Tony Humes has urged his players to go out and enjoy themselves in his first game as Colchester United manager tomorrow.

Humes will be in the dugout for the first time as U’s boss at Walsall, following his appointment as Joe Dunne’s successor this week.

The former Colchester head of youth has inherited a struggling side who are still searching for their first win in League One, this season.

But their opponents Walsall are also yet to taste victory so far, having drawn three and two of their opening five games.

And despite their winless run, Humes believes it is important that the U’s enjoy their football, as the club embark on a new era tomorrow.

Humes said: “If the players enjoy their football, they’re going to be performing well.

“If they’re not enjoying it, the performances won’t be there because the game isn’t going right for them.

“If we can get that enjoyment factor and enthusiasm that they want to go out and play and express themselves, then the game should be positive.

“It’s the results - that’s the only thing that needs fixing for me.

“There’ll be bits we’ll add and bits we’ll take out but it’ll be similar.

“Hopefully, the players will pick up on what we’re trying to do quite quickly so we can see it in the performance.

“We’ve been creating chances without taking them, so we have to be a bit more clinical.

“Defensively, we’ve probably already conceded too many goals to be able to stay in a game.

“If we’re not scoring, we have to make sure that we’re tighter in that third of the field.

“We’ve got one or two ideas to try and get us a little bit more organised in defence and a little bit more prolific up front, too.

“You can’t go away hoping not to concede in every game - we have to go into it hoping to create chances.

“The philosophy, the style and the systems will be very similar.

“But every individual has got different interpretations and different intricacies.”

Midfielder Craig Eastmond is likely to be back in the U’s squad, having been given time away from the club last week by former boss Dunne.

Humes said: “Craig is available - he has taken part in every session with us this week and he’s looked quite sharp.”

For a three-page preview of Colchester United's game with Walsall, see Friday's Daily Gazette.