NEW Christchurch manager Adie Arnold insists his list of summer targets is not dominated by Verwood Town players - but stopped short of ruling out swoops for his former club's stars.

As revealed by the Daily Echo, Arnold last week succeeded Michael Cuffie in the Priory hot seat less than eight weeks after ending his lengthy tenure at Potterne Park.

During the eight-and-a-half year spell, Arnold became Verwood's most successful manager and following his departure, speculation was rife that many of the Potters' playing personnel would follow their former boss.

The new man at the Hurn Bridge helm said that talks with “four or five” unnamed players were in progress and was adamant there would be no room for sentiment in his effort to boost numbers.

“Naturally, I am close to a few players at Verwood. That's not rocket science because I was there a long time,” said Arnold.

“Their players are going to be linked with me and I won't be doing my job properly if I don't try to attract the best players I can to Christchurch. Some may want to follow and others may not, it's down to individuals to decide.

“There are other players around that we will look to bring in by selling the playing surface and setup to them. We walked round the place and got a real buzz and if I was a player, this would be somewhere I wanted to play every other week.

“It is important to say, though, that there is a lovely balance here already with two or three experienced lads complemented by the younger players and I am very keen to keep that together.

“There are three or four players thinking over their futures but that's natural in football and, overall, the vibes I am getting are good.

“We must also bring closer together the first team, reserves and under-18s. They should all be looking at knocking on my door so it's important for everyone to know that they have a clean slate and an opportunity to progress at Christchurch.”

Meanwhile, having named former Verwood and Hamworthy United stopper Dan Fawcett as his new goalkeeping coach, Arnold has begun the search for a first-team coach.