CRAIG HIGNETT is making football simple for his Hartlepool United players.

Forget intricate tactical details and plans: run more, pass forward, win your challenges.

After a month of tactical confusion under Richard Money which ended in the manager quitting and walking away from the club, Hignett was placed in charge.

He admits he’s learned from mistakes his made during his previous spell in charge of Pools which ended in January 2017 and goes into today’s home game with Bromley on the back of four unbeaten games.

In the last week, Pools have travelled around 1,000 miles in going to Boreham Wood and Ebbsfleet, coming back home with four points from two games they would probably have had different outcomes from under Money.

“This season if we got a new manager in who wants to play a completely different way to the other manager did then the players have to get used to that,’’ said the third manager Pools have had this season.

Matthew Bates insisted he wasn’t interested in what the opposition were doing, and Hignett is of the same mantra.

Hignett added: “You can be confusing and the players don’t know if they are coming or going, not knowing where they are and you can get lost for a bit until the message gets across.

“I think it’s about keeping it simple for players. As a striker have I scored this week? Have I made a goal? As a wide man how many crosses have I put in? Have I made a goal for someone?

“As a defender have we kept a clean sheet? How many tackles have I made? How many headers have I won?

“You can work as a unit and people need to know their roles in a unit, but win your headers, get your shots off, cross it well and you will find you win games.

“It’s not rocket science is it? Just make them feel good and ask then what they have done. Let them enjoy it.’’

Hignett moved to Middlesbrough from Crewe in 1992, stepping up after learning his trade at Gresty Road.

And advice and questions posed at the time are still relevant today.

He added: “Make it basic. As a kid when I was at Crewe, Dario Gradi would ask me how I had affected a game. Had I scored a goal? Or made a goal?

“It was that simple. No matter what else you do it’s about an impact as a forwards – making a goal, scoring a goal.’’

The Northern Echo:

Pools are 13th in the table and have some 11 points to make up to Gateshead, who occupy seventh spot and the last play-off position.

It’s going to take some effort to get there, but the pressure is off in more ways than one at the club now.

“If you make players enjoy and you see the best in players and see what they can do then it goes a long way,’’ Hignett said from the opposite end of the management spectrum to Money.

“There’s no quick fix and we aren’t near where I want us to be – halfway in this division isn’t where we want to be.

“But we aren’t miles away from it or eight or nine players away from it. Maybe three or four, but not eight or nine.

“If they perform consistently then we would be in the play-offs, but players are in this league for a reason and that’s inconsistency. Performing one in four or five is the reason why they are playing in this league but then when they get that one display you see they can play higher.

“We have a few like that who can play higher with consistency.’’

Pools played out an entertaining draw with promotion contenders Leyton Orient last time out at home. And Hignett is adopting the same positive frame of mind as Justin Edinburgh’s side: 'Don’t be afraid to have a go'.

“Orient came here to play open football, they think they can win every game and they want to win every game. You can have that outlook,’’ he said.

“We knew what we were up against the other night at Ebbsfleet and we knew we would get chances later on and sometimes you have to stay in games and then wait for your chance. It was the first time we hadn’t scored in 18 games which was disappointing.

“If we keep the same work ethic we could be good. All they have done is run about more and running at goal more, people want to go that way. Just leave it behind you and go.

"We are creating more chances and Nicke Kabamba has come in to be a threat in the box, he’s mobile, he’s a target, he’s like a big Luke James, but no-one can do what he does. For a big lad, Nicke puts himself about.’’