Cambridge United head coach Neil Harris gives his first impressions, speaks on Mark Bonner and previews Charlton Athletic trip

Cambridge United head coach Neil Harris has given his first impressions on life at the U’s after he took charge of his first training session yesterday.

The 46-year-old was announced as the Sky Bet League One side’s new head coach on an 18-month contract on Wednesday evening following the sacking of Mark Bonner last week.

“Off the field, coming into the training ground, what a magnificent venue we’ve got. What an infrastructure. The fact I’ve come on my own to work with the staff here shows a little bit of alignment in the sense that the football club’s got real core values, honesty and trust with the people within,” said Harris.

“I’ve come to work with the guys that are here and to help them develop whilst enjoying it for myself as well.

“Behind the scenes, the football club is in a brilliant place, as in board level, owners, the sporting director, football staff and then you go to the players themselves.

“I look at the group of players, and I’ve watched quite a few of the games recently in preparation for the possible opportunity, and there’s a group of players that I feel like I can work with and help develop and hopefully slightly adjust results and help them possibly move up the division.

“There’s an excellent attitude, good personality, smiley faces, happy place to be and everyone being where they should be at the right times which is always a good sign. It’s as I’ve been led to believe, a really good core group of players with good lads that want to do really well.”

The ex-Millwall and Cardiff City boss also revealed in his first press conference at United that he wants his side to be feared by other teams but admitted that implementing his style of play on the side will take time.

Harris said: “Going into a football club in November/December time, it’s not about rapid change or revolution, not at all. It’s purely about trying to get your messages across, trying to find slightly different ways than there has been in previous games, to try and be harder to beat and score more goals.

“There’s quite a few players in that changing room that I’ve tried to sign in the past which is always a really good sign. There’s a lot of players in the changing room that I came up against as a player, I didn’t like playing against, which is another positive sign.

“I witnessed an extremely aggressive training session where the players are at it in a really positive fashion. I said to them that they have set the standards now, not just for this morning but for the result tomorrow.”

Harris is no stranger trying to fill the shoes of a manager who achieved great success at the club he is taking over at.

He replaced Ian Holloway at Millwall and was successor to Neil Warnock at Cardiff City – who took the Bluebirds to the Premier League in 2017/18.

“We respect and pay tribute to the work that Mark Bonner’s done here at the club. Sometimes following a manager isn’t ideal but following a manager like Mark and the legacy and foundations he has left leaves a brilliant opportunity for me. He’s a really class bloke. He’s helped build this football club with Paul Barry and Ben Strang,” said Harris.

The new U’s boss’ opening game in the United dugout comes at the Valley tomorrow as Cambridge travel to Charlton Athletic (3pm), a place that Harris is expecting a ‘few choice words’ to be thrown at him given his allegiances to the Addicks’ South London rivals.

Harris confirmed that he is waiting on follow up news on Fejiri Okenabirhie’s state of play but other than the forward’s potential absence, there are no new injury concerns for the trip to the capital.