New boys give Notts a real lift
NEAL Ardley has been excited by the impact made by Notts County’s new signings and says they have helped lift standards in training.
The Magpies this week secured the arrival of Inih Effiong from Stevenage and attacker Calvin Miller from Harrogate Town, both on loan until the end of the season.
Effiong will not be able to make his debut away to Stockport County in the FA Trophy second round on Saturday because he has played in this season’s competition during a loan spell with Barnet.
But Miller is free to make his first outing in a Notts shirt as the Magpies look to take another stride towards Wembley.
Notts boss Ardley says he has been impressed by what he has witnessed from both new arrivals so far as he looks to bring them up to speed with the way he wants them to play.
“A couple of centre-halves have bounced off Inih and realised he’s a big, quick, strong boy,” said Ardley.
“There have also been a couple of times Calvin has left two or three people for dead with a lovely change of direction before delivering a great cross.
“We’ve seen glimpses but the important thing at the minute is bringing them up to the speed with the way we play.
“Through different systems, there are various rotations and movements. I believe to get our team into the final third on a regular basis, players need to know their roles.
“It can be very difficult for players who play on instinct, or who haven’t been coached like they are here, to switch on to the way we work all of a sudden. That’s the sort of work we’re doing with them.
“It’s been great to have them with us. Whenever you do any business, whether it’s at the start of the season or in January, it gives everyone a lift.
“It’s that fresh face – what’s he going to bring to the team? You see them train well on the first day and all of a sudden everyone’s standards are lifted a little bit.
“It’s putting pressure on people because they know we’ve got options now and they need to raise their levels.”
Miller’s arrival has added further competition to the wide areas, a position that will be further boosted once Callum Roberts returns from injury.
The former Newcastle United midfielder is currently recovering from an operation to strengthen his stomach lining and Ardley says he is making good progress.
“He’s doing his rehab work and there are really positive signs at the moment,” said Ardley. “When you have the operation he’s had, with a mesh being added to the lining of his stomach to strengthen it, to start off with it probably feels a bit like a foreign body when you stretch – but it will eventually develop so it becomes part of him.
“That’s the process we’re going through – we’re building him up bit by bit by getting the cardiovascular work into him. Then, as we get towards the end of the rehab, we’ll start adding a change of direction, shooting and the full-pace stuff.
“With a bit of luck, it won’t be too long before he’s knocking on my door telling me to get him on the pitch!”
Whenever you do any business, whether it’s at the start of the season or in January, it gives everyone a lift Neal Ardley