Mick is the man, says new boy Nobby
By Charlie Summerbell
June 4 2011
One of Nobby Solano's first quotes when he signed on for Hartlepool United was to say that, as a veteran player himself, he looked up to the example set to professional footballers by Ryan Giggs. This was, of course, before Giggs was out through the media mincer when his super-injunction cover was blown.
To be fair to Solano, he was referring purely to Giggs’s on-pitch example, not the extra-curricular activities that have featured so heavily in the tabloids – and everywhere else – in the last few weeks.
Now, though, the Pools new boy has pointed out a new role model – Pools coach Mick Wadsworth.
In explaining why he has signed for Pools when he could have stayed at Championship Hull, Solano credits MW for his decision.
He told the Northern Echo: “Mick is a very good coach, I remember him being a very strict man, very, very strict, when he was at Newcastle.
“He is right, you have to enjoy your game and training, work hard and then enjoy the rest of the day for what you want to do.
“Mick is a good man and I am looking forward to working with him again.
“He has ambitions and wants to get to the Championship. I like to work with people who want to work with you.
“The main thing is for the club to do well, not Nobby Solano or Mick, but the whole club. Everyone at Hartlepool wants to do well and I am part of the challenge.
“There is also a chance for me to do some coaching, but I will do it slowly. It’s not full-time and on the pitch I can help a lot, use my experience to help the young lads.”
Amongst those young lads are fellow newcomers Nathan Luscombe and James Poole, and Wadsworth has made it clear that the target is to improve on last season’s mid-table finish in League One.
Much will depend on whether Solano has the legs and the approach to carry him through a League One season. At 36 he’s no spring chicken, but if he and Wadsworth can come up with a way to guide the younger player during games, this could be a very significant signing for Pools.
Many fans appear to think so – more than 1,800 season tickets have been sold under the club’s incentive scheme. There is a mid-July deadline for the sales to reach 4,000, which would make the full price for a ticket £100.
If sales fall below 4,000, discounted prices will be: 3,500 - £150, 3,000 - £200.