Keith Curle seeking 'professional pride' reaction from Hartlepool United as they face Swindon Town

A week ago Keith Curle watched on as his side limped to a 2-1 loss against League Two strugglers Harrogate Town - their first win in 10 games to leapfrog Pools and send Curle’s men to the bottom of the table. Three days later Pools were embarrassed 6-0 by Everton under-21s in the Papa Johns Trophy at the Suit Direct Stadium, being eliminated from the competition in the process.

But while Pools undoubtedly see their priorities elsewhere this season, the manner of such a heavy defeat raised concerns for Curle. The interim boss has not held back over the last seven days in dressing-down his squad by insisting they lack League Two experience and they are a quiet changing room, as well as questioning the club's summer recruitment.

And he is hoping it culminates in a much-needed reaction when Hartlepool face Swindon Town at the County Ground this afternoon, with professional pride at stake according to Curle.

“It’s professional pride. We need to re-instil that in the changing room,” Curle told The Mail.

“Nobody can walk out of the stadium from the footballing department on Tuesday night with any satisfaction about their performance.”

He continued: “We got exposed. Is that about tactics? Well, if you don’t want to run, if you don’t want to chase people around, and if you don’t want to tackle as a starting point - you’ve got to be a very, very good footballer if you don’t have those credentials as part of your make-up so that everybody gives you the ball and then you enlighten your team.

“Have we got enough players that can say they can play games like that? No. Have we got enough players that will run around as a minimum requirement? No. We’ve got some players that think they’re running around, but not at the level that I need them to and that we need them to.

“They’re truths. Are we going to accept being bottom of the league? Because I’m not getting on that bus. So we need to go on a journey that takes us away from the foot of the table.”

And Curle has hinted that could mean one or two surprises in squad selection over the coming weeks, with the challenge now being thrown down to his players to bounce back from what has been a difficult period.

“I’ve got to say [the reaction in training] has been very good. But part of my job is to make decisions. It’s not a closed shop as in I make a decision and that’s it, you’re off the bus. But actions speak louder than words.

“In the next coming weeks we might see a few names not on the team-sheet. Then it’s about their reaction and how they handle that disappointment.

“Do they roll over and say that’s me out for the count, or do they want to get back up? Some people don’t. Some people go and find another fight somewhere else.”