MICK O'CONNELL hopes to build on his first season in charge of Tadcaster Albion, after ending the Northern Counties East League campaign in a nine match unbeaten run.

Having started the job with the club in freefall, O'Connell inherited a squad of just one player, who has since left, following Tadcaster's relegation last season.

The Brewers boss has overseen a new look squad who have inherited his style of play and secured a mid-table finish in his first year in charge, with the Tadcaster boss hoping to see the club move up in the divisions.

O'Connell reflected on an 'inconsistent' campaign and discussed his style of play in a sit-down interview with the Press.

“Our mentality has changed since Christmas, there has been a real upturn in our performances," O'Connell enthused.

"In some of our performances, we really haven’t got what we’ve really deserved, we’ve actually played well in some games and got beat, then not played as well in other games and have won.

"Since Christmas, there has been a real upturn in our performances but our mentality has also changed, we made one or two new signings in the New Year and they really helped and they have really brought up that mentality.

“It took a lot longer to implement those ideas and for the players to take them on board.

"We brought in a full new squad this year with some players that we have worked with before, I think that with this squad if we can keep it together and add to it, then we should have a really good year next year.

“There are two ways of looking at it, we’re disappointed with our league position because we wanted to go higher than that.

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"Overall we haven’t been consistent enough over the season, we haven’t been consistent enough and unfortunately we couldn’t finish in the play-offs and haven’t turned up every single week.

"Unfortunately in the earlier stages of the season, we had too many days off where we did well against the teams above us but struggled against the teams below us.

"That was us in the first part of the year, but overall with considering what we came into, which in my opinion was a relegated club which is the hardest job to take.

"The mentality was poor around the club because they were used to losing, you inherit a mess that someone else has left behind and we had to bring in a full set of staff, a full squad of players.

"It was a difficult job, but overall we settled things down and are starting to get on the right path, the mentality has changed around the club and you can see the gate numbers are raising slowly again."

One member of the Tadcaster squad to impress this season has been Olli Norman, who ended the campaign on 25 goals and as the club's top scorer on the wing, with O'Connell hoping to keep a hold of his prized possession despite interest in the youngster.

“Really impressed with his mentality this year, he’s matured as I have had Olli for a few years now and I have seen him grow.

"Not only as a footballer but as a man, he has really grown up and accepted his role.

"His numbers have been really good for a winger but Olli will tell you himself that he could probably have had a few more goals.

"He’s a really good player, never has injuries and is always available.

"All in all, I think there will be a lot of strong interest in Olli in the Summer as there has been all year really, I’m really hoping that we can keep him but whatever he does next year, I’m sure it will make him a better player again."

O'Connell has now turned his attention to next season, with the Brewers boss highlighting his recruitment focuses with talks set to take place in the coming weeks.

O'Connell explained: “We have a shortlist of three positions that we feel need strengthening next year, there are three or four players but we haven’t held any conversations as of yet.

"We’re going to look to start doing that in the next two to three weeks so that we can get everything finalised early doors, so we can have a full squad for the first day of pre-season.

"That would give them the full six weeks to prepare for what we want next year, bringing players in at the last minute of pre-season doesn’t give you much time to put your ideas across.

"We want to get our business done early, we can’t speak to players yet because they are attached to other clubs but we have a shortlist of players that we want to speak to."