Foley hopes 'simple' plan can save Barrow's season

New Barrow player-head coach Sam Foley hopes that his "simple" message can provide a platform for the Bluebirds to avoid relegation from League Two.

The 39-year-old was put in charge of the first team last week after the departure of Dino Maamria, making him the fifth person to lead them at some point this season.

After a season of such confusion and many different voices, Foley believes that it is not time to overcomplicate matters.

As such, the midfielder, who named himself on the substitutes' bench, reverted to a back four in Saturday's goalless draw with Accrington Stanley which, despite the result, produced a more positive display.

"It's finding something simple for the players to get on board with," he told BBC Radio Cumbria.

"I didn't want to overcomplicate things in the past few days."

The draw did not prevent Barrow from slipping into the bottom two for the first time all season as Newport County came from behind to win at Barnet, but it does give Foley something to build from.

However, starting at Salford City on Tuesday, the Bluebirds have a daunting run-in that features matches against six of League Two's top eight.

Foley, who missed more than six months of football with a thigh injury, has been in and around the squad all season and is now focused on pulling them together for this relegation fight.

"I've got a great team of staff behind me who are helpful," he said. "I've got David Worrall and Simon Ireland and I'm communicating with them constantly about how I think training should go.

"There's a great bunch of lads - I've known them all season - we've had some seriously low times. It's about coming together as a group to improve."