Keith Curle on injuries and the transfer window
Manager Keith Curle gave us an update on the injury situation and ongoing transfer window work.
“We’re hopeful that Danny Grainger will be available for the weekend,” he said. “He had a recurrence of an ankle ligament knock which he picked up at Wimbledon on Thursday, but he showed good character in making himself available for the Bury game.
“The conditions meant that he rocked his ankle and he wasn't able to continue. If we can nurse him through training this week we’re hoping he will be available for Saturday.”
“Gary Dicker is getting closer,” he added. “He's working on the pitches but he isn't involved in competitive training. He's on the grass getting his movement patterns back in place, but I haven't seen him strike a ball yet.
“Billy Paynter is in the final stages of his return to fitness now. He had a few days off last week and all athletes will become deconditioned after that, so it's important he gets those conditioning levels back up.”
And with the end of the transfer window in sight, he said: “The Matt Young situation has been handed to John Nixon now because he's one we would be happy to keep.
“I don't think people appreciate how much work he does behind the scenes. As soon as we have the initial contact with the player, John is on the phone and having meetings with other directors and MDs. He is a big part of the cog that needs to be in place with every transfer.
“John did a lot of work with Middlesbrough to get the Charlie Wyke deal finalised. It wasn't a case of one phone call. We were negotiating and competing with other football clubs who wanted his services.”
“I haven't thought about the situation with Derek Asamoah's contract yet,” he told us. “I'm happy with the amount of game changers we've got on the bench. I would be happy to play a combination of Asamoah, Beck, Paynter, Rigg and Wyke because I know we’re going to need them all.
“Steven Rigg has got that belief that he will score goals at the moment and we need all of our strikers to have that. He’s been excellent for us because I asked him before the Wimbledon game if he’d played up front on his own before.
“He said no, but I told him he’d enjoy it. There is a lot of running you have to do, and you have to mark two players, but you do get your rewards. He was absolutely shattered when he came off, but sometimes naivety is bliss.
“He’s still adjusting to full time training but the way he is approaching his job at the moment is absolutely fantastic. It helps that he commutes with Danny Grainger, because it means he has a solid professional around him. He can help him and give him guidance, and it gives Danny an easy mickey taking target, because he is so naïve at times.”
“We’re obviously still working hard on adding to the group,” he confirmed. “We’re making phone calls and trying to arrange our meetings, because we want to make sure we’re bringing the right characters into the group.
“We want players who will make us better, so we’re happy to do the leg work rather than just jump in and make a signing for the sake of it.”
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