New Pools boss on his return to management

First the new Hartlepool United boss is out to keep Pools in the Football League. Do that and the second will follow.

Moore has been a manager for 831 games in the Football League. Add in his games at Southport and he’s in excess of 900. Membership of the exclusive 1,000 club, which has a new member today in former Pools boss Danny Wilson, beckons.

But alongside those ideals, there’s a sense of injustice burning inside Moore.

Before being appointed Pools boss this week, he spent over eight months out of a job, dumped by Tranmere after an FA investigation into betting irregularities.

He was sacked by Rovers., axed over a £1 bet on Tranmere and Manchester United to win. The returns were £3.60. Hardly shady Far East betting syndicates is it?

“The way I came out of football disappointed me and I want to get back and put it right because that shouldn’t have happened,’’ he reflected.

“I certainly shouldn’t have lost my job for something so petty.

“They made a big mistake and paid the penalty, I honestly feel we were just turning a corner and I don’t think we’d have gone down and been relegated.

“I know the reasons why and they weren’t football reasons or betting reasons, but it is done now.

“They went down and it is funny that now we are fighting each other to try and survive.

“Fingers crossed both clubs survive, it won’t be easy but it is not impossible.’’

And charismatic Moore, who can crack a joke with his players as quickly as he can blast them, added: “My confidence hasn’t been knocked by my experience at Tranmere.

“I know what happened the and the FA realised there was nothing in it.

“It was a £1 bet on Tramere to win £3.60 odd - do they really think that was my bet?

“The account was in my name but that is all it was, we did win 5-0 so maybe they thought something was going on!

“I feel I needed to come back, I have 900 games as a manager and 700 as a player under my belt, I didn’t want to be remembered for some stupid betting thing, which was ridiculous.

“It is nice that I can come back and we can get cracking.’’

And Moore explained: “It was part of a syndicate, which was me, my wife, my sister-in-law my father-in-law - we used to put £5 in each when I was out of work in 2012.

“Because there was an FA cup bet and League One in there it was against the rules, that is my fault.

“I should have known that. It is a long time out so I am going to make it damn hard for someone to get me out of here this time!

“I have been doing Radio Sheffield and the Sky game and have been round watching games myself at this level and League One.

“I have been keeping busy and it is brilliant to be back.

Moore takes his new side back to his old one next month, when Pools go to Prenton Park on January 24.

He was in charge of Rovers last time Pools were in the Wirrall, when John Hughes’ visitors won 1-0 in a game which Luke James was memorably given a standing ovation by the home crowd as he was substituted late on.

By the time he’s back, he expects to have a new-look squad in place and a spot outside the bottom two places in the Football League.

“It is not like there is one game to go and we are four points adrift, there are 26 games left,’’ he said ahead of today’s game with Oxford. “There are enough games if we can get the team and the organisational side right.

“In a tight league it can be a corner or a free-kick that can win games.

“I watched Oxford United the other night and they were like Real Madrid- they frightened the life out of me and I was thinking ‘have we really got to play these on Saturday?’

“But they passed it for fun and should have won but they didn’t finish when they were on top.

“We know we are in for a tough game but we will be well organised and hopefully get a bit of luck.’’

Moore has had three days training with his new players. He also watched them flop to a 4-0 thumping at Burton last weekend. It gave him a first hand view on their many frailities.

“I wasn’t even involved in the club at that point but had that gut feeling you get as a manager and wanted to throttle a few of them,’’ he said.

“They got deeper and deeper - they needed a snorkel at one point if they got any deeper - and you invite teams on that can play and they get the better of you.

“I know what the team is lacking, first and foremost a leader. There is not enough experience.

“The young lad Brad Walker did really last season.

“He is full of potential but he has to produce that and not start thinking I can play for England or Real Madrid.

“I watched the game on Saturday and he played in the pocket, I could have played that game in the pocket.

“I will speak to him regarding that, if that is where he is going to play.

“If you have Marlon Harewood playing up front you need somebody running on beyond.

“We need to work on that, if we play that way. But very rarely will we play 4-5-1 at home.

“Sometimes it depends on what opposition you are playing and you look at their systems and trying to stifle them and that is where the set plays come in.

“We will work on it.

“But they will know what I want from them and if they don’t deliver then when the window opens we will try and shift one or two.’’

Moore has long managed in the Football League. He enjoyed promotion with Rotherham at Victoria Park in 2000, but admitted: “I used to hate coming here, Hartlepool on a Tuesday night, freezing cold.

“But at the moment it is Hartlepool, lets’ get three points and get up there.

“If the lads give you honesty and hard work then you can’t ask for much more.

“It would be nice to have somebody with the silky skills but we need some pace as well.

“There is no outball for us, it would be great to play like Real Madrid but the time isn’t right for that.

“That will come next season when we go next season looking to win the league.’’