JOHN Coleman enjoys the responsibility of trying to recruit new players - but not the inundated phone calls that go with it.

The Stanley boss takes care of affairs at the Wham Stadium when it comes to incomings and outgoings but says he gets a ‘headache’ having to field so many enquiries from pushy agents.

“I possibly didn’t help myself going live on TV saying I needed eight players because my phone never stopped ringing for a week,” said Coleman whose side finished in 15th place in League One last season. “You have got a lot of agents trying to push players at you because you’re in a higher league.

“Listen, it’s part of the job I quite enjoy and I take most of the responsibility for the recruitment side.

“It’s unusual in the modern game because I think most people have a director of football or a recruitment team.

“I prefer to try and get the ones I want that can fit into the jigsaw we’re trying to piece together.”

Midfielder Joe Pritchard from Bolton Wanderers is the only signing of note so far while former Brighton defender, Ben Barclay, featured again in Thursday’s impressive 2-1 win over Marseille at the AJ Bell Stadium in Salford having played against Sligo on Monday.

A handful of trialists also featured against the French giants but Coleman has yet to decide, which, if any will remain with the Reds.

But he would rather get business done sooner rather than later.

“I would have liked to have got players in three weeks ago,” he said. “I could sign 15, 20, 50, 100, 500 players tomorrow because there’s that many available.

“But they wouldn’t necessarily be the right ones.

“I was laughing this morning. I looked at my phone at quarter to 11 and I realised that I’d had 28 football-related calls, that I’d made or had been to me.

“By quarter to one that had gone over 50.

“That’s the type of thing you’re having to deal with.

“You’re doing that on a daily basis and believe me it gives you a headache.”

He added: “It is (number of calls etc) getting worse by the year.

“I thought it would be easier going up the leagues but we’re not in a position where we can throw money left, right and centre at players.

“The ones that we bring in we want to get right and hopefully we will do.”

Coleman was impressed with his players performance in the victory over Marseille - Sean McConville and Offrande Zanzala scoring in the 2-1 win - having read the riot act to them following a 1-0 defeat at Sligo Rovers three days previous.

Stanley’s pre-season build-up continues at Bala Town next Saturday (3pm ko)before making the short trip to Warrington Town on Monday, July 22 (7.30pm ko).

They then travel to Morecambe on Saturday, July 27 (3pm ko).