This summer, Kevin Phillips will not hesitate to call his old Sunderland buddies and ask for a favor. Phillips is nearing his first full transfer window as Hartlepool United manager, and he is eager to make an impact on the club.
The 50-year-old led Hartlepool to 12th place in the National League after taking over from John Askey in late January, when the club was only four points from relegation. As a result, Phillips, whose only previous managerial experience was with South Shields, will be trying to continue on the improvements made at Victoria Park by attempting to return the team to the Football League next season.
He’ll need a lot of new faces to make it happen, as the former striker openly admits, and many of them are expected to be on loan. Phillips will rely on his contacts in the game to add to his team, and he intends to pose the question at Sunderland during the summer months.
“I think it’s important,” Phillips told The Hartlepool Mail. “I tried it when I was at South Shields, and I believe it’s critical to develop relationships with your local clubs.”
“We’re looking into it, and with my connections to Sunderland, it’s an opportunity to make the most of it. I’m always hesitant about bringing young players, particularly under-23s, into this environment; I don’t believe you can have too many. For me, you need players with experience in the National League or the Football League. I’d love to form some relationships.”
Phillips, who scored 130 goals in 235 games for Sunderland as a player, has been coaching since retiring in 2014, having had backstage positions at Leicester City, Derby County, and Stoke City before taking over management.
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