Leeds United manager Brian McDermott continues to be frustrated in his attempts to bring much needed new blood into his struggling squad - as further attempts to secure a loan signing have thus far proved fruitless. McDermott told the YEP THAT "5 or 6 enquiries" had come to nothing this week - with clubs unwilling to do business regarding the targets he has identified as being needed to give his charges a boost as they contemplate the arrival oF Birmingham City to Elland Road on Sunday.
Many fans are as anxious as the manager to see new players arrive at the club - and most would surely welcome a new striker and a wide player as goals and chances have been hard to come by all season. Only McCormack has found the net with any consistency - and it was not surprising to read that McDermott had taken in the Manchester Under 21 derby last week - with reports suggesting he was interested in young United striker Will Keane. A deal does not appear imminent however.
“We need something to happen for us on that front. I’ve been watching games, I’ve spoken to five or six managers and all of them have told me that the players I’m interested in aren’t available. I’m trying to find what we need and that’s my frustration at the moment. When it comes to loans you’re in the hands of other people and I’m really just waiting for something to give. You can see what we’re missing and it doesn’t take a genius to work that out. But I still maintain that the squad here can improve. We’re working hard on addressing the things that went wrong before the break.”
McDermott reiterated once again that he will only bring in players that he feels can improve the team immediately - and will not "panic buy". “There are plenty of very young, inexperienced Premier League players out there but many of them have never been tested and it’s a hell of a risk to bring them to a club like Leeds on a whim. “More than ever, you’ve got to be very sure not just about their ability but their character, too. I’ll keep on saying this – we need the right players, not just players. I won’t compromise on that. “We’ll keep trying before Birmingham and I’m not going to say that I’m optimistic or pessimistic. All that does is affect expectation and you never know when someone might give you the answer you’re looking for.”
The manager reminded us once again that his team is "a work in progress" - but recognises also that performances like Millwall - and more recently at Derby County - are far from acceptable - to him - to the club - and to the supporters. “It’s been good for us to have a bit of time.“We’ve been taking stock quite a lot recently and I don’t want to be reflecting on defeats but I’ve said a few times that we’re a work in progress. That means we’ll have ups and downs as the season goes on but it doesn’t mean we can play like we did at Millwall or Derby or excuse that. I’m well aware that we need to address those performances.”
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Many fans are as anxious as the manager to see new players arrive at the club - and most would surely welcome a new striker and a wide player as goals and chances have been hard to come by all season. Only McCormack has found the net with any consistency - and it was not surprising to read that McDermott had taken in the Manchester Under 21 derby last week - with reports suggesting he was interested in young United striker Will Keane. A deal does not appear imminent however.
“We need something to happen for us on that front. I’ve been watching games, I’ve spoken to five or six managers and all of them have told me that the players I’m interested in aren’t available. I’m trying to find what we need and that’s my frustration at the moment. When it comes to loans you’re in the hands of other people and I’m really just waiting for something to give. You can see what we’re missing and it doesn’t take a genius to work that out. But I still maintain that the squad here can improve. We’re working hard on addressing the things that went wrong before the break.”
McDermott reiterated once again that he will only bring in players that he feels can improve the team immediately - and will not "panic buy". “There are plenty of very young, inexperienced Premier League players out there but many of them have never been tested and it’s a hell of a risk to bring them to a club like Leeds on a whim. “More than ever, you’ve got to be very sure not just about their ability but their character, too. I’ll keep on saying this – we need the right players, not just players. I won’t compromise on that. “We’ll keep trying before Birmingham and I’m not going to say that I’m optimistic or pessimistic. All that does is affect expectation and you never know when someone might give you the answer you’re looking for.”
The manager reminded us once again that his team is "a work in progress" - but recognises also that performances like Millwall - and more recently at Derby County - are far from acceptable - to him - to the club - and to the supporters. “It’s been good for us to have a bit of time.“We’ve been taking stock quite a lot recently and I don’t want to be reflecting on defeats but I’ve said a few times that we’re a work in progress. That means we’ll have ups and downs as the season goes on but it doesn’t mean we can play like we did at Millwall or Derby or excuse that. I’m well aware that we need to address those performances.”
Any views? Discuss on Message Board
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