Big squad as string of players miss out for Albion
JIMMY Floyd Hasselbaink’s rapid squad-building with Burton Albion in January means they have a longer list of senior players than they started the season with.
Discounting the academy players who are listed as part of the first team squad and the two experienced players, Neal Eardley and Stephen Quinn, who are out on loan, there are 29 senior players involved.
What that means, of course, is that some are missing out, with a whole team’s worth not going to be involved in a match-day squad.
The number comes down to 10 given that squad regular Kieran Wallace is out for the season with a cruciate ligament injury.
For some, it is a harsh situation but Hasselbaink was charged with what looked a near-impossible job, to pull Burton back from the brink of relegation, and that was something that required tough decisions taken quickly.
Here’s a look at the situation with the 10 who are not getting a game at the moment.
BEN FOX: It must be a frustrating season for Fox, particularly. Having recovered from the cruciate ligament injury that kept him out of the previous season, he looked set to play a big part this season.
He started the campaign in the side but struggled to make an impact as the team also struggled and has not played since a 68th-minute substitute appearance against MK Dons in December.
CIARAN GILLIGAN: Gilligan’s season is a mixed bag. Impressing in pre-season, the 19-year-old forced himself into the reckoning with some tigerish displays in midfield.
He was still involved when Hasselbaink first arrived but that was before the new manager made all of his January signings and the last of his 20 appearances was the 1-0 home defeat to Ipswich Town on January 16. Time is on his side.
COLIN DANIEL: Hasselbaink praised Daniel’s contribution in his first match in charge, when he was solid on the left of midfield in the 1-0 win away to Gillingham. But a back injury saw him lose his place after that.
A raft of new signings arrived and he has not even been on the bench since. His contract is up at the end of this season so, at 33, he may have played the last of his 72 games for Burton.
DILLON BARNES: The goalkeeper was brought in on loan from Queens Park Rangers to add competition but injured his ankle in training and has not made an appearance. It seems unlikely that he will.
KIERAN O’HARA: O’Hara has been the big casualty, so far, of the Hasselbaink revolution, dropped after the new boss watched him concede five goals at home to Oxford United.
A regular on the bench since Barnes was injured, he has been unable to displace Ben Garratt as the Brewers’ form picked up. He is under contract for another year, though, and the chance to battle back remains.
CALLUM HAWKINS: The young goalkeeper has always been well thought of and has impressed in his loan spells with Gresley and Mickleover but a first team chance still looks unlikely. He made the bench this week with O’Hara away on international duty.
REECE HUTCHINSON: Ninety minutes in the Football League Trophy dead rubber game against Fulham Under-21s and an 86th-minute substitute appearance in the 2-0 defeat away to Hull City in November are the total of academy graduate Hutchinson’s action after he struggled to overcome a foot injury incurred while out running during the first lockdown.
Hutchinson has promised so much at times as a raiding leftback but it is hard to see when he might add to his 56 appearances.
OWEN GALLACHER: Initially given a short-term deal by Jake Buxton to cover Hutchinson’s ongoing injury, Gallacher impressed Hasselbaink immediately in training and was given an 18-month deal.
It was as if the manager was sending a message to the fringe
players: you can get on if you work hard enough to impress me.
However, since he went off injured after a strong hour in the 2-1 win away to Charlton Athletic in February, Gallacher has made only a brief substitute appearance and both Tom Hamer and Josh Earl have been preferred at left-back.
Earl is only on loan, though, and Hamer is principally a right-back, so Gallacher will know the chance remains to stake a claim.
JOHN-JOE O’TOOLE: An injury can change your fortunes in football so easily. O’Toole was out of favour under Buxton but Hasselbaink managed him with Northampton Town, likes his competitive spirit and picked him for his first game against Gillingham, the result being a clean sheet with him partnering debutant Hayden Carter at centre-back.
But O’Toole pulled up injured seven minutes into the next match, was replaced by Michael Bostwick.
With Michael Mancienne adding to the defensive options after that, he has been unable to get back in, apart from an 89th-minute substitute appearance.
His is another contract up in the summer.
LUKE VARNEY: To be fair, Varney was not expected to play week in, week out, the veteran striker combining a playing contract with a sports science role.
He has had five minutes as a substitute under Hasselbaink, against Gillingham, his most public other contribution being to advise Mike Fondup which Charlton defenders could be wound up easily when the big striker made his debut.