Everything Keith Curle said about joining Hartlepool United, the major role fans have to play and Antony Sweeney’s future at the club

Following his appointment on Monday - and brief trip to the Mazuma Stadium to watch Pools face Morecambe in the Papa John’s Trophy on Tuesday night - Curle now has 37 games to help lift his new side up the league table.

But how does Curle, flanked by Colin West and Antony Sweeney at the Suit Direct Stadium, intend to change their fortunes and why was the offer to take charge at Pools the right option for him?

Here, we take a look at everything Curle said about taking the role at Pools, why fans have a major role to play this season and bringing Sweeney back into the first-team fold:

Curle on what attracted him to Hartlepool United…

“I’ve turned down a few jobs because they weren’t right for me. The vision of the football clubs that I spoke to didn’t match my ambitions, there wasn’t a clear picture and desire to go on a journey and they didn’t have the things in place, this football club has.

“I’ve had a look at the training facility, phenomenal. The structure at this football club has clear ambition and clear desire to progress.”

“I’ve been here before and it’s a very difficult place to come. They’ve [always] got a very competitive playing side and a fan base that was able to sway decisions and get results.

“That was a memory that I’ve got and that is what I want to bring back.”

Curle on potential…

“I’ve had a couple of conversations with stakeholders at the football club and they’ve got big plans and visions.

“Unfortunately the team at the minute, there’s not been that progress so what we need to do is start a winning formula to get in-line with the progression that the football club desire.”

Curle on first priorities…

“Winning games of football. And it is as simple as that. If you look at where we are in the league, it’s a case of very quickly simplifying the message ‘we need to win games and to do that we need to do more than we have been doing previously.

“That’s in no way detrimental to the previous regime, it's just going forward and where we are at this moment in the league, we need a clear mindset, a clear vision, good direction and we need to start winning games.”

“They will understand it. I’m a very good communicator. I like saying ‘well done’ to players but I don’t praise failure.

“I want to play the game in the opposition half and I want to create goal scoring opportunities.

“I’ve got memories of coming here as a manager and one thing you used to do as a visiting coach was quieten the crowd.

“So what we have to do is make sure the crowd play their part, they need to raise the roof and we have got to make sure we give them a performance so they can go home and say they’ve seen something that is representative of what we want which is: effort, commitment, desire, passion and winning.”

“There’s different ways of winning a game of football but firstly you need to get everyone facing in the right direction and we need to have a clear understanding of what we want.

“To do that will be to simplify the message. We’re not going in to try and reinvent the wheel, it’s very evident that we concede goals and don’t score enough so we need to change both of those.”

Curle on style of play…

“You’ve got to be realistic, we are where we are and we don’t shy away from that.

“We know where we are but we know where we want to go but to get there, we need to win football matches. That necessity goes above performance levels because first and foremost we need to win football matches.

“That’s why I’m here because I know how to win games of football. There are different ways to win a game of football.

“Everyone wants to play free-flowing, attacking and attractive football and get the plaudits.

“But likewise, when you’re not winning, you need to simplify the message, go back to basics, play in the opposition half and when they have got the ball, you want it.”

Curle on Gillingham preparations…

“It’s a daily process. It’s going to be a simple message that we very quickly need to get all the players on the same page.

“The way I work is players enjoy the environment because they get lots of ‘well done’s’ when they do what I need them to do.

“I’m not going to complicate their mindset, I’ll give them clear instructions because I think clarity is best for a player so they can do what needs to be done.”

Curle on working with Antony Sweeney…

“I’ve known Sweens a long time and this is not meant to be disrespectful, but you won’t see a DVD of Antony Sweeney’s skillful or best bits.

“But there’s a reason why he’s respected and idolised at this football club: effort, commitment, desire, passion and that willingness to do extra and he’s got that in abundance.

“As a person, a human being and a professional he ticks all the boxes and again he’s indicative of what this football club means: effort, commitment, desire, passion and that willingness to do extra.

“If you can surround yourself with people like that at the football club, you’re going to win games.”