NEW manager Bradley Quinton insists that the players he is bringing to Braintree Town will be in the same mould as the one that he was from during his glittering playing career with the Iron.

The new boss has reassured Braintree fans that his squad building is progressing as he wants after taking the reins last month.

Having taken the helm from former boss Hakan Hayrettin following Braintree’s relegation from the Vanarama National League last year, Quinton has the task of assembling a group of players to compete in the level below.

The 38-year-old, who was a fans’ favourite as a player and is the club’s record appearance holder, is having to start almost from scratch in his rebuilding, but is confident that he is making good progress.

However, with supporters eager for news of how their team will line up next season in National League South, Quinton said he is having to make sure deals are completely sewn up before names can be announced.

He said: “I’m pleased with how the squad building is going at this moment in time.

“I don’t want to announce too much at the moment, but we have done some good deals and there are others who we want to get over the line. There are one or two who I want to meet up with again and to see what happens, but at the end of the day, it’s up to them.

“I can offer them X,Y and Z and it’s up to them if they want to accept it, but if they’re not doing it in pre-season then if someone else comes in and I feel they deserve what they’re asking for then they’ll miss out.

“Whatever any player wants, they have to turn up at this club and want to show - like I did as a player - what playing football for a good community-supporting club means.

“That’s first and foremost.

“The people who I sign, before a ball has been kicked, knowing that they will work hard for one another is crucial.

“You have to put your bodies on the line and if you have people who want to work hard for one another then you have a crucial blend of something that’s going to progress.

“That’s what myself and (assistant manager) Andy Porter were about as players and we are as people.

“I have the ethos that I target players’ personalities to get the right sort in, but I also want players who can play in more than one position.

“I’m not just saying can you play right-back or left-back, I’m looking for people to be adaptable in their game management as well.

“If they see something going on in a game where someone may be having a bad time or if they’ve got caught out of position, then they can accommodate and do a job until any threat is out of the way.

“We’ll be working a lot on that in training but I want those players who can think during a game without a manager to get the point across.

“Over the next week, we’re looking to concrete a good 15 to 16 players and to nail them down.

“We then have a showcase game and trial training session on June 22 with the first-team back in on June 24.

“We have some good plans for all of them.

“Every one of them who has been talked to and agreed to sign has been given nutrition plans and progression targets of what they should be hitting already before they report back to us.

“So there should be no excuses for these guys and they’ll be fit before they get back to training on June 24.

“It will be enjoyable with a lot of ball work, but it will be hard work.

“It will be organisational work, so when we come back, we’ll be very fit but also very organised.”