Pete Wild discusses his Hartlepool United striker options as Pools' struggles continue
Pete Wild has been discussing his Hartlepool United striker options.
If Hartlepool United are to turn their season around then the club’s forward players - all signed during a major summer overhaul - have a major part to play.
In a bid to freshen up their striker options this summer Pools signed 34-year-old ex-Rotherham and Middlesbrough forward Jordan Hugill (two goals in 12 appearances this season), 26-year-old ex-Halifax star Will Harris (three goals in 13 appearances), former Morecambe wideman Chris Popov (one goal in 11 appearances) and former Blackpool youth Terry Bondo (0 goals in nine appearances).
Popov, 21, and 19-year-old Bondo, have tended to be used in wider roles when they have featured for Pools this season in a struggling HUFC side. Pools are fifth bottom with just 13 points from the opening 12 league games of the season. While Pools are battling at the wrong end of the division, they do head into the weekend game with Hornchurch at home on the back of the 4-2 win over Forest Green Rovers last time out in the league - Hugill among the scorers with a brace.
However, at the weekend, Pools were dumped out of the FA Cup in embarrassing fashion, losing to Marine from National League North 2-0 at home, another season the club has failed to make it to the first round proper of the world famous cup competition. There is much to work on and improve from the forward options and much for Wild to ponder as he bids to turn the season around.
When assessing his striker options, Wild - speaking prior to the humiliating FA Cup defeat to Marine - told the Mail: “We need to get a position where there's two for every position - and they're going bang at it and they're going, ‘may the best man win’. So Jordan got a start [against Forest Green] and scored two goals, that's brilliant. “Right, Will, what you got? Chris, what you got? Terry, what you got? There's nothing better than healthy competition and that's where they've got to be professional footballers and not sulk about not playing. I want them to be frustrated but professional football is all about competition.
“If you score goals, you're going to stay in the team, aren't you? So I think that's healthy competition and a really good place for us to be. If our number nines are scoring goals, we're going to win football matches as well. It’s a competition. May the best man win.”
Reflecting on Hugill’s goals and performance against Forest Green, Wild added: “Jordan's a top player, isn't he? Me and Jordan had a real good conversation the Monday after Tamworth, about what he brings and what he could bring. I felt the way that Forest Green defended would suit a Jordan Hugill far better and allow the team to get hold of the pitch and use his experience and he repaid me, didn't he? He repaid what I asked him to do and that gives him confidence. I was really pleased for Jordan, solid fella. I've tried to bring in some more experience around him so it doesn't all land on his toes but I think he's a massive part of this squad and what we're trying to do here.”
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On summer signing Harris, who Pools brought in from Halifax, Wild added: “Will's a top player. I tried to take him to Fleetwood last summer, so I know how good he is. He's a top player that's maybe in a moment where he's having one too many touches because he's frustrated and not getting the goals he wants. He works ever so hard and he's such a good lad. Even when he was on the bench at Forest Green on Saturday, he's driving the warm-up. He's demanding more in the warm-up and he's demanding more from his team. Top player and if I can get them two going bang at it with each other - or together in the longer term - then brilliant and then we've got two top players and not forgetting Pops and Terry, who obviously have maybe been playing off the sides a little bit but I know what they can offer us as well.”
On Bondo, Wild added: “Again, young players take time and he was brought here, maybe not as a starter, but as a project to try and get better. He showed us a little bit of what he could do on Tuesday [against Newcastle United U21s in the National League Cup]. I'd still like more out of him - I've still got to keep pushing him to try and make more but I've got to try and help him.
“There's probably in the building 8 or 10 lads that we need to get our hands dirty with and try and make them better players and that's what we've done in the past and try and make them football assets and then maybe financial assets in the future.”
Pools are enduring a torrid campaign with the 2-0 FA Cup fourth qualifying round defeat to Marine another low point that left boss Wild raging post-match. They have a free week on the training ground with Hornchurch the visitors to The Vic on Saturday in the National League.
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