Darren Sarll is hoping to keep central defender Ben Barclay on loan from National League rivals Stockport County until the end of the season.
The 25-year-old has impressed in his five appearances since being brought in to fill the void left by an injury to Max Hunt at the end of January.
Speaking ahead of this weekend’s home game with Dagenham & Redbridge the manager said he was happy with the recruitment he had done this season not least the former loan signing of Millwall full-back Dan Moss.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.
Sarll said: “The recruitment has had to be good because we can’t afford to waste a penny. There was a framework around our recruitment to bring in young, athletic players with something to prove and an ambition to play higher.
“We are very tight in terms of capabilities and I’m happy with all our recruitment. Ben has been fantastic and I’m hoping he will be with us until the end of the season.”
Unfortunately, due to his own work commitments our Gloverscast roving reporter Ben Barrett could not attend today’s press conference, so that closing remark is as much as we know about the manager’s ambition to keep Barclay at the club.
Defender Max Hunt will definitely be missing for the weekend as he makes his way back to fitness from an injury which has put him out since the 2-1 defeat to Wrexham last month.
Midfielder Dale Gorman is out through suspension and will also miss next Tuesday’s trip to Maidenhead United.
Of other injuries, the manager added there would be a couple of late checks on players including on-loan defender Jack Robinson who was not involved at Eastleigh last weekend.
Sarll said: “It’s touch and go for one or two of them, Jack Robinson is one of them, I won’t say the other one.”
The anticipated windy conditions with Storm Eunice expected to be hanging around in the Westcountry over the weekend could decide the way Yeovil set-up against Dagenham.
Sarll said: “With the conditions, it is going to be a massively difficult task. If there’s one condition that everyone in football hates, it is wind.
“That will change how we prepare and might change how we select the team, instead of being a bit more creative, we might be a bit more destructive.
“We will have to see, those decisions can be left to game day. We have been fabulous away, but we have to be better at home.”
The manager said he believed the return of Charlie Lee as his assistant manager will have “an impact on the dressing room” at Huish Park.
The former Glovers’ midfielder was confirmed as Sarll’s number two on Thursday having agreed a short-term deal which we assume is until the end of the season.
? Mike Kunz
The manager said: “No-one knows me better than Charlie. He’s been one of the toughest players I have ever manager in terms of how spiky he is, he’s a real sod at times!
“But I wanted that impact in the dressing room, he doesn’t suffer fools and he’s a winner if you look at his career, he’s a winner.
“The things I can give him is an exposure to this position. I’m two decades in and Charlie’s less than a year in, so first and foremost he’s a brilliant guy who wants to be part of the football club – and he can handle my tantrums!”
But the boss was keen to point out that Lee would not be a like-for-like replacement for his previous right-hand man, Terry Skiverton, the club legend who left to join League One Charlton Athletic’s coaching set up.
The boss had to stop himself from (perhaps) being critical of the decision to allow Skivo to leave the club saying: “Terry was Superman at Yeovil and unfortunately…..(pause, grimace, contemplation)…you realise what you had when it’s gone and we as a club were not in a position to protect that legacy.
“That’s a shame but as one door closes (another one opens) and it’s a big opportunity for Charlie to taste this world and how different is from playing.
“He has a good football brain, he’s seen a lot of things in football and he isn’t here to replace Terry, that’s impossible at this club.
“He’s here to bring something we have not had in recent weeks, it has been a tough four or five weeks without Terry, so I am delighted he’s with us.”
Striker Olufela Olomola will improve as he gets more matchday minutes, the boss added.
The Hartlepool United man made his third Glovers’ debut in last weekend’s goalless draw at Eastleigh having arrived on loan the previous day.
The manager said: “Every team has different levels (of fitness) and he’s probably playing in a different position to the one he’s had to play recently.
“For different positions, you need different physical attributes, so I think it will take a few weeks to get him back up (and running).
“It was a much better performance in terms of the types of chances, I’m still disappointed at some of the work we did in forward areas.
“But, the midfield had better control, and I thought we were good value (for the win) given the level of dominance we had.”