Neil Harris: Cambridge United head coach rules out rapid ‘revolution’

Neil Harris wants to make Cambridge United a team “others don’t want to play against” after taking over as head coach on an 18-month contract.

The former Millwall, Cardiff and Gillingham boss admitted the U’s are “underdogs” within League One.

But he believes the squad has the potential to start climbing the table from their current position of 18th.

“When you go into a club in November or December, it’s not about rapid change or revolution,” the 46-year-old said.

“It’s purely [about] just trying to get your messages across, to try to be harder to beat, to score more goals; it’s about working with the players in the building and trying to see their attributes.

“There’s quite a few players on the training ground that I’ve tried to sign in the past, so that’s a good sign.”

He continued: “I want to bring all my personal traits with me and represent the football club and fan base the best I can and I want us to be a team people don’t want to play against.

“We’re a little bit of an underdog in the division and we need to use that as a real strength. We have to raise our game every week.”

Harris has not brought long-time assistant David Livermore to the Abbey Stadium, and will instead work with the coaches already in place, headed by Barry Corr – a former team-mate at Southend United – and Kevin Betsy.

“They wanted a head coach to come in and work with the current staff because they’ve head-hunted them and recruited them and believe in them,” he told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire.

“If I didn’t feel my attributes would suit them I wouldn’t have come, but I feel like I’ve inherited really good people and talented staff.”