Jonathan Veal has covered the fortunes of Rotherham, and penned a book on Ronnie Moore's time at the club. Ahead of his first game as Pools boss, Veal tells why he is the right man to take charge at Victoria Park.

 

There's a reason Ronnie Moore is regarded as one of the best lower league managers of the last 15 years.

Despite his last job at Tranmere ending in scandal, where Moore confessed to being naïve in placing a bet on his side, the 61-year-old's impressive reputation as man to get results remains in tact.

And, perhaps pertinently from Hartlepool's point of view, his stand-out achievements have been when he has united a squad and got them playing way above expectation and against the odds.

The most famous instance of this was in his first spell at Rotherham United, where he led the Millers to back-to-back promotions – the first one sealed at Victoria Park – from the bottom tier and then kept them in the Championship for four years on a shoestring budget.

The South Yorkshire club were a far cry from the one that currently reside in the second tier and when they were beating the likes of West Ham, Leeds, Sheffield Wednesday and West Brom. It really was a David versus Goliath act.

Then, when back at Tranmere for a second spell in 2012, he kept them up in League One and mounted the unlikeliest of promotion pushes the next season, only to fall away at the end after his small squad was struck by injury.

The best of Moore's work has always been done in the dressing room. You're not going to find him out on the training ground going through the intricacies of a 4-3-2-1 system, but come ten minutes before kick-off or at half-time he will be working his man-management magic, winding his players up, motivating them and making them feel like they can take on the world.

That's not to say he is not tactically aware. He knows what it takes to win games in League Two and will probably follow a well-worn formula.

He has already intimated his first task will be to steel the Pools side up. He will make the back four a cohesive and strong unit - the days of shipping four and five goals will be a thing of the past and they will become a lot harder to beat.

When the chance comes in January, Moore will probably flood the team with pace and physicality. He has a penchant for playing two pacy wingers and two up front - his style will often be direct, but it will bring results.

One of the main reasons why Ronnie is able to get the best out of his players is his personality. Having been a fan during his first spell at Rotherham, I got to know him personally when I reported on his second spell at Rotherham and then wrote a book on him and there's something special about him.

When he walks into a room, you're instantly drawn to him and invariably you spend most of the time you spend with him with a smile on your face. His ability to regale stories is up there with the best and his pre-match and post-match interviews are always entertaining, with his throwaway quips instantly quotable.

This is a no-lose job for Ronnie. He can go in there, rattle a few cages, save a sinking ship and become a hero.

And there's nobody more deserving of success than one of the greatest characters left in the game.

Impossible Dream: The Ronnie Moore Years, available for £9.99 from www.theronniemooreyears.co.uk or Amazon. Twitter @jonathandveal83.