Kevin Phillips: New Hartlepool United boss wants to end 'negativity'

Kevin Phillips won promotion to National League North with South Shields in his only previous job in management

New Hartlepool United boss Kevin Phillips has said he wants to "put smiles on faces".

The ex-England striker, 50, was named as John Askey's successor on Saturday.

Pools were relegated from League Two last season and are seven points above the National League drop zone.

"I think the club needs a bit of a stability now, I think they've had four managers in the past 12 months or so and that's not good for anyone," Phillips told BBC Radio Tees.

"Hopefully I can bring that stability and the excitement back to this football club.

"There's been too much negativity and I could feel it even in the short spell when I met the players.

"I want to put smiles on faces and that comes through setting good standards, playing good football and creating an environment the players love coming in to.

"We want to put bums back on seats and we want fans to be proud of their team. They want to see hard work and that typifies the region. I get that."

Phillips knows the North East well after making his name during a six-year spell with Sunderland, where he scored 116 league goals and won the European Golden Shoe in 1999-00.

After spells coaching at Leicester, Derby and Stoke, he had his first spell in management with South Shields but left in April last year after leading them to promotion to National League North.

Phillips willing to prioritise substance over style

He was in the stands for Saturday's 1-0 win at struggling Ebbsfleet and will have a watching brief for Tuesday's home game against bottom side Kidderminster because of a touchline ban held over from his time with Shields.

Lennie Lawrence and Anthony Sweeney will again take the team for Tuesday's game and stay on as Phillips' assistants after.

Although Phillips says he wants his side to play attractive football, he acknowledged that they may need to be more risk-averse for the conclusion of the current campaign as they look to avoid successive relegations.

"At Shields, I wanted to play out from the back and play through the lines and I wanted pace, energy and leadership qualities. We managed to do that," he said.

"Me coming in here, it's clear that defensively we've been poor. Two clean sheets all season, three after Saturday's result, that's not going to get you anywhere. That's something that has to be addressed.

"I want to play but I get that the squad we've got, low on confidence... sometimes you don't want the ball, you just want to kick it long and fight for second balls.

"If that's going to get us results from now until the end of the season then it might have to stay like that but long-term I want us to play and dominate possession with a purpose.

"Believe me, when players get confident they'll want to get on the ball."