COLCHESTER United have already started the process of building for next season.

The U’s are hoping for an improved showing in the 2018-19 campaign, having finished 13 points shy of the League Two play-off places, this season.

Harry Pell has already been recruited from Cheltenham Town, while the likes of Brennan Dickenson, Tom Lapslie and Ryan Jackson are all staying put for at least another year.

In part two of the Daily Gazette’s big interview with John McGreal, the U’s head coach looks forward to a busy summer ahead of his third season in charge at the club.

JOHN McGreal acknowledges that player recruitment will be vital for Colchester United this summer, as they attempt to build a squad capable of challenging for League Two promotion.

It is little more than a fortnight since the curtain came down on the 2017-18 season for the U’s but they are already busy reshaping their squad, for the next campaign.

The signing of Harry Pell will be the first of several new arrivals at the Community Stadium, this summer and head coach McGreal admits that the business they do in the coming weeks will play a big role in determining how they fare, next season.

McGreal said: “It’s one where we’re trying to identify players to make it stronger.

“Recruitment is crucial and we’ve been looking over the last three months in away trying to identify ifs, buts and maybes just in case something happens here or there.

“It’s months of work - we’re now trying to put all of that together and hopefully we can get them done early – if we can’t, it won’t be for the lack of trying.

“You are dictated to by players and agents and this time just after the season has finished does tend to be a quiet period.

“A lot of players are being released and players do take their time over their decisions.

“A lot of players go off on holiday but I’m similar to a lot of managers in that we’ll be trying to make those contacts that we feel will improve the squad.

“We’ll be looking to carry up those leads from where we left off and get them over the line.

“In the division we’re in, we are dictated to by strength of clubs and also budgets.

“But we’ve looking with a fine toothcomb to try and identify what we’re looking for, not only in that top end of the pitch but also to improve the squad.

“We don’t want to sit still.

“We feel like we’ve got a really strong base to build from and that’s what we’ll be looking to try and do.”

McGreal says Colchester will be targeting experienced players for next season, to add to the pool of young talent already in their squad.

The U’s have lost the likes of Doug Loft, Drey Wright and Kurtis Guthrie from their squad over recent weeks, increasing the need to bolster their ranks with seasoned EFL campaigners.

Nevertheless, boss McGreal says he has been delighted with the progress of the likes of Courtney Senior, Dillon Barnes and Ryan Gondoh this season – and wants them to make their mark again, in the next campaign.

“I feel as though we still have to bring in a little bit of experience, to back up the young lads coming through and the young lads we have got in the first-team group,” said the U’s head coach.

“But the ones already in the first-team group aren’t young lads anymore.

“They’re a year older and now they know what’s expected of them, come the beginning of pre-season knowing that they have challenges to meet.

“I’m delighted with the progression of the young players.

“Courtney Senior has been fantastic and a real injection of pace.

“He’s had good numbers to his name, for such a young lad.

“The likes of Ryan Gondoh and Dillon Barnes have come in of late and a lot of people have contacted me about Ollie Sims, knowing that he’s done particularly well for the under-18s.

“We’ve got more to come into it too, like Aaron Barnes and Diaz Wright who helped Braintree win the play-off final.

“We have a lot of boys in there but this is elite football.

“You get your opportunity by working and training hard but when you get it, you have to take it.”

McGreal, along with his assistant Steve Ball, now have two years’ experience behind them as a EFL management team.

It has helped them build good relationships with fellow bosses, something that the U’s boss feels can be an advantage.

“The biggest thing is that you’re developing different contacts as a manager and connections, throughout the game,” said McGreal, who is currently the 18th longest-serving manager in the EFL.

“There’s a real connection throughout the managers and coaches and you do go to see the opposition people at the end of the match, win, lose or draw.

“Picking the brains of good, experienced managers helps to give you a real insight and gives you the chance to learn from people.”

As he plans for next season, McGreal is keen to maintain what he regards as a good rapport with the Colchester supporters.

He added: “The big thing for me is the connection with the fans.

“That goes without saying and that’s what we try and do.

“Win, lose or draw, I’ll always get the boys to go over to the fans and that will never change, because I was like that as a player.

“You are appreciative of the fans’ support and if it wasn’t for them, we wouldn’t be here doing this job.

“We’re trying to continue to build on that and hopefully we can get a few over the line and make a statement of intent.”