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Numbers continue to dwindle for Appleton
Pompey manager Michael Appleton. Picture: Robin Jones
While the clock ticks down on potential administration, other numbers continue to tumble for Michael Appleton.
The smallest squad in the Football League has just dwindled further.
As it stands, Michael Appleton possesses just 14 fit senior players for Saturday’s trip to Barnsley.
Even then that includes Kanu, whose back problems have contributed to just one substitute appearance since October.
It also consists of two goalkeepers in Stephen Henderson and Jamie Ashdown.
David Norris (double hernia) and Luke Varney (knee) have been ruled out well in advance of Pompey’s next fixture.
Now Greg Halford (knee) and Liam Lawrence (calf) have joined them in the treatment room.
It remains too early to confidently predict the latest two casualties will also be absent from the Oakwell trek.
The likelihood is, however, they will struggle to declare their availability.
It leaves Appleton, who has been dealt a series of tough hands since his arrival at Fratton Park, with just 14 senior players to choose from.
Of course, such numbers can be swelled by Adam Webster and a maiden first-team squad appearance for Sam Magri.
Other academy prospects like Jed Wallace, Alex Grant and Dan Butler have also been training with Appleton’s squad in recent weeks.
Regardless, Appleton’s selection options continue to cruelly ebb away.
He said: ‘We have had pretty much the same team for the past four games, so I am asking a lot of the players at the minute.
‘If administration is going to help quicken the process in terms of a new owner into the football club – someone who wants to take it forward from a long-term point of view rather than a short-term point of view – then fantastic. If that happens and it is the best possible thing for the football club, then the sooner the better because then I get an opportunity to help those players in the dressing room.
‘They have worked their socks off for the last three months without much help to be fair.
‘We have not been able to freshen things up or play different ways and give people opportunities because of the actual numbers we have got.
‘I know some of the players have been through administration before.
‘The last time was in the Premier League but the pressure is on them a little bit this time.
‘We have a much smaller squad than they had last time.
‘We have sat down and had two or three meetings over the past couple of weeks with the players.
‘We have to prepare ourselves for a worst-case scenario and – if that did happen – we have set ourselves targets over what we need to do over the remaining games.
‘But we are going to have to start looking after players in between games now because the matches come thick and fast.’
The requirements heaped on such a modest squad clearly had an impact on Tuesday night.
Appleton’s men were particularly sluggish during the opening 45 minutes against Ipswich Town.
For many, it was a below-par showing which drove home the problems posed by operating with small player numbers.
And although not looking for excuses, the Blues boss admitted that issue had been a contributing factor.
Appleton added: ‘That performance was very confusing.
‘I don’t know if it was two tough away games or three – if you include the Peterborough one – on a couple of poor pitches. I don’t know.
‘Perhaps it was the off the field stuff. Who knows? I hope not. I think only time will tell on that one.
‘But I do think there was a little bit of tiredness, although I am not looking for excuses.’
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Comments
There are 28 comments to this article
Page 1 of 2
Dario Silva
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 03:41 PM@3 : 5 yards. Mmmm. Exaggerating to prove a point never really works. You're being harsh but whatever.
PFC4Life
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 03:02 PMI think the chairs so comfy he's gone back to that dream world he lives in!
chimonkey
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 02:44 PMCOMFY CHAIR??? WHERE HAVE YOU GONE??? HELLO, ANSWER OUR QUERIES PLEASE.
In Dobbo We Trust
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 02:31 PMI'm still bewildered by the call for additional recruits - seriously? We can't even pay the ones at the club. Two teams taking to the field to contest a match is considered a competition, so simply fielding 11 players is remaining competitive. Yes, the league have rules (laws? critera? guidelines?) but it's not like we're really playing by the book ourselves. I'd be frustrated as an opponent to come up against a team in administration who have overstretched on spending but are being bailed out by being allowed to take Prem players on loan!
MileEnder
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 02:15 PMComfy Chair - can you tell us all where you heard this rumour as it seems a little unbelievable, even at this present time. I am friends with a father of one of the former youth team players and his son is still in contact with some of the current squad and they haven't heard anything about this. So would you kindly elaborate on this for me and him.......in fact all of us?
bluelagoon
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 01:34 PM22 - Russian Chris - I think a team needs 7 players (including a goalkeeper) to start a match (and finish it), If you start with 7 but one gets injured or gets a red card, then you forfeit the match - is it 0-3? --- If you can only put 6 or less on the pitch at the start, then you forfeit the match too. The rules are ready to be applied...
russian chris
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 01:00 PMWhat happens these days if we dont have enough players for a game these days? Its not our fault our numbers are dwindling,the football league wont let us have anymore,so they cant fine us or dock points for not having a team,like they did with others in the past.
blue bob
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 12:16 PM@ 4 Blueshirt, hear hear, I agree completely, some people haven't got a clue, the manager & players deserve the utmost credit for what they are doing under near impossible circumstances.
chimonkey
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 12:13 PMPost 11...Comfy Chair....STOP saying the youth team have been sent home. If they have been sent home, why are the 5 youth team players named in this article plus a couple more (Coulson and Harris) training with the 1st team squad? If the youth players had been sent home, then surely these players would no longer be around to train, let alone travel or appear for the 1st team (Magri and Webster)? Pver to you on that one, though i doubt you'll reply. You didn't to my post yesterday!! PUP. KEEP THE FAITH.
PUP 1
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 12:12 PMenquiries@football-league.co.uk send your complaints to this email address and any other complaints email address that they give, Dont be rude just let them know that we feel they didn't do there jobs properly to ensure we are not in this position now. lets see if complaints can help and if the governing bodie of the championship will actually listen to us! please pass it to your friends and urge them to do the same, it may be too little too late but its worth a go surely, lets try and stop the 10 points deduction
blue bob
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 12:12 PM@ 1, with all due respect, it doesn't sound as though you have played the game at a decent level.
bluelagoon
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 11:45 AMAppy was a pro footballer then a coach. He wouldn't know much about company law and business, any more than I know much about brain surgery. The News just "interview" people to get them to say things that fit into an article which might help sell the paper. Take it all with a pinch of salt.
PhilRobinson
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 11:18 AMIs Appy starting to lose perspective? I always thought he was a clever level headed guy? By saying the best option is administration, he is condemning all the smaller non-secured loan companies to not get their money back....that still sits badly with me.
PFC4Life
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 11:07 AMComfy Chair please can you tell me where you heard the youth team have been sent home and will be released? Link?
astro
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 10:56 AMThree words for Appy to put to Lampitt.... 'QUALITY OVER QUANTITY' That's the CHOICE we made under Lampitt and Clotterill - and it's what has got us where we are today. No more excuses.
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