Double blow to depleted ranks
THE unity between players, staff and supporters can pull the club through the tough times Rochdale AFC is experiencing right now according to head coach Jim Mcnulty.
The cash-strapped club kicked off the National League campaign with a small squad and have had to contend with an alarming loss of key personnel over the last few months.
The injury crisis has left them down to the bare bones of the squad and calling on Academy youngsters to make up matchday squads.
And the situation worsened this week with two more players joining those sidelined through injury.
With Tyrese Sinclair having missed a large portion of the season before his recent return, Adam Clayton, Kairo Mitchell, Devante Rodney, Brad Kelly and Kyle Ferguson have been joined in the treatment room by Jesurun Uchegbulam and George Nevett.
Uchegbulam was discharged from hospital following injuries he sustained in the 2-0 defeat at AFC Fylde on New Year’s Day.
The winger required medical treatment in the 70th minute of the match after colliding with metal barriers behind the goal, before being taken to the trauma unit at a local hospital.
Uchegbulam was discharged later that night with X-rays revealing that he hadn’t sustained any fractures.
Mcnulty said the way supporters reacted to the incident alongside Uchegbulam’s club-mates was a credit to the club and encapsulated the spirit of togetherness.
“It was symbolic of where we are right now, from me, the staff, the team and the fans, togetherness on days like today,” he said after the game. “They are tough days, given where we are, situation-wise – how thin our playing squad is, how down we are in terms of injuries with one pro on the bench, a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old.
“There’s no other situation like this in the National League and underneath all that we’re all humans and I just think there’s a recognition and there’s a togetherness that makes the hairs stand up on the back of my neck.
“The togetherness in that moment of the fan base with the players and me and the staff is unlike anything I’ve had before. I’m proud to lead it and trust me when I tell you this now, there’s no games in what I’m saying, our situation’s very difficult.
“Where it is right now I’m actually in disbelief of it. I can’t believe it’s got to this.
“We’re so short, so short it’s almost dangerous and it’s tough.
“But all we’ve got is each other and the only silver lining I have to the situation is that togetherness. That’s amazing for me. We couldn’t need the fans and the togetherness of this team anymore than we need it right now because if I think about football just for a moment, I said to the team that we’re all humble enough to accept that there’s days when we don’t play well. We’re humble enough to know we can’t batter everyone. Picking up wins for us, picking up points in the situation that we’re in, is remarkable.
“But we have to be
‘I can’t believe it’s got to this. We’re so short it’s almost dangerous’
humble enough to accept that some days are tough, we don’t have good days and we just go on to the next one and give our all.
“Where we are now, anything other than togetherness and giving our all is going to hurt us. It’s the most difficult I can remember.”
Uchegbulam’s injury came days after Mcnulty discovered defender Nevett would be out for up to eight weeks with an ankle problem.
“I want the tone to change, I want the situation to change,” he said. “I don’t want to be in this state of mind right now, but George hurt his ankle
in the last game and he’s damaged his ankle ligaments. We’ve had that scanned and he’s going to be eight weeks out, which is a blow for him, for us, for the club, for everything.”
Nevett, aged just 17, has made 23 appearances for Dale in all competitions this season, having only signed his first professional contract in the summer.
Given Dale’s tight finances, the youngster had been one of the jewels in the crown with the potential to bring money in to the club should a Football League rival have firmed up their interest in
him with a move during the January transfer window. That option appears to have vanished for the foreseeable future.
Mcnulty assured supporters that whatever squad he is able to put together for today’s home game against Kidderminster will be going out to give their all.
“The staff and players we do have will be giving it absolutely everything over the next few days in preparation for Kidderminster. All of them will, like the amazing fans were on Monday who saw an incredibly disappointing 2-0 loss that we deserved to lose.
“Fylde were really good. They peppered us. It was one of the worst we’ve been – individual errors, skills, all over the place. I said to all the team you can count loads of them, but the fans were amazing.
“I’m so glad that Jez was close to them when it happened and no matter what we think about my mind only goes back to Jez. I’m really glad the fans were there with him and the players wanted to be over there with him, I did, and the game was irrelevant when that happened.
“The togetherness in that moment was special and something I’ll never forget.”