Interim manager Antony Sweeney's message to incoming Hartlepool United boss following 3-1 defeat at Swindon Town

Sweeney is into his fourth week in caretaker charge following Dave Challinor’s departure at the start of the month.

The club have narrowed down their search and been holding interviews with potential candidates as they close in on an appointment.

But given the club’s form has taken a nosedive in League Two, it presents a tough challenge for any new manager to come in and turn things around.

"Whoever is next in this job, will find this a tough job,” Sweeney said. “Four defeats in a row, we can't do anything until January.

"We know where we need to improve but actually improving them is a different matter.”

He added: “My message to the new manager would be just to come in and offer those fresh pair of eyes that we need. I think in any caretaker spell, the players aren't daft and they're itching to see who is going to decide their future.

"It's been plainly obvious where the club have been heading if you like in terms of biding their time to assess all options and things like that.

"They're fully aware of my situation and I've been fully aware of the club's situation right the way through.

"The new manager needs to come in and assess the players as quickly as he possibly can because they're going to be his players for the next six weeks minimum and we can't afford to just keep ticking games away with the hope of getting to January and being guaranteed to bring quality in.

"Sometimes January can be hit and miss at the best of times so we can't take chances there.

"There is enough ability in the squad, enough goals, enough players who have proven time and time again that they can defend and keep clean sheets, we just need to do that on a consistent basis.

"Too often we've gone from looking like a resolute team to an open one, like a team who can score goals for fun to a team who can't create chances so we've got to be more consistent in everything we do.”

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