SCUNTHORPE UNITED: Iron boss prepared for summer long chase of left-back
SCUNTHORPE United manager Alan Knill finds himself in good company as he waits to start shaping his new squad for next season.
So far, only seven of the clubs who will be operating in League One next season have been engaged in any form of incoming transfer activity.
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PATIENCE: United manager Alan Knill
The rest remain on hold as players and their agents hold out for the best possible deal.
With a bigger budget to work with than at his previous club Bury, Knill hoped to have had a couple of new faces in by now.
He has offers on the table for at least two young players who are out of contract with their clubs this summer.
"I do feel I am quite good at selling my club to new players," he declared.
"The focus has not changed pretty much from the day I walked in to Glanford Park.
"The players we are looking at are pretty much front position players with a bit of pace and a bit of ability."
But Knill knows he also has to balance his defence by bringing in a left-back.
Eddie Nolan remains with the Iron – as he has another year left on his current contract – but he fell out of favour towards the end of last season when Marcus Williams was brought back from Reading for a loan spell.
Though Nolan is still under contract with United, his future is far from certain.
With young Chelsea loanee Ben Gordon now having returned to Stamford Bridge, Knill is looking to bring in another youngster to challenge for the left-back berth next season.
"There is someone we are looking at, but it could be a long-term loan," confessed the Scunthorpe boss.
"It will not be something we find out about until later in the summer."
Knill is not a fan of short-term loans for players, unless it is to cover for injuries.
But he did use season-long acquisitions last season to good effect to lay League Two promotion foundations for the Shakers, taking front man Nicky Ajose from Manchester United and defender Tom Lees from Leeds.
That's the path he looks likely to tread again at Glanford Park this term to strengthen the squad he has inherited.
9 Comments
by Iron123
Wednesday, June 01 2011, 6:52PM
“What clearout? You cant count not offering deals to our best players a 'clearout'...still stuck with Wright, Raynes etc.”
by Iron123
Wednesday, June 01 2011, 6:49PM
“Hmmm - what a clearout eh...turns out Nolan is under contract, we wont get a penny for Josh Wright, Byrne is somehow deemed worthy of a new contract and we are basing our goals on Thompson...
The only clearout is of those players ggood enough to earn a big wage, Mirfin and Murphy...expect three months of this daily rubbish on the SET site before a flurry of activity on the eve of the season.”
by ThinFrank
Wednesday, June 01 2011, 6:25PM
“Lets come back on here at the beginning of August and we will have a much clearer picture of the ambition of the club. Like we have said before, the jury is out on the board to spend some money to improve the quality of the squad. In my opinion we have a good manager which is a start and paramount to a successful club. We all know we needed a clear out of players and fresh faces coming in. Give the gaffer time (and some spending money) and at the end of the day if the team he brings in fails then people can criticise. "Good **luck** boyo".”
by bufferdude
Wednesday, June 01 2011, 3:32PM
“It seems our Alan might find it hard going to tempt new players to come to Glanford Park,it's not as plain sailing as he would have us all believe.The silence is deafening on this site today.”
by justicejohn
Wednesday, June 01 2011, 2:39PM
“Just ead the clubs web-site the " players" who were signing last week have changed their minds, we may? get another one bybthe time Alan goes on holiday next week. Alan also states there is nothing to worry about in league 1 that may be so but it would be a bit easier with a TEAM.Lets spend that cash we had to spend last season and didnt”
by justicejohn
Wednesday, June 01 2011, 2:27PM
“PS it might help if ST printed stories with a picture of Mr Knill smiling and looking approachable”
by justicejohn
Wednesday, June 01 2011, 2:24PM
“As DELIA would say "LETS BE HAVING YOU" time for action is upon us or a certain Mr Doff will be after you .GOOD LUCK”
by Eileenmcbriar
Wednesday, June 01 2011, 2:24PM
“Given the look on Knill's face it's been a while since he's been on a promise and as we all know he's been puffing and panting trying to get these superstars down to Grimford Park for a while now.Well Alan a promise is only a promise until it's delivered,good look boyo.”
by ironone
Wednesday, June 01 2011, 1:35PM
“i thourght that he wanted to buy players to sell and make money and not depend on loanees and if he pushes Nolan out we will not have any one to fill in the left back position then where will we be ? Also lets hope we start to here of players comeing into the gates soon”
by ironone
Wednesday, June 01 2011, 1:31PM
“If he gets rid of Nolan and we have to wait for a young loanee we could be in trouble. Also we need to buy at least 2 left backs and i thourght he wanted players to sell on to make money because you don't get that with loanees. loanees”