Cooper happy back among friends (From The Northern Echo)

Cooper happy back among friends

8:00am Saturday 4th February 2012 in Sport By Nick Loughlin

PRESENTED with what he admits was an unlikely opportunity, Neale Cooper is determined to make the most of being given a second chance at Hartlepool United.

Almost seven years after he left the club, Cooper made a Victoria Park return a little over a month ago.

The character is the same, the persona remains positive, and results and fortunes on the field have improved.

Pools won't today have the chance to make it five games without loss, after their game at Bury was postponed.

The confidence from last weekend's biggest victory of the season, 4-0 over Carlisle, will be kept and bottled up for when Bournemouth visit Victoria Park in seven days time.

And it gives Cooper with another full working week to impose himself on the squad.

"I am enjoying being back here 100 per cent, totally focused. I enjoy coming in every day, up at ten to seven every day and I've been out the game a wee while,'' he admitted.

"Every morning I can't wait to come in and I really mean it. We train and I go to the club offices on an afternoon and look forward to it.

"It takes time to change things but we are doing that. Anyone who knows me as a person knows what I am like.

"You wouldn't believe how happy I am to be here back amongst people and I thank the club for giving me that chance. I will do all I can to help us improve.

"We are all in it, I love the lads, the coaching staff, we are all in to to progress and do well. That's the football and non-football staff at the club as well, everyone chips in.

"I had a nice break, went abroad, did some speaking, visited Dubai and enjoyed it all, but sometimes you need a little break to come back better.''

He added: "You pick up different ideas as well, it's a stressful game management, but when you are doing well it's enjoyable.

"Personally I am loving every minute of it, it;'s all better if you are winning, but every week I feel more comfortable and that's down to people helping me as well and it;'s results based, but it's all about fighting in the same corner.''

And Cooper, while learning more about his players as characters and footballers by the day, put them through his own physical test this week; one he used to enjoy testing the squad with last time out.

"On Tuesday I did something different in training with the boys,'' he said. "We had a friendly with Darlington for the boys who had not been playing, for the others it was a running thing I set out.

"Ritchie (Humphreys), it was funny, as he said we used to do it before so he knew it - the boys were saying it was a bit tricky, but he told them we went on a ten-match winning run then so they were won over.

"It gave me an idea how fit they are and everyone was flying. Some of them surprised me, it was running, then come in and play football, then go running again, there was a bit of tiredness in there with the ball work, but the football was disguised a bit.

"We pushed them and I think they enjoyed it, it keeps them ticking over, it was hard but they all did it. I like putting them through it on a Tuesday, it keeps that level of fitness up. It showed me in those drills what they are about.

"I personally feel good, love it here, I'm focused on doing well for the club and it's a big opportunity for myself too.''

With coaches Micky Barron and Ritchie Humphreys offering an insight to the squad and some familiarity for Cooper - they were both integral parts of his team from 2003 - 2005 - the manager has blended in seamlessly.

The squad has been given the weekend off as a reward for their efforts and Cooper said: "There's a good feel around the place, especially after last weeken. But the boys have been like that anyway.

"They maybe thought they would get a day off early last week, but I like to keep them fresh.

"I like to keep it as it has been, not a punishment, but we worked them hard.

"It makes everything easier and on the back of a good performance as well is pleasing.

"The work the players put in gave them a reward with a win over Carlisle, there was no failures, they all did their bit. I just keep asking for the same, Tuesday was a hard day, I gave them some stuff on maybe they hadn't done before and it showed me how fit they are. Sometimes you get someone at the back of the group lagging behind a bit, but they came through it well and showed how good they have been coached.

"There is a hard fitness regime and it works with the University people and you can see the rewards in the players.

A frozen pitch put paid today's game after a 3pm inspection yesterday, following a drop in temperatures to minus eight on Thursday night.

The game at Gigg Lane will now be played on Tuesday, February 28.