Keith Curle makes Hartlepool United vow after permanent appointment | OneFootball

Hartlepool United manager Keith Curle says that is committed to implementing change at the club after being appointed permanently.

The 59-year-old was initially appointed as interim manager in September following the sacking of Paul Hartley, but the club confirmed yesterday he has been handed a permanent contract until the end of next season.

Curle arrived at The Suit Direct Stadium with the club in the relegation zone and winless and although they have picked up two league victories under his guidance, they are currently bottom of the table, two points from safety.

Pools were condemned to their third straight league defeat yesterday just hours after the news of Curle’s permanent appointment, suffering a 5-0 home defeat to Stockport County.

Kyle Wootton opened the scoring for the Hatters in the 16th minute, before doubling their lead just four minutes later. The visitors then sealed all three points and an emphatic win with second half goals from Paddy Madden, Callum Camps and Will Collar.

To make matters worse for the home fans, the defeat came against a Stockport side managed by Dave Challinor, who left the North East club for Edgeley Park last season.

The new man at the helm at Hartlepool was furious with his side’s performance and admitted that changes were needed, emphasising that he is determined to deliver that now he has committed his future to the club.

“It’s not good enough,” Curle told the Hartlepool Mail.

“But the timing of it, with me committing myself to the football club and the football club committing themselves to me, I’ve signed a contract with full understanding of what needs to be done at the football club and the football club understand what needs to happen as well. So from that point we’re in a good place because changes need to happen at the football club.

“An easy analogy would be; Stockport are eight or nine places above us and on today’s performance not one of our players would get in their team.

“I know what I’ve got available to myself for the next five games until the window opens and I’ll get the best out of what I’ve got.

“I signed a contract with good intent and the honest intent of what job is needed to be done here and I know I’ve got the backing, and I’ve got the financial resources, to be able to compete to bring in players that, in my opinion, will improve us.”

Quiz: Which British club did Hartlepool United sign these 26 players from?

1 of 26

Brody Paterson

Celtic Rangers

The Verdict

Hartlepool’s situation towards the bottom of League Two is becoming increasingly concerning.

While it is a positive that Curle has signed a permanent deal in terms of providing stability and continuity at the club, there are question marks over whether it is the right decision to give him the job full time.

Since Curle’s arrival, Pools have only won twice in the league and the heavy defeat to Stockport means it is now seven defeats in their last eight league games.

While it should be said that Curle inherited a desperate situation with the club winless, if the interim appointment was designed to be an opportunity for Curle to prove himself in the job, he has not really done that so far in terms of results.

But he does have a decent track record at fourth tier level, including promotion with Northampton Town in 2020.

It is clear that many of the players recruited by Hartley in the summer are not at the required level, so Curle is right to say that a rebuild is needed and he has committed to the job in the knowledge he will be given the opportunity to make the necessary changes.

Curle is clearly up for the fight and he will need to use all of his experience to lead Pools to safety.