Addai heads out on loan to get game time
ALEX Addai has joined National League club Maidenhead United on loan from Cheltenham Town for an initial month.
The 26-year-old is yet to start a League Two match for the Robins this season, although he has appeared seven times from the bench, totalling 95 minutes of playing time.
Manager Michael Duff said: He’s hardly played a minute this year.
“I don’t think he’s been as effective coming off the bench and he needs a run of games.
“Sometimes he gets frustrated, but I have told him he needs to do more in training to get into the starting XI and when he comes off the bench he needs to affect it the way he has done.
“I don’t think he’s been doing that and he’s probably been kicking his heels a little bit.
“It’s not a case of ‘he’s out the door and that’s it’ at all.
“We’ll get him a run of games, see where he’s at, get him football fit again and see where he is at in month’s time.”
Addai has made three EFL Trophy starts, along with three more appearances as a substitute in the EFL and FA Cups.
He joined the club from Merstham at the end of the 2017/18 campaign, having previously been on the books of Tottenham Hotspur as a youngster, followed by a spell at Blackpool.
Addai arrived as a winger, but he has been converted into a centre forward or number 10 by Michael Duff, who favours a 3-5-2 formation.
He made his debut from the bench as Maidenhead drew 2-2 with Bromley in the National League on Saturday.
Ex-robins midfielder Rohan Ince signed for Maidenhead last week after a successful trial.
They are managed by former West Ham United and England midfielder Alan Devonshire.
Goalkeeper Max Harris could be the next player to be sent out on loan following defender Grant Horton’s move to Bath City.
Harris, 20, has been on the bench for all of Cheltenham’s first 12 League Two games and played 45 minutes in the 2-0 Papa John’s Trophy win over Plymouth.
But Scott Flinders’ return to fitness means he will be pushed down to third in the goalkeeping pecking order, and manager Michael Duff said he is set to go and get games elsewhere to aid his development.
“Yes, it’s a conversation we’ve had with Max and he knows where he’s at and he’s quite happy with that,” said Duff.
“The difficulty is there are only two leagues you can go to, so that might prove a problem.
“Max has been good, he knows where he is on his development curve and the next part is trying to get him some football now we have two other goalkeepers available.”
Horton has joined Bath until January 9 after two impressive outings in the Papa John’s Trophy, against Newport and Norwich Under-21s.
He made his debut in their 1-0 defeat at Hampton and Richmond on Saturday.
“He’s been excellent Grant and we’re really happy with him,” said Duff.
“He was excellent against Norwich, he’d been in and around the first team.
“It’s important we get him out on loan for his development and if he keeps going the way he is, that’ll be good for us.
“We know Jerry (Gill) with Dan Bowry going there and there were two or three other clubs at the same level that wanted Grant in the summer as well and that shows how highly he is thought of here and by other people. “Hopefully he can get some games, put things into practice and come back a better player at the end of it.”