PAUL Cox says Barrow AFC’s ability to adapt their style of football to different conditions and opposition will be key in their bid to climb the National League.

The 43-year-old took the managerial reins at Holker Street on Monday and will lead the Bluebirds for the first time when Woking visit Furness on Saturday.

He is already busy in the transfer market, with Barrow busy attempting to bring in new faces before the loan transfer deadline passed at 5pm today.

When asked what brand of football fans can expect from his side, Cox offered a pragmatic response as he seeks a winning formula.

He said: “The blueprint for me is you look at the Forest Greens and the Cheltenhams, who are so in front of everybody, and they are full of the same kind of players – professional athletes that can play.

“There is a scenario where you have to go to places and play conditions. The Braintrees of this world, who will not allow you to play.

“So we’re going to mix it up. We’ve got a nice pitch at Barrow, I want the boys to express themselves and to be really open with the way they are.

“But I want them to be able to adapt to what the pitches and the opposition are going to throw at us.

“So style of play? I couldn’t really put my finger on it if I’m being honest.”

Cox – who is believed to be chasing a winger and a striker among four targets ahead of Saturday’s match – has designed a blueprint for National League success before, as he led Mansfield Town into League Two as Conference Premier champions in 2013.

He added: “At Mansfield we actually won the league by evolving in different circumstances.

“We educated ourselves on the opposition, the surfaces we were playing on and the conditions and we adapted to each scenario.”

Though he is already busy in the loan market, Cox will also be handed funds to strengthen his squad in January and must quickly assess the strengths and weaknesses of his squad.

He said: “I know the majority of the players very well. I’ve been to a couple of the games this year just in terms of going to watch games.

“There are some very good players in there that might just need re-focusing and to be kick-started.

“I put a lot of pressure on myself and I expect the players to put a lot of pressure on themselves to be successful.

“It’s not just about how good a player is it’s also about their mindset and mentality to want to be successful, wanting to win and, more importantly, to be consistently good.”

Cox says every Barrow player starts with a clean slate before he takes his place in the Barrow dug-out for the first time. He said: “Of course they do, the whole club does. I’m going to go in there and some people might like my methods, some might not.

“I have a certain way of working, I have a strong work ethic and mentality and I want my players to echo that.

“It’s going to be tough and hard work, but we’ll have a laugh and a joke and we’ll enjoy playing football.

“But it’s always important to win because that’s when football becomes most enjoyable.”