NEW Colchester United head coach Hayden Mullins has revealed he intends to stay in contact with Paul Tisdale after the pair guided the club to League Two safety.

Tisdale is now looking for a new challenge, after his short-term role as first-team advisor at the JobServe Community Stadium came to an end.

The vastly-experienced manager is unlikely to be short of offers after leaving the U's, with more than 700 games under his belt.

And Mullins, who was appointed as Colchester's permanent boss on Thursday after impressing in interim charge, says he fully intends to stay in touch with his former colleague.

Mullins said: “I spoke to Tis on the phone – I said this probably won’t be the last phone call I make to you!

“He’s got so much knowledge and experience and he was brilliant.

“It was good to work with him and we’ll stay in contact."

Colchester are busy shaping their squad for next season, after 11 players were allowed to leave the club yesterday.

The likes of Harry Pell, Callum Harriott and Tom Lapslie have moved on for pastures new, with plenty of new faces set to arrive in their place in the coming weeks.

Mullins is already planning for the 2021-22 campaign, with pre-season training set to start at Florence Park on July 1.

“We’ll sit down with the players on the first day of pre-season and have a chat with them then," said the new U's boss.

“I’m a young coach – and a hungry coach – and I want to improve and get better.

“This club wants to develop players and coaches and it’s a perfect environment.

“I’m hungry; I want to do well and I want to try and progress and hopefully if I’m doing well, then the club is doing well.

“We want to be front footed as a side.

“We spoke about the momentum that we had towards the end of the season and we want to try and bring that again next season.

“That’s what I’ll be aiming to do."