10-03-2021, 20:41
Preston North End manager Alex Neil is fully aware of the size of the job on the club's hands this summer.
The Lilywhites' owners' representative Peter Ridsdale has already admitted that the January transfer window - where eight players were signed and eight let go - was a trial run for the summer months.
It isn't going to be a quiet term and with 11 games to go in the 2020/21 season, preparations for next year will already be underway.
A massive rebuild is in store and the North End boss knows it.
In his latest press conference, Neil said: "This will certainly be, I'd imagine, whether the lads on loan stay or don't stay, the biggest overhaul of the squad that we've probably had - a lot of which has been forced upon us.
"We've got to focus on the games here and now, I think that (overhaul) is for a later date.
I think there will be players here at the moment who are playing to remain here, there will be players who potentially want to extend their loans or make their loans permanent, so they've got to do as well as they can to see what we can do in the summer.
"And there will be other guys who will want to get as many minutes under their belt to show what they can do, so that their future lies here going forward.
"I think there is a lot of dynamics at play; players are in very different situations and circumstances but the simple fact is that's where we end up at the moment and is for a later date.
Talking about the squad, that is where we are at the moment but we've got a big game on Saturday at Wycombe and that's our sole focus."
One off the field move in preparation for 2021/22 has been the decision to set-up a new recruitment department at the club.
James Beet has arrived from Barnsley as the club's new senior recruitment analyst and the PNE boss is pleased to see both him come in and some focus being put on that area of the club.
I don't think the fact that he worked for Barnsley had that much of a bearing really," said Neil. "He's an avid PNE fan for a start, so his best intentions will be to try and help the club and us as much as he can.
"He's got a thirst for the game, he loves the thing that he does which is sourcing and finding players.
"So the more guys we've got helping us in that sort of department, to try and find the best we can for what we can afford, the better.
"Obviously Joe Savage left so it was an area where we were relatively vulnerable, and it was certainly an area where we needed to grow as much as we can.
"There are teams in this league that have got extensive set-ups in terms of numbers, data and everything really; to be honest we are at the start of that as much as anything else."
Intersting this is, have to say Barnsley's re cruiting has put us to shame, they have become a team to watch entertaining and with a never say die attiitude but they have recruited from far and wide, the American lad Daryl Dike for instance think there is a major turnaround in players this summer some well established players will go could be exciting times ahead
The Lilywhites' owners' representative Peter Ridsdale has already admitted that the January transfer window - where eight players were signed and eight let go - was a trial run for the summer months.
It isn't going to be a quiet term and with 11 games to go in the 2020/21 season, preparations for next year will already be underway.
A massive rebuild is in store and the North End boss knows it.
In his latest press conference, Neil said: "This will certainly be, I'd imagine, whether the lads on loan stay or don't stay, the biggest overhaul of the squad that we've probably had - a lot of which has been forced upon us.
"We've got to focus on the games here and now, I think that (overhaul) is for a later date.
I think there will be players here at the moment who are playing to remain here, there will be players who potentially want to extend their loans or make their loans permanent, so they've got to do as well as they can to see what we can do in the summer.
"And there will be other guys who will want to get as many minutes under their belt to show what they can do, so that their future lies here going forward.
"I think there is a lot of dynamics at play; players are in very different situations and circumstances but the simple fact is that's where we end up at the moment and is for a later date.
Talking about the squad, that is where we are at the moment but we've got a big game on Saturday at Wycombe and that's our sole focus."
One off the field move in preparation for 2021/22 has been the decision to set-up a new recruitment department at the club.
James Beet has arrived from Barnsley as the club's new senior recruitment analyst and the PNE boss is pleased to see both him come in and some focus being put on that area of the club.
I don't think the fact that he worked for Barnsley had that much of a bearing really," said Neil. "He's an avid PNE fan for a start, so his best intentions will be to try and help the club and us as much as he can.
"He's got a thirst for the game, he loves the thing that he does which is sourcing and finding players.
"So the more guys we've got helping us in that sort of department, to try and find the best we can for what we can afford, the better.
"Obviously Joe Savage left so it was an area where we were relatively vulnerable, and it was certainly an area where we needed to grow as much as we can.
"There are teams in this league that have got extensive set-ups in terms of numbers, data and everything really; to be honest we are at the start of that as much as anything else."
Intersting this is, have to say Barnsley's re cruiting has put us to shame, they have become a team to watch entertaining and with a never say die attiitude but they have recruited from far and wide, the American lad Daryl Dike for instance think there is a major turnaround in players this summer some well established players will go could be exciting times ahead
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