Johnson slams ‘joke’ Hartlepool decision

Reporter: by MATTHEW CHAMBERS
Date published: 09 December 2014


LEE Johnson has hit out at Hartlepool’s decision to fire manager Paul Murray, branding it a “joke”.

A 2-1 home defeat to non-league outfit Blyth Spartans in the second round of the FA Cup on Friday night precipitated the 38-year-old’s departure, along with his assistant Willie Donachie.

Murray had only been in charge for 45 days, a period containing seven matches, after taking over at the League Two strugglers.

But for Johnson, who saw Murray leave his role as first-team coach at SportsDirect.com Park to take over in the job vacated by Colin Cooper, the mess he inherited at Victoria Park needed a long-term commitment to clean up.

“It’s a joke isn’t it? Let’s be honest,” Johnson said. “They have brought in a rookie, given him seven games and then have got rid of him.

“It is something that is very wrong in football at the moment. Managers all over the place are under pressure and it is having a real effect on English football. We are looking at wanting England to win the World Cup and bringing English managers through but we are making knee-jerk reactions.

“If you are going to give someone the opportunity to have a first-time job then you have to stick with them, because nobody can perform miracles with what was very poor recruitment before his term.

“I am angry about that one not just because he is my friend, but because I am a football person.

“I’m a young manager myself. Maybe it is not my place to talk about other clubs, but I will do on this occasion and I am very disappointed with the hierarchy at Hartlepool for what they have done.”

Athletic’s manager spoke to Murray on Saturday morning, before Athletic’s own exit in the FA Cup to Doncaster.

“He was very disappointed and rightly so, because he’s a passionate man,” he said of the pair’s conversation. Now what does he do? He has to go and try to find himself a job, having been embarrassed by poor senior management at a football club.”

Sam Collins has been installed as temporary boss at Pools, with Craig Hignett — who left Middlesbrough last week — now the odds-on favourite to take the job permanently.