Graeme Lee opens up about his style of play and Hartlepool United ambitions

We may only be a couple of weeks into the new era at Hartlepool United but just what does a Graeme Lee side look like?
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The Pools boss has had three games in the dugout, while watching a fourth from the stands, and supporters have been keen to notice whether anything has changed in terms of their style of play under Lee and assistant manager Michael Nelson.

Lee insisted upon his arrival that he was not about to come to the Suit Direct Stadium and tear up the blueprint which provided former manager Dave Challinor such success over the last 12 months, and that it was more about developing that system and style of play in order to gain further benefits.

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“You’ve got to look at your squad first and foremost. I can’t say I want my team to play like that or play a certain way.

Hartlepool United manager Graeme Lee. (Credit: Mark Fletcher | MI News)Hartlepool United manager Graeme Lee. (Credit: Mark Fletcher | MI News)
Hartlepool United manager Graeme Lee. (Credit: Mark Fletcher | MI News)

“I've looked at the squad and it’s been built around a certain formation and it suits certain players to play a certain formation, so I’ve got to look at that and try and look at the best of it,” explained Lee.

“But I want teams to be very hard working and organised in and out of possession and disciplined. I say to the lads ‘can we play the game in their half and can we dominate the game?

“I want us to not just put balls into the box for the sake of it and work the ball as much as we can.

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“I could talk all day regarding how the perfect picture looks, but I want it to be exciting and to play with an intensity and have an energy about us but first and foremost I’ve got to make sure we tighten up and don’t concede goals and have a solid foundation then build that way.”

But while Lee has an idea of how he wants his side to play it has been difficult to implement his ideas entirely during such a busy start to his reign.

Lee spent his first week with Pools largely on the road with trips to Sheffield Wednesday and Lincoln City before an emotional return to the Suit Direct Stadium for the visit of Rochdale.

And Lee’s side had another quick turnaround with Scunthorpe United visiting just three days later.

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It means Lee has had just one full week on the training ground before the game with Colchester United was postponed but he will be pleased with his side’s efforts having conceded just one goal in those four games as he now looks to develop Pools’ attack.

“It’s been difficult because it’s been more about games than anything else,” he said.

“One thing we’ve been trying to do is make sure we’re a bit more compact and win more second balls because I think we’ve struggled with that in the past.

“We’re starting to do that and it’s not just about when we win the ball, but how we move it and what we do.

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“But it has been a good time to get on the grass and start doing a little bit more. We’ve been doing quite a bit of work on final third stuff so there’s been little bits, but the main part has been trying to make sure we’re compact.”

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