DAVE Jones admits there’s no hiding place for his players. In fact the Hartlepool United manager wants his players to embrace the pressure.

Pools go to Morecambe tomorrow sitting in an all-too-familiar position, third bottom in League Two.

It’s the fourth season in a row when Pools have been involved in a scrap to stay out of the bottom two, and Jones feels the pressure that comes with it should be channelled in a positive way.

Newport sit five points shy of Pools with six games to go.

They go to Exeter tomorrow and Jones said: “We can’t avoid what is going on elsewhere – the players pick up a paper so why hide? I remember once pushing for promotion and someone said we can’t use the P word. Why not? Is it a voodoo or superstitious? Players have to talk about it, that’s what we are here for.

“Do they think by not saying it they won’t think about it every day?’’

And he added: “It’s unfortunate as a young players to come into this situation – take Kenton Richardson coming into the squad.

“After a few games no-one looks at him as a 17-year-old right now, they see him as player, as a professional footballer now and he has to do what the other ten are doing. That’s the game, dog eat dog.

“This idea we pussyfoot around him is wrong. We can’t avoid it. We know where we are – we can’t avoid it and we will mention the R-word.

“Put the onus on them, and say we are in it. There’s an experience of being it over a period of time so they have to use that experience and use everything we can help.

“It’s something we have to draw on and make sure we don’t get caught. It’s in our hands and that’s the good thing. It’s what you want whichever way you are pushing – that’s the best way to be.’’

Tomorrow’s opponents have lost their last seven games, with boss Jim Bentley admitting he is considering his future.

The Shrimps have also suffered off the field following a stalled and unsuccessful takeover.

Jones hopes to add to their misery tomorrow.

The Pools boss, who coached at Morecambe during his formative years as his playing days came to an end, said: “Morecambe are struggling of late and we want to keep that going. When I came in I first asked the players if they can push for the play-off spots.

“But the squad wasn’t deep enough, injuries have affected us, the squad wasn’t experienced enough. But they are gaining experience now so next season when it all comes together there’s been a tough couple of seasons which will help – first make sure we stay in the league and go from there.’’

Speaking at his press conference yesterday morning, Jones added: “Confidence may not be high there. I’ve been at Morecambe as a coach – one of my first roles was as a player-coach and it’s a tough place to go. I expect a tough one. We go in with an attitude to earn the win.

“They won’t give it to us will they? We all want to stop a rot. If you are in the other way and winning game then you don’t want it to stop.’’

Pools have trained at The Northern Gas and Power Stadium today, and Carl Magnay, who made a last-minute substitute appearance last week after missing the last six months with a cruciate knee injury, in contention for a start this weekend.

Jones said: “They have worked really hard, two really hard days, today they are stiff and tired and all that goes with it, which is expected because of the stage of the season we are at.

“We have our run throughs today and tomorrow and see who is fit and who is not. Mags will train and see if he’s right and feeling good.

“He’s had reserve games, trained hard, has training sessions put on of benefit for him and if he’s fit then it’s another senior player to be involved.’’