TYNIE WAITS FOR NO MAN

DANIEL STENDEL can’t wait on his long-term injured players and says he must add to the squad in January.

John Souttar, Peter Haring and Conor Washington have all been missing for several months, with Steven Naismith returning to fitness before being out again.

Souttar hasn’t played since the opening day of the season at Aberdeen when he landed on his ankle and ended up requiring surgery.

Washington also went under the knife after tearing his hamstring against Motherwell in September.

Haring hasn’t played since the Scottish Cup Final defeat in May due to a longstanding pelvic problem that also required an op.

Stendel would like to know these players will return to action next month

BY ROSS PILCHER but with that not being the case he will have to go out and make signings.

Owner Ann Budge last week admitted for players to come in others will have to go out but Stendel isn’t prepared to go with what he has available right now.

Naismith could be back soon but there is no time frame for when the other three could return.

Stendel said: “We hope Steven is an option for Saturday. At the moment we have no idea when Peter will come back. Coaches and managers can’t do anything about this but the medical staff are working hard to change the situation.

“A lot of important players have long-term injuries and we’ve no idea if they can play in January.

“This is a big question mark for us, especially for the transfer window. When you have the feeling, ‘Okay, they’re all back in January’, it’s easier to say, ‘Okay, we keep the squad, it’s good enough’ but we need more quality.”

He may feel he lacks quality but Stendel believes his squad has the necessary character. The German did admit he expected more from his experienced players but conceded they are lacking in confidence like everybody else.

He said: “Yes (we have character) and if not we have to develop that character more. We have a lot of experienced players who have played a lot of football games. I expected more, especially from these players.

“But in the end we are all people, and when you don’t have confidence, even when you have played more games than other players, then it is difficult.

“I am trying to talk with some players about what we can change on the pitch.

“And I have the feeling they want to change too but the question is how quick we can change it.

“If you look at the squad at the moment which