By Albatross
November 19 2002

Pools still haven't announced their new manager. Albatross reports on some of the speculation - and adds a little of his own. However, the waiting still goes on..... It's been almost two weeks now since Chris Turner left for Sheffield Wednesday, and the situation involving Colin West - or for that matter any other potential manager - remains something that no-one outside the club knows. Those within the club are understandably keeping their cards close to their chests, but for those of us without a direct line to Ken Hodcroft the waiting goes on.

Without doubt West is the man that the majority of fans want to see taking on the job, but Colin is a man in demand: rumours continue to circulate that he is about to be named CT's assistant at Hillsborough, but when it comes down to it we just don't know - and until one club or the other makes an announcement confirming what's happening, all else is merely speculation.

One of the delays seems to have been the fact that Hodcroft has spent some time out of the country attending to the affairs of IOR. This morning the club issued a statement that said little more that he was now back, and that Colin West remains in charge of team affairs; though it's fairly certain that he'll also have had a pile of CVs from people wanting to take on what is currently one of the most attractive jobs in the lower divisions.

Some of the names mentioned recently have included Chris Waddle, Peter Beardsley and Dave Rushbury - currently in charge at Chesterfield. However there's nothing to indicate that any of these are more than shots in the dark, and many Poolies will be hoping that these are well wide of the target! Rushbury is hardly held in high regard at Chesterfield, Waddle hasn't worked as a boss since leaving Burnley under a cloud, and Beardsley doesn't come across as someone with the personality to be a good manager.

If West doesn't take the job - and you have to think that he must be give first refusal - then there's a bit of a shortage of internal candidates. Martin Scott has done a sterling job with the Youth Team, but because of that maybe doesn't know the fist team squad too well - though having seen him on the touchline at Port Vale a couple of weeks ago there's no doubting his passion. Flash has been mentioned as a possible player-manager, but whether he's ready for that - and whether he's prepared to move up permanently from the South Coast - remains to be seen.

So it looks like West or an external candidate; but for the moment, all we can do is wait - and get behind the lads, no matter who ends up in charge. With Orient on Saturday, Southend in the Cup Replay in Midweek and then Kiddiminster at home just after that, the players will need all the support they can get if we're to keep up our good form.