Well, Asare, Tavares, Mussa and even Louis Walsh (if he hasn't become too demoralised) would all be competing for places now. The others would primarily be developing for next season.
I think the date on the announcement of the players we have returning to training may be significant. April 1st.
Ever since the New Year we have been playing with at least one hand tied behind our backs. If Jack Clarke can stay fit for more than two games together he could well play at a higher level. Danny Rowe is a very good player - I dreamed of him playing in behind Tshimanga and Asante - but now I just hope he will play again. We and Tshimanga himself would be mad even to think about playing him again this season - he is too valuable! Denton is fit less often than Jack Clarke. As for Oyeleke - he's fine, but he too has a detailed medical history. It is noticeable that his former club Port Vale are in the promotion race largely on the back of goals from midfield from Garrity - who they got from Warrington Town, and I kept saying here was a player we should sign. If you don't look to the future you become the past.
It seems to me our players are straining every sinew to have us where we are in the race. They needed help! I'm not expecting us to go to Stockport or Wrexham levels of expenditure, I'd like us to find a different way. Equally you can't fill your team with youngsters and expect to win things, but young players do bring enthusiasm and fight. They help out the older players who saw them into the team and renew their desire to win. I haven't mentioned him, but Carline would be a good player to get back with the squad, because he does have infectious enthusiasm. This is the time when you can go stale, you've seen it at Boreham Wood and Bromley, it seems to be setting in at Halifax and yes with us too. For us fighting so long against such an extensive injury list must have been wearing. Against Notts County we pitched the enthusiasm of Khan bursting forward and the commitment of King ..... we need more than that. Asante needs more to feed on and more support. Miller went selfish, Whelan got frustrated and defensively we were fighting bravely on the very edge.
That won't get us through the play-offs in my mind and may not get us through tomorrow if we don't shackle Maguire-Drew.
I just thought I'd add that I'm not trying to be-little our players, or the club itself. If you asked my opinion of teams in EFL2 for instance I wouldn't be raving about the high standard of many of their players. Lots of them field players every week who are hanging on by their finger nails to a Football League career. Most of the players at even the promotion chasers are maybe men too. They aren't players we ought to rush to sign ......... But we are faced with a situation in which rival clubs in the National League are pumping a relatively enormous amount into gaining promotion. If we haven't the finances to match we have to be smarter, better-managed, sharper on the field. If Wrexham don't make it through the Play-Offs this time their owners might really throw the kitchen sink at it for next season, and we'll need to do more than just duck.
I think the date on the announcement of the players we have returning to training may be significant. April 1st.
Ever since the New Year we have been playing with at least one hand tied behind our backs. If Jack Clarke can stay fit for more than two games together he could well play at a higher level. Danny Rowe is a very good player - I dreamed of him playing in behind Tshimanga and Asante - but now I just hope he will play again. We and Tshimanga himself would be mad even to think about playing him again this season - he is too valuable! Denton is fit less often than Jack Clarke. As for Oyeleke - he's fine, but he too has a detailed medical history. It is noticeable that his former club Port Vale are in the promotion race largely on the back of goals from midfield from Garrity - who they got from Warrington Town, and I kept saying here was a player we should sign. If you don't look to the future you become the past.
It seems to me our players are straining every sinew to have us where we are in the race. They needed help! I'm not expecting us to go to Stockport or Wrexham levels of expenditure, I'd like us to find a different way. Equally you can't fill your team with youngsters and expect to win things, but young players do bring enthusiasm and fight. They help out the older players who saw them into the team and renew their desire to win. I haven't mentioned him, but Carline would be a good player to get back with the squad, because he does have infectious enthusiasm. This is the time when you can go stale, you've seen it at Boreham Wood and Bromley, it seems to be setting in at Halifax and yes with us too. For us fighting so long against such an extensive injury list must have been wearing. Against Notts County we pitched the enthusiasm of Khan bursting forward and the commitment of King ..... we need more than that. Asante needs more to feed on and more support. Miller went selfish, Whelan got frustrated and defensively we were fighting bravely on the very edge.
That won't get us through the play-offs in my mind and may not get us through tomorrow if we don't shackle Maguire-Drew.
I just thought I'd add that I'm not trying to be-little our players, or the club itself. If you asked my opinion of teams in EFL2 for instance I wouldn't be raving about the high standard of many of their players. Lots of them field players every week who are hanging on by their finger nails to a Football League career. Most of the players at even the promotion chasers are maybe men too. They aren't players we ought to rush to sign ......... But we are faced with a situation in which rival clubs in the National League are pumping a relatively enormous amount into gaining promotion. If we haven't the finances to match we have to be smarter, better-managed, sharper on the field. If Wrexham don't make it through the Play-Offs this time their owners might really throw the kitchen sink at it for next season, and we'll need to do more than just duck.