PAUL Cox is optimistic he will have his new head coach and physio in place at Barrow AFC in the next few days.

Cox wants the duo – who will replace Gary Simpson and Sean Riley – appointed before training starts at Hopwood Hall, Rochdale, on Friday.

He has already held talks with individuals about taking up the roles, and said: “I’d like to think they will both be in place by the start of pre-season on Friday, even before that, because part of this week will be setting up at the training ground and planning things for the lay-out and structure of pre-season.

“There has been a lot of thought that has gone into it, and I’m very confident that we will get both those positions filled.”

Cox confirmed he has worked with his targeted first-team coach before, though the first-choice new physio is someone new to him – though highly recommended.

He added: “The first-team coach is someone I have worked with before. I know him inside-out and, more importantly, he knows me inside-out.

“That was a key factor – that I do work with somebody who knows how I work.

“The physio is somebody I haven’t worked with before, but he comes highly-recommended. It’s not just been done by sending out a job description and asking for applicants.It’s been done by networking and asking for good people.”