ADAM Flanagan admits his Concord Rangers side are not quite ready for the start of the new season after revealing it has been a frustrating summer.

The Beach Boys have won four out of their six matches so far, although they were comfortably beaten 5-1 in their penultimate pre-season encounter against St Neots Town on Saturday.

It has been a summer of transition for the club, after former manager Danny Cowley left after eight years to join Braintree Town, along with his brother and assistant manager Nicky.

And with only a week to go until the National League South curtainraiser against Weston-Super-Mare, new manager Flanagan says the team is still a work in progress.

“Things are going OK,” he said. “I don’t want to get lost in results as there is still a lot of work left to do with the team and things are getting there slowly.

“I have found it difficult to recruit as I would have wanted in certain areas, but that is not for a lack of trying.

“I want a certain calibre of player, but for one reason or another we haven’t been able to get those players. I would still like a centre-back and a striker but we will see what happens.

“I am going into the league a little bit blind,” added Flanagan. “You can watch as many videos as you like, but it is about experiencing it first hand. A lot of the players have good experience at this level and that is very important.”

One missed target was Grays Athletic’s Jay Leader, who chose to stay in the Ryman Premier League despite an approach from Concord.

Although Flanagan said, after facing Leader in last week’s friendly win over Grays, the form of versatile James Hammond has been a plus since arriving from Wealdstone.

“Jay is someone I know well from my time at Aveley,” he said. “I saw all the attributes I like in him when we played Grays. He couldn’t come because of his work situation at the time, but if his circumstances change we will look again.

“That said, James has been very impressive and, although primarily a right-back, he can certainly play at centre-back.”

Flanagan says he is also encouraged by the form of striker Tony Stokes, who has scored seven goals so far in pre-season.

“You always want someone who will get goals and Tony has always done that throughout his career,” he said.

“I think he has a point to prove this year after being frustrated with how last season played out for him and he has been impressive this pre-season.

“He is in the best shape I have seen for some time but the teams we face in the league will be a step up from what we have faced so far.”

Concord end their pre-season with a match against East Thurrock United at the Aspect Arena tomorrow.