Josh Staunton is expected to be missing for Yeovil Town‘s next three games through injury, manager Darren Sarll has confirmed.
But, the Glovers’ boss has said he expects captain Luke Wilkinson to be available for this weekend’s trip to Woking.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.
The loss of Staunton, who limped off in last weekend’s 2-1 home defeat to Wrexham, comes on top of an injury to central defender Max Hunt who is expected to be out for “a couple of months” with an injury picked up in training at the end of last week.
Speaking ahead of the weekend, Sarll spoke highly of new signing Ben Barclay who joined on a one-month loan deal from National League leaders Stockport County on Friday.
The manager said: “Ben has some really good attributes and he helps us in a time where we have not got Hunt and Staunton.
“He gives us a more mature figure in comparison with what we have had to recruit in younger, inexperienced players and the one position you don’t want inexperience is the centre of defence.
“Ben is a good athlete, attacks the ball very well, he’s committed, and he’s here for the right reasons.
“Sometimes the reasons can be not in the interests of the loan club which is not a winning mentality, but he’s here for the right reasons.”
If Staunton is unavailable for the next three games, he will miss Saturday’s trip to Woking, the derby at home to W*ymouth on Tuesday and next weekend’s home match with Solihull Moors.
The manager added that left-back Jordan Barnett will have scan on an ankle injury ahead of the trip to Surrey where the Glovers are trying to end of six successive defeats.
In the manager’s press conference, the manager also said:
- He was “drowning in names” of players who could be new recruits to his squad and admitted that the absence of an assistant manager since the departure of Terry Skiverton has made that tough.
Sarll said: “Normally Terry and I would split that role, so there have been some long days.
“It’s been a tough week with recruitment drive and it’s important that we acquire people within our means and try and get the best players we can.”
Terry Skiverton, who joined Charlton Athletic at the start of last week. - On the number two vacancy, the manager said he has spoken with people about the position, but has not been able to focus on it this week due to the need to bring in new players.
But, he admitted he would not be able to replace Skiverton, who left to join League One Charlton Athletic last week after nearly 23 years with the club.
Sarll said: “You can’t replace like for like. Terry has individual qualities, I have to try and whittle down the minimum requirements and work from there.
“But, we are talking a three months job in the South West of the country and they are not going to get rich from it.
“When I got here I brought in Andrew Crofts as a player-coach (who promptly left to take up a role at Brighton), I was not going to have an assistant because of the budget at the time.
“But even that (senior player) market is not great, there’s not a raft of Carl Dickinson’s and alike out there.” - Sarll described speculation linking him with the vacant manager’s job at National League rivals Eastleigh as “unfounded.”
The Hampshire side sacked Ben Strevens in the week, igniting rumours on social media that Sarll’s name was in the frame to replace him.
He said: “If I had to comment on everything social media threw out, I would not do anything other than comment on them.
“My dressing room is the best I have ever had, so for me to disrespect them for talking about that. It’s unfounded. I would prefer to just get on with my job.” - Sunny Gill, the referee who took charge of last weekend’s defeat at home to Wrexham got a “one out of 100” rating from the manager for his performance.
The boss criticised the official for not stopping play which led up to the Welsh side’s equaliser with Glovers’ midfielder Dale Gorman on the floor with a head injury.
Sarll said: “It was a head injury in the middle third, the game should have been stopped. Does the referee lose his job? He got 1 out of 100.
“Did the clear and obvious (lack of a decision) impact the course of the game? Absolutely.
“What more important job does a referee have than to command the environment so players health and safety is at the forefront of the situation?”
He had a discussion with the Referees’ Association today (Friday) having submitted a significant report in to Mr Gill’s report for his performance.
