Baraclough fighting battle on two fronts before transfer window closes
SCUNTHORPE United manager Ian Baraclough finds himself fighting a battle on two fronts before the transfer window closes at the end of this month.
On one, he is still desperately trying to strengthen his squad with at least a couple of new faces.
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TOUGH TASK: Iron boss Ian Baraclough is finding it difficult to boost his squad.
On the other, he is trying to fend off interest in the better players in his existing team at Glanford Park.
"I have had a couple of enquiries about players here, asking me what I would be willing to do," he confessed.
"Each time I have said that I am not interested in losing anyone from my squad.
"All I am really interested in is strengthening it.
"I am hoping that's the way it stays between now and the end of January."
Baraclough would not be drawn on which of his players were attracting interest.
One though, is almost certain to be winger Martyn Woolford who is the Iron's top scorer this season with seven goals.
He is out of contract this summer and could walk out for nothing if he turns down the new deal being offered to him by the club.
Nottingham Forest are the club widely believed to be monitoring his situation.
Meanwhile, Baraclough is still finding it difficult to bring anyone in.
He has admitted an interest in Brighton hot-shot Glenn Murray who has netted 42 goals in 97 games for the League One leaders.
Murray is in a similar situation to Woolford, out of contract this summer and able to leave as a free agent.
"Yes, Murray is a player we have enquired about, but Brighton want to keep him," said Baraclough.
"I am sure we are not the only club interested in him.
"We are not a Manchester City who can offer over the odds for players they want.
"I am sure Murray has an agent who is being very active at the moment.
"We have not had permission to talk to Glenn, so we move on, look somewhere else."
Murray joined Brighton in January 2008 for £300,000 after a successful spell at Rochdale.
He was originally signed for Rochdale by Steve Parkin, now coach at Scunthorpe, who was then the manager at Spotland.
The Iron have also been rumoured to have had a second bid for Bristol Rovers hotshot Will Hoskins rejected by the League One club - though those reports were last night unconfirmed by either club - with his value increasing all the time as he continues to score goals for the Pirates
Time is running out for Baraclough to bring in a new face before United's trip to face Leeds at Elland Road on Saturday.
"If we can do something before then, then we will," he insisted.
"But it's the other clubs who hold all the aces.
"We cannot speak to players without permission.
"Clubs want to hang on to get the best deals they can and it looks like most things will happen in the second half of the month."
United have now rearranged their two outstanding Championship fixtures which were postponed before Christmas due to the weather.
They will entertain Nottingham Forest at Glanford Park on Wednesday, February 16.
And they will make the long journey to Portsmouth on Tuesday, March 1.
11 Comments
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by dazza, scunny
Thursday, January 13 2011, 5:47PM
“a few weeks ago bara said if players didnt buck up he would get rid of them in january. And get rid of all the dead wood as i stated then, he wasnt playing fm2011 he was the manager of scunny utd and wouldnt be able to get rid of anyone as he hasnt the means to replace them as he wouldnt get any money wake up barra and smell what your shovelling”
by PrivateFrazer, DadsArmy
Thursday, January 13 2011, 2:50PM
“Did anyone REALLY believe our manager when he intimated that we'd have new players 'in the building' early in January? Come on guys, wise up. He can't attract players, we know that and to make it worse his hands are well and truely tied by the Chairman.
How did we manage to attract Beagrie when we did? I'd love someone like that back, a real class player who was brilliant with the young players such as Sharp and Keogh. Also I think his contacts in the game helped.
...."We're doomed, doomed I tell you"...”
by kev, scun
Thursday, January 13 2011, 2:02PM
“so.... we have gone from we will sign a couple of players very early in Jan to barra is finding it hard to get players in ,
can anyone else see where this is going ? same old same old ,
yes we are not a big cash rich club , but i cant recall a situation for a long time where we found it so hard to attract player even on loan ,
what this tells me is barra just does not cut it, not only as a player motivator, but as someone who can attract players to the club , he is obviously not seeling us as he should be as prev managers have done ,
look barra its like this me old flower , you have gone into something thats over your head , its time to do the right thing for this club , and stand down ,
you just dont cut the mustard,
Mr wharton you have got what you have sown , act now theres plenty of experienced managers with out jobs at the min , sort it out i beg you”
by Rob, Leeds
Thursday, January 13 2011, 1:55PM
“Does the Telepgraph ever respond to feedback from fans and readers who want answers from the club??”
by 1500club, Lincs
Thursday, January 13 2011, 1:21PM
“We always seem to sign a FLURRY of players right at the last minute - so expect a busy 31st of January! Only thing is, in a team of eleven, three new faces at once rarely works...it didnt when Smith, Groves and Taylor came in under Adkins/Wilcox and numerous other examples... it takes time to blend in new players...preferably from the bench having been signed in the summer.
We are wasting our time chasing Hoskins and Murray - niether will come here...what we need is ajourneyman forward looking for a three month contract - in the same way in which Paul Furlong worked well at Barnet and Horsfield SHOULD have worked here.
That said - I dont think its so much our misfiring forwards as much as our tactics...in Dagnall we have a decent forward playing way too deep.
Let the players we have play in the right positions, without fear and lets go to Leeds and give it a go - for 90 minutes.
Up the Iron!”
by Eddie Murphy, Team Woolford
Thursday, January 13 2011, 12:42PM
“Keep him - we won't replace him properly anyway, and he's pretty much the only player worth paying to watch. On form he's a joy to behold.”
by Eddie Murphy, Beverley Hills
Thursday, January 13 2011, 12:33PM
“Is this the most depressing, yet simultaneously predictable, transfer window in living memory? Even I'm losing the will to gripe, such is the rigor mortis gripping the club. We really do need a couple of marquee signings to rejuvenate the club.
Anyone at the ET know how much the second bid for Hoskins was? Or know whether Wharton's still content to shrug his shoulders at the idea of attracting more supporters? You are allowed to reply to these direct questions you know.”
by Oscar O'Moggie, Brigg
Thursday, January 13 2011, 12:30PM
“Woolford will go at some point regardless of what the club offers him. He can earn wages elsewhere that Scunny can't afford too pay him. Note I said 'can afford to pay him' as opposed to 'are willing to pay him'.
So what do you guys think - if an offer comes in do we sell him or use him and lose him in the summer?”
by d, at work.
Thursday, January 13 2011, 10:15AM
“We all know that Baraclough is out of his depth and now ST is spouting off how our other inept manager Parkin is now this whiz kid on spotting new talent WHICH we will NEVER get because WE don't have ambition to stay in this league. SACK THE BOARD, SACK THE MANAGEMENT, HECK SACK ..meh...”
by scoop, ashby
Thursday, January 13 2011, 10:00AM
“WHARTON, if you pay peanuts you get monkeys,as we have found out in the past, for gods sake spend some of THE CLUBS MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”