Nicky Featherstone discusses the uncertainty facing Hartlepool United squad amid summer contract decisions
Hartlepool United boss Nicky Featherstone has been speaking about the uncertainty facing the Pools squad.
Hartlepool United boss Nicky Featherstone - who himself faces an uncertain future at The Vic - has been speaking about the impact contract uncertainty has on the players.
Featherstone cut a very frustrated figure post-match at the weekend, the Pools boss stating that he felt uncertainty off the field is impacting his side after Pools were thrashed 3-0 by Boreham Wood, their fourth game without a win. With just three games of the current campaign remaining, Pools have little to play for now after their play-off hopes were dealt a fatal blow.
Earlier this year it was announced the club had appointed Bromby and Partners "to lead and support transition in the club's football department ahead of next season". Pools are now four months into a new era following American businessman Landon Smith's takeover of the club from Raj Singh on New Year's Eve. And with the majority of the contracts up this season, Featherstone admits that naturally it does play on the mind of the players.
Speaking ahead of the visit of Forest Green to The Vic on Saturday, the Pools boss was asked about his weekend remarks. Featherstone, speaking to BBC Tees, said: “What I meant by that was there's probably 95% of the group that are out of contract [this summer] and we're not at a Championship level, were you've got thousands and thousands in the bank and you're comfortable and then if you leave a Championship club, you either go to a Championship club or get a good contract elsewhere.
“At this level, you're very much year to year, pay check to pay check and it just created a bit of uncertainty. That's why there's a lot of people that are uncertain on their futures, staff and players and that's what it was. In terms of the club, there's a process to go through. Landon is obviously new to football, so he's learning. I spoke to him directly and we've brought in an outside company in Bromby and Partners to help with that.
“The processes are happening, but we've 10 days to go, that's all it is, the uncertainty of people's contracts. We haven't got a lot of answers at the minute in terms of what we can do at the minute. That'll change pretty soon, I think. Hopefully soon. That's all I meant.”
The Pools boss added: “There's a lot of uncertainty in players' contracts, staff's contracts and that. It probably reflected on a few of the performances in recent weeks.
“Very rarely at this club or anyone at this level - other than your York’s and Carlisle’s - do you offer more than a year or two at a time. There's a lot of uncertainty at this stage of the season. We're probably slightly behind were we'd like to be as a football club in that sense in offering people contracts or whatever. That is what it is. We've had a change of ownership during a season and we're still finding solutions to certain roles at the club. Like I said after the game, Landon will be brilliant for this club moving forward. He just needs to go through a few processes right now to make sure things are moving in the right direction.”
On their own website, Bromby and Partners describe themselves as "a premier football recruitment and advisory firm, founded by industry leaders with decades of experience at the highest levels of the game". The firm was founded by Leigh Bromby and Stuart Webber "to support clubs in various strategic and football operation capacities". Pools fans will be watching closely the developments in the coming weeks ahead of another big summer of change.