Anthony Limbrick full of respect for Josh Wright as Pools prepare to entertain relegated Ebbsfleet
Hartlepool United head coach Anthony Limbrick is full of admiration for Ebbsfleet boss Josh Wright.
It's been a nightmarish season for the Fleet, who were relegated late last month and have won just two of their 40 National League games this season, one of which was against Pools back in September.
Ebbsfleet's difficult campaign has led to three managerial changes. Danny Searle, who helped keep the Kent side in the National League at the back end of last season, was sacked after picking up just one point from the first seven matches of the new campaign. Former QPR and Rangers coach Harry Watling won his first game at the helm, edging out Pools 1-0, but failed to win any of the next 12. His departure left it to skipper Josh Wright, who at the time was still a regular in the side, to take charge. The 35-year-old was given the job on a permanent basis in December, taking a step back from playing to focus on his new role. Although results have until recently remained disappointing, the Fleet's performances have been much-improved while Wright's side will make the trip to the Prestige Group Stadium unbeaten in their last three league matches.
Even so, Pools will start the game as big favourites. Anthony Limbrick's side are bidding to record three successive wins for the first time since the beginning of last season against an Ebbsfleet outfit who have drawn six and lost 14 of their 20 away games this term. Yet Limbrick is full of respect for the job Wright is doing at the Kuflink Stadium and insists he won't be taking anything for granted this weekend.
"Watching his side closely, I thought they should have beaten Altrincham last week," he said.
"They had more chances than them and I felt they were the better team. They could also have lost the game at 2-2, Altrincham had a couple of chances.
"You can definitely see his values, the players are working a lot harder and they've improved. He's come in at a difficult time but I think he's really getting everyone onside and they're all playing for him, so we're expecting a together performance, a hardworking and organised team.
"I watched his game when he first took over against Aldershot, it was a 0-0 draw at home but I was very impressed with what he did in that small space of time.
"I like the way he talks and I've coached teams against him when he was a player. I've got a lot of respect for him and I think it's going to be a tough, tough game - a really tough game."