A high-tempo game and attractive style of football – that’s want new assistant manager Glen Alzapiedi wants to see from St Albans City this season.

The former Concord Rangers number two arrived at Clarence Park in May following Lee Allinson’s switch to the hot seat at Biggleswade Town.

And although part of his remit will be to stiffen the defence he revealed to the Herts Ad that he wants the Saints to be entertaining as well.

He said: “We want a high-tempo game but we want to play with purpose and get from back to front as quickly as possible with the ball under control, not the old style of direct play.

“We want to progress up the pitch very quickly and use the strength and talent of the players to have an attractive style.

“I think that’s very important.

“We’ve had three training sessions in which we concentrated on base fitness and match play so the players were ready to take part in these games.

“I will do most of my coaching during the season, simply because the amount of games we have pre-season dictates that the players are going to need rest as well.”

Speaking after St Albans’ second pre-season match, Alzapiedi said he already feels settled in and says he has struck up an instant relationship with Ian Allinson.

“I like being at this level,” he said. “I had another couple of offers but although they were move closer to home, they were both in the Isthmian League and the attraction of staying in the National South was what pulled me towards St Albans.

“I’ve been a manager and an assistant and I feel I’ve settled into being an assistant.

“Ian accepts that I’ve got a lot of experience and knowledge and he’s tapped into that.

“And that’s my role, to give Ian options and opinions and to help enable him to make the right decisions for the team.”

And he has also been impressed with what he has seen against both Northampton Town and Stevenage.

He said: “I know we’ve lost to league opposition in both games, but we’ve seen elements in both performances that had been positive.

“Our forward play has been good and we feel we get in trouble when we slow the play down and over-play and that’s something we’ll work on as we go through the season.”