91Èȱ¬

Hartlepool United manager Colin Cooper has said he is more interested in squad quality than quantity, despite the loss of Peter Hartley to Stevenage.

Hartley, a central defender, joined the League One club for an "undisclosed five-figure" fee.

Cooper has made two signings in , external and , external as well as loaning defender Christian Burgess from Middlesbrough.

"I'm being picky, I'm want players that make us better," Cooper told 91Èȱ¬ Tees.

"Every manager wants their squad in place for the start of the season, but we have the best part of two weeks to get people in."

The departure of Hartley, who made 181 appearances for Pools following his move from Sunderland in July 2009, does leave a gap in the defensive options.

"Without going into too much detail, [to leave] it was something that Peter sought very early into my tenure," Cooper said.

"I think for his own self that it was the right thing to do and there was interest.

"I told him the plan we had and he bought into it, but he thought that he needed a fresh start.

"I spoke to Graham Westley at Stevenage and he wanted him. We wish him well, I didn't want him to go but things happen in football. It's hard to leave your hometown club."