Hereford United boss Simon Davey says his squad are hungry for success ahead of Saturday’s opening League Two clash at Crewe.
Speaking at the club’s press day yesterday, Davey also revealed he is close to securing the signature of French defender Samba Kanoute.
The Bulls’ final pre-season run out ended in a 6-2 rout of Welsh Premier League outfit Neath on Saturday – a positive end to a constructive pre-season, according to Davey.
“It’s been very good,” he said.
“I’ve been pleased with the way its gone, the fitness levels are where they should be and we’re ready for the kick off.”
The match at Neath contained several positives for the Bulls, not least the performance of Joe Colbeck, who weighed in with two goals.
Colbeck, who has joined the Bulls from Oldham on a free transfer, could prove to be a worthy replacement for Lionel Ainsworth, who last week shunned a move back to Edgar Street.
Instead, the former Watford player agreed a two-year contract with the Bulls’ arch rivals Shrewsbury Town.
Meanwhile, Davey said that he expects to add a young player to the squad in addition to Kanoute, to bring the squad complement to 20.
And he revealed that he has every confidence in the players he has recruited.
He added: “I think when you recruit a squad you don’t know how long it’s going to take to gel.
“I’m looking forward to the start of the season and I think that the players I’ve got are going to be competitive” he added.
“You never know what’s going to happen but we believe we’ve got a good enough squad to compete at this level and, with a bit of luck on the injury front and the suspension front, who knows where we’ll end up.”
Davey has been forced to act quickly to assemble a squad since his arrival in June and has emphasised the need for quality and flexibility.
He added: “We’ve brought players in that can play in different positions; we’re adaptable and I think that every player can play at this level and we haven’t got any passengers that we’re carrying.
“The whole group of players that we’ve got are highly competitive, ambitious and they’re hungry to succeed and will be able to compete this season.”
In addition to the playing staff, Davey has also appointed an assistant coach, a fitness coach, a kit man and a chief scout and he is hopeful of securing the services of a goalkeeping coach.
But hard work remains a requirement if the Bulls are to be successful in Saturday’s clash with the Railwaymen, according to Davey.
He added: “The last week is crucial. There is a lot of work to be done this week and when we kick off on Saturday it’s my job to make sure that every player has planned, prepared and is ready to go.
“We’re nearly there so hopefully with the right result on Saturday we’ll come back with three points,” he said.