Ken Bates has this week told fans that Grayson is "authorised and encouraged" to strengthen United's squad ahead of the final push towards Championship promotion as the season heads towards its climax. The season has come in stages, with us first finding our level and wanting to be safe from the threat of relegation. After just a few games we realised this was the least we could expect as we more than held our own. Everyone's expectations kicked up a notch. Personally I said at the start of the season "10th, if we get a new centre-mid, centre back, and proven striker." We've managed 6th thus far without that centre-mid and now Bates is reaffirming his pre-season stance to club members and hopefully he'll further show that "we're not here to make up the numbers".
The aim with a third of the season remaining is first to consolidate a playoff place, with Hull and Leicester looking menacing as they race up the table as the current form sides. This is priority number one, to give ourselves at least an outside chance - as we're pretty desperate when it comes to pressure games such as the playoffs. I believe that we can remain in this position without further addition, so hearing Simon has license to add to his squad gives me a little more confidence of us truly competing for that second automatic spot. All we need to see, then, is will Ken Bates truly put his money where his mouth is, and will Simon get it right?
He said to the YEP:
“We’re doing well with 15 games to go and we’re in with a good chance. The manager is still authorised and encouraged to strengthen the team where he thinks is appropriate. At this time of year, good players and exceptional players are hard to find."“As we’ve said many times before, there’s no point in signing players to make up the numbers.”
Bates backed Grayson last year, but Vokes and McSheffrey didn't cut the mustard, and would have come in on large wages. Further backing has seen Grayson bring in the likes of Collins and Bessone who've been no use. Luckily for us the club's recruitment policy does seem to bring in a sufficient number of gems (think Gradel, Becchio and Snodgrass) even if quality does come with a fair amount of chaff. Bringing in players on a smaller budget, aiming for a chance of a bargain is always going to have its risks, but currently the club's imports have performed well enough to let us forget about the ones that didn't work out all that well.
January failures? Not the clubs fault.
On the back of the additions of McCartney and O'Brien to the squad, who have both undoubtedly improved us, we saw no more significant addition throughout the much anticipated January window. With us sitting pretty in the table and cashing in with cup money I expected us to bring personnel in with a view to pushing on. We cleared out the remainder of deadwood in the squad, but the anticipated signings didn't materialise.
This was not due to the failure of our policy. Simon came out and defended his and the club's actions in the window and assured fans that the players he was intent on bringing in were firstly not allowed to leave their clubs temporarily - as Premier League clubs aimed to permanently offload their periphery players to cash in. Realistically, we can't expect to find players of higher class than we currently possess to come in on a budget whilst their parent clubs seek to cash in. We rely on loans because of inflated Premier League wages, and can no doubt only dream of paying the inflated asking prices of players whose clubs want rid of.
City's Johnson
The second reason of our perceived failure was the unwillingness of Manchester City to let Michael Johnson join on loan due to them seeing him as unfit for matches at the time was inquired. Simon has coyly stated that "you'd have to see" if the club would be interested if Johnson was made available in the emergency window. He sent scouts to look at Johnson the other week as he played 80 minutes for City's reserves. We are interested, make no mistake.
Saturday the 26th...
I believe this is the magic date we should be looking at for any incoming loans. If we bring anybody in on emergency loan then they'd have to come in on this date, or later, to be able to compete in any possible Play-Off campaign upto and including an appearance in the final (emergency loans can last a maximum of 93 days). Clubs will now be willing to cut their losses and receive whatever they can get for those they failed to ship out permanently in January, and we should therefore see a face or two - if Simon still wants to add, as he did two weeks ago during the window. Eric Lichaj has provided the necessary cover at right back by coming in - and can be at the club a further two months beyond his initial month's loan. So, the only piece of the jigsaw that I think Simon, and the fans, will be looking at will be that centre midfielder. The "better Kilkenny" seems to be what we're after, and Michael Johnson seems to be where we're looking.
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