Dale waiting in line for recruits
ROCHDALE will have to wait in line before strengthening their injury-hit squad during this month’s transfer window.
That’s the view of manager Brian Barry-Murphy, whose selection problems intensified with the dismissal of Jim McNulty in Saturday’s 3-3 draw against Wigan the Crown Oil Arena.
With both Eoghan O’Connell and Paul McShane sidelined with injuries, it left just Brighton loanee Haydon Roberts as the only recognised centre half available to BBM for Tuesday evening’s game at Doncaster Rovers.
However, the Dale chief expects to do most of his business this month in the loan market and anticipates that will be towards the end of the window.
“It would be too short a window to get someone in for Tuesday’s game,” he said. “We have been working hard in terms of wanting specific players for specific areas and that normally means you can’t rush it. I wouldn’t get somebody in for the sake of it, there’s so many games left this season that I think it’s important to get the right ones in for us.
“Clubs in our position often have to wait until the end of the window and I see that being the case this time.
“I saw the comments from John Coleman after Accrington’s game at Charlton recently and he was saying they are the last in the shop in terms of what they can do and in terms of the free market, we will be behind them this season so we’re in a really difficult situation in that sense.
“But in terms of the loan market and what we can do there, I feel we are in a slightly more advantageous position but again there are complications there because of what Premier at
League and Championship keep going until the last with his side’s We are just inconsistent as goals every week, we clubs want to do in minute. The lads have first half showing - they a group and I include know we can do that. I regards to keeping so proved they can do that. went in 2-1 down at the myself in that, we want to thought Wigan’s third many players in the building No matter who plays break and down to ten get more consistent and goal from our point of because of Covid. It’s where, and there is going men – McNulty having see those performances view was disappointing not a straightforward situation, to be a lot of shuffling, it’s seen red just before the that we saw at Charlton but we’ve got Jimmy it’s for us to assess going to be very difficult to interval. and in the second half Keohane and Haydon how we can get the best get continuity this season “There will be situations against Crewe become Roberts defending cross players in for our squad until our squad gets this season whereby, much more familiar at after cross from two big and at what stage. stringer, which hopefully because of the nature of home. strikers and they did
“We are really stretched. we can do towards the end the games, there will be “Our home performances that amazingly. Paul McShane didn’t of January.” performances that have haven’t been “The courage those lads make Saturday’s game, so Having scored ten and peaks and troughs,” said good over a period of time at centre-half showed for he’s doubtful. Jim McNulty conceded ten goals in BBM. and we want to put that such a long spell was testament will be suspended and their last three games, “But we didn’t perform right as soon as possible. to them. I thought Matt Lund had a problem there’s no faulting Dale for the way we can, the intensity “We were brilliant at we’d come back and get a with his knee so he had to entertainment value. we want in our game different moments and I chance but I was just disappointed come off – but I do think Two goals from Stephen was missing and it was at think we’ve got the potential that we left this season is all about Humphrys, either side of a much too early a stage in to be a really exciting ourselves in that situation finding solutions and no Jake Beesley header, the game to be fatigue. team for the Club. again when I felt as if we matter what happens in secured a point against Our lads are very fit and “The lads are evolving should have been much terms of results or what it Wigan at the weekend. you saw that in the second into a team where, when more dominant in the first looks like, you just have to But BBM was disappointed half, how we kept going. you see them score half.”
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