to bring off the bench, I suppose,
24:23if he doesn't start games initially.
24:25But I know that's what Mancini, well, obviously, they want to be starting.
24:28But, yeah, you're right.
24:29There's added competition with hopefully a few more signings still to come.
24:33Just before we kind of touch on transfers to end,
24:36just to kind of hone in on one more player, Dan Dodds.
24:39Obviously had a difficult last season.
24:41Determined to be fit for the new season next month.
24:45He missed almost a year with his anterior cruciate ligament injury, just 21.
24:50Was a really exciting player when he came into the team initially at Pools.
24:54Do you think he'll have a key role to play under, Sal?
24:57Absolutely.
24:58Should he be a previous fitness as well?
25:00Absolutely, I think so.
25:01It was my first time meeting him, actually, last week.
25:03Fantastic guy.
25:04Really, really nice guy.
25:05Really got along well with him and a good talker as well.
25:09How was his Mullet close-up?
25:13Yeah, he's sort of moulding into a Jamie Sturry type, I think.
25:17Before we know it, it'll be just like having Sturry back.
25:22Yeah, he's, I think, spent a lot of the last 10, 11 months working on his hairstyles.
25:27But, of course, he's also been working on a long and painstaking road to recovery.
25:32It'll be fantastic to have him fit.
25:33Because, like you say, he made a really positive impact.
25:36He came in in January of last year, signed from Darlington.
25:39Played mostly, actually, on the right of a central defensive three.
25:43But was really impressive.
25:44And his biggest asset is his pace and his energy.
25:47He's got superb pace.
25:50And Pools really missed him after he limped off the end of the bank holiday win against AFC Fylde.
25:57I remember it well because it was my birthday.
25:58And it looked like a kind of innocuous injury.
26:01Dodds actually said last week he sort of felt something go in his knee.
26:04But he tried to continue for 10, 15 minutes.
26:06It was only then when he sort of stretched to kick a ball that he realised that something was wrong.
26:12But it was only when he went for a scan that he realised the full extent of his injury.
26:15And he said it was so difficult to process.
26:17He had to spend some time away from Victoria Park.
26:19Because he just couldn't bear to watch the team from the sidelines for a long time.
26:24I mean, Pools got through a lot of right-backs.
26:26Luke Hendry obviously came in to replace him.
26:29And was pretty solid until he did his hamstring.
26:31And then they had a number of different right-backs under Kevin Phillips.
26:35One of whom was Louis Stevenson, the teenage defender.
26:39Who was superb, actually, towards the end of the campaign.
26:43I would say on Dodds, he's probably going to be the first choice, I would imagine.
26:47And if he can get fit and firing, he's going to have a massive role to play.
26:50I think we'll see him as a conventional right-back.
26:52I think Sar will play a back four.
26:54His energy and his pace will offer so much to Pools.
26:58Both going forward and defensively as well.
27:00We mentioned that Waterford and Parks might have their work cut out playing a higher line.
27:03He's going to have a massive role to play there.
27:06I think ACLs, they're notoriously difficult to come back from.
27:09And you really can never be too cautious.
27:11Dodds is going to feature a little bit, I think, towards the end of preseason.
27:15He's hopefully going to be available for August the 10th.
27:18Of course, that's going to be the acid test, I think.
27:20Sliding into that first challenge.
27:22Making that first sprint.
27:23Going for that first 50-50.
27:25He had a great line where he actually said to Joe Gray when they returned for preseason training.
27:29He said, look, just smash me.
27:30Just get it over with.
27:32And he said, actually, it did happen in the first five or ten minutes of a small-sided game.
27:36And he felt fine.
27:38He's not feeling any mental hangover.
27:40It can be difficult to come back from the ACL in that regard as well.
27:44But given that they've got Stephenson and also Campbell Darcy, I think it's really important not to rush him.
27:50In truth, I'd be a bit surprised if we saw him in the 11 on August the 10th.
27:54Just because you really can't be too careful with these kind of things.
27:58Especially given the depth they have in that position.
28:01But when he does get fit and firing, he's got a massive role to play for Pools.
28:05It's such a cliche, but he's going to be like a new signing.
28:08And he's beloved by Pools fans and for a good reason as well.
28:12He has a massive role to play.
28:14Good stuff.
28:15Cheers, Robbie.
28:16Just finally, do you anticipate any transfer business this week?
28:19Or do you think it'll be a bit more of a slow drip-feed of signings over the next few weeks?
28:24It's still, what, a month or so of the season to go.
28:27And as I say, the first probably proper preseason for any of this Saturday.
28:31But do you anticipate any new signings in before then?
28:33Difficult to say.
28:34One thing that Sal has really been this summer is patient.
28:39He's big on, as we said, character.
28:41And he wants to meet players a few times before he decides if they're right for him.
28:46From a sort of personality point of view, a mentality point of view.
28:51So he certainly won't be rushed.
28:52And he's taken his time and he's managed to land four pretty good signings, I think, so far.
28:56So I imagine we'll continue in a similar vein.
29:01Last week, he made the point that in the summer, the players probably hold more of the cards.
29:06Teams are looking to assemble their squad as quickly as possible.
29:09Obviously, they've always got one eye on the season.
29:12When the season begins, and of course, Pools fans will be hopeful that they're going to have a couple more in before the season starts.
29:20Then suddenly, the advantage tips in favour of the clubs a little bit.
29:24Because players that are still without a club will want to get back into a squad as quickly as possible.
29:30So I think he'll look to make use of that.
29:33Mark Beck was a name that has been very strongly linked with Pools.
29:36We spoke about that desire for a backup striker.
29:39I understand that there's probably some issues that are potentially going to prevent that from happening.
29:44I think he's picked up an injury.
29:48So it'll be interesting to see what Pools look to do in terms of a backup striker.
29:55I do think they will look to add, as we said there, four first-team new signings in terms of the goalkeeper,
30:01an attacking creative midfielder, a winger and a backup striker.
30:04And who knows what's going to happen with a couple of these trying lists.
30:07They might look to add one or two there, just to add squad depth.
30:11And of course, the loan market. Pools made a lot of loan signings last season, quite a few of them unsuccessful.
30:16But if you can get them at the start of the season, they tend to be players that clubs are keen to keep hold of,
30:22but maybe just don't think that they're ready quite to play league football,
30:25so that they could get six months or a year out on loan at a club like Hartlepool.
30:29It would be a fantastic experience for them.
30:32I could be made to eat my words in four hours or something.
30:35I wouldn't suggest any signings are absolutely imminent,
30:38but I would suggest we will see three or four more absolutely before mid to end of August night.
30:46I'd be amazed if we didn't see a goalkeeper before the start of the campaign.
30:49And of course, the club would love to get three or four more before August 10th.
30:53Let's see, as I say, Sal is preaching patience and it's worked out so far.
30:58So fingers crossed he can discover a few more good signings.
31:04And I think Pools will be in a good position if he manages to do so.
31:08Good stuff. Thank you very much, Robbie.
31:10Thanks for your time. Good to speak. Good to chat.
31:13Robbie will be at West Larkin on Saturday for full coverage from that friendly game.
31:18Keep an eye on the Hartlepool Mail website and the paper edition,
31:22which is out every Thursday with the latest Pools news as we ramp up to the new season
31:27and the fixture draw obviously this week as well.
31:29So that will build anticipation and excitement a little bit more
31:32as fans can plot their first few months of the campaign.
31:36Thanks again, Robbie. Thanks for listening. We'll be back in a week or two.
31:40Cheers.