Stanley closing in on top target
ASTRIKER and a goalkeeper are currently top of Stanley manager John Coleman’s summer wish list. And the Reds chief revealed he is closing in on one target with more to follow.
“I’m hoping to make a signing in the next week or so,” Coleman told the club’s official website.
“There may be two or three more in total. It’s important that, because we’re not going to have a big squad, we get the right ones in and we’ve identified targets that we think will be really helpful to us and hopefully excite the fans.
“We’re working on those deals at the moment.
“There are certain areas that it’s clear we need to strengthen.
“In the forward area we only have Billy Kee and Jonny Edwards as recognised strikers, so we certainly have to bring a forward in and obviously we only have the one keeper at the moment. We’ll know more about that this week.”
In terms of outgoing players, Coleman said it would take something special to prise any members of his squad at this stage.
He revealed other clubs had expressed an interest in some of his players but insisted he was under no pressure to sell.
“We’ve had a few calls about our players but we’re not in a situation where we’re desperate or it’s a fire sale,” he said.
“We have to do what’s right for the club and if that means holding onto our better players then that’s what we’ll do.
“Now, if an offer comes in which is advantageous to us and the player we’ll listen to it. It would have to be big money.”
While he has identified areas for strengthening, Coleman is content with the players making up the core of his squad.
“We sat the lads down and told them where we want to go and they have got to buy into that or ship out, basically,” he said
“We have a lot of big characters in our squad who I know are keen for success – desperate for success. That’s the type of person I want.
“We have plenty of good players from last season, there is a sold core to the squad and if I make the right additions there is no reason why we shouldn’t challenge.
“I think we had too many players last year – everyone was like a rabbit in the headlights not knowing how the loan changes would affect things.
“Everyone went a little bit heavy on the squads and possibly went for quantity rather than quality.
“So we won’t have as big a squad as last season but we will have healthy competition for places and we’ve got some good young lads coming through as well. So as long as we can have cover for every eventuality, we won’t need a big squad.”