McKenna: Nothing Imminent
Saturday, 10th Aug 2024 16:24

Boss Kieran McKenna says no further additions are imminent and again remained tight-lipped on the Blues’ interest in Blackburn forward Sammie Szmodics, while Town are running the rule over trialist Steven Alzate.

Town have made six signings so far with negotiations with Blackburn regarding Szmodics, who scored and assisted having come on as a sub in last night’s 4-2 victory over Derby, having been ongoing for more than a month.

Quizzed on whether any additions are close, McKenna said: “I don’t think there’s anything imminent to update on, to be honest. The club are working really hard, I’m working really hard, everyone’s working really hard to make additions to the squad.

“We would like, in an ideal world, to have been a couple of additions further along by now, but we are where we are.

“It’s a challenging market, there’s lots of challenges in there and I think there’s a balance to be found between getting in players who can help us as quickly as possible but also getting in the right players who are going to help us over the course of the season and over the course of the next 10 months, not just over the next 10 days.

“I think it’s important that we have and we continue to make decisions that are right for the bigger picture for the season and for the years ahead and we’re going to look to try and do that while also strengthening the team as prominently as we can.”

Asked about the Szmodics situation directly, he added: “Nothing to say. I’ll never speak about any player individually from another club. There’s nothing for me to add on that.”

Released Brighton midfielder Alzate, a 25-year-old Colombia international midfielder, played in the 30-minute training match which followed the main game.

“Steven Alzate was with us today, he trained with us on Thursday and Friday,” the Blues manager continued.

“A very good player, an experienced player for a relatively young age and isn’t with a club at the moment, so it was a chance for him to come in over the last couple of days, have a look at us, us to have a look at him and we’ll have some discussions from there. It was useful to have him with us.”

Also involved in that match, having come on as a sub in the main game, was Ali Al-Hamadi, his first action of pre-season following his adductor surgery early in the summer.

“There’s no doubt the forward positions are probably one of the areas where we’re a little bit light across the four forward positions,” McKenna said.

“Good to have him back, he’s been out for a long time, he was carrying the injury for a long time before that, so he hasn’t trained a lot with the team, so even do the 35 minutes he did today was probably a bit more than you would ideally want him to do, it’s very early for him.

“But the good thing is that he was out there on the grass, he was working hard, got some opportunities and he’ll be stronger for it and now hopefully he’ll get a really good week in next week.”

Also involved in the training match was Janoi Donacien, whose contract is up but is still at the club while he recovers from the groin surgery he underwent towards the end of last season. McKenna was asked about the St Lucia international’s situation.

“First and foremost, it’s brilliant to see him out on the pitch. He’s worked so hard, he’s had such a frustrating time with his injury,” he said.

“I know what he’s going through, also the area that he’s had the injury in and I know how complicated and how frustrating it can be, and it certainly has been that for him.

“It’s a big, big positive for today to get him out on the pitch looking strong, showing the competitor that he is and beyond that, that’s for discussions a little bit further down the line.

“That’s the first time he’s got on the pitch and every single day that Janoi is in the building with us, he’ll be an important member of this squad because he’s made such a fantastic contribution and everyone thinks so highly of him.

“Beyond that and what the rest of the season entails, that’s for me and the club to have conversations with Janoi about over the next few weeks and find out what the best solution is for all parties.”

McKenna says Harry Clarke is still some way off a return following his summer achilles surgery.

“He’s still not imminent, to be honest,” he said. “He’s had a frustrating time with the recovery, so he’s continuing to work hard and get advice and he’s still progressing in the gym, but he’s not in the grass yet, so realistically, it’s going to be quite a few weeks away, best case scenario, before we probably see him training with the team even.”

McKenna admits the squad is a little low on numbers at present with George Hirst (knee), Nathan Broadhead (hamstring) and Cameron Humphreys (thigh) having picked up problems in pre-season.

“We’re short on numbers going into the season, there’s no doubt about that,” he added. “We would want to be 22, 23 outfielders now, senior outfielders, 100 per cent fit and raring to go in an ideal world.

“But we don’t live in an ideal world, there are going to be challenges right through the season and there’s been lots of challenges across pre-season, to be honest.

“We’ve got a group of players who have come through a really solid pre-season, we’re getting numbers back at the moment over the last week or two, rather than losing numbers in general, which has been positive since probably the last game we were here.

“We’re in a stronger position than we were a week ago but we’d like to be deeper in strength, but it’s about the players who are fit and the players who are going to get the chance and have earned the right pull the shirt on against Liverpool next week.

“That’s where so much of my focus will be once we get into next week and I think, hopefully, that’s where the focus of everyone is, on supporting those players and coming together as a club for a wonderful occasion.”

Photo: Nurphoto

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ImAbeliever added 16:58 - Aug 10 Yes boss.
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herfie added 18:08 - Aug 10 ‘Nothing imminent’ is of concern, with the clock ticking and KM’s own assessment that we remain short of bodies. However, no need to hit the panic button, but to trust MA/KM and the ongoing process. Interesting to hear John Eustace say that the SM saga might continue until the window closes. Not what we want to hear, but probably business reflecting reality.
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 18:12 - Aug 10 Straight and honest assessment of the situation, as always.
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atty added 18:19 - Aug 10 It was always going to be a tougher transfer market in the PL We are simply not the attraction we were in the Championship and League. Fact. That said we must have faith in the Club to do the best they can, hope that’s good enough, and be that 12th man - in spades. They need us now more than ever.
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armchaircritic59 added 18:27 - Aug 10

The situation is what it is, and it's amplified in The Premier League. Agents are talking to more than one club and sometimes a few about the player they are representing. Then you have the " chain of command ", where a club is willing to release a player, but they won't do so, until they get someone in as a replacement, and it goes on down the line. And of course, one big mistake in a signing in The Premier League, can be extremely costly, literally, especially if you're not the likes of Manchester City etc. I think it's just a case of trusting the process, not being forced into paying over the odds for players and see what happens!

BeattiesBackPocket added 19:19 - Aug 10

I’ll repeat it again for those minority of fans on here moaning about it being quiet on the transfer front and who seem to think you just go meet someone and sign them like you can on championship manager.

Kieran and I quote “It’s a challenging market, there’s lots of challenges in there and I think there’s a balance to be found between getting in players who can help us as quickly as possible but also getting in the right players who are going to help us over the course of the season and over the course of the next 10 months, not just over the next 10 days.

“I think it’s important that we have and we continue to make decisions that are right for the bigger picture for the season and for the years ahead and we’re going to look to try and do that while also strengthening the team as prominently as we can.”

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BeattiesBackPocket added 19:21 - Aug 10

Atty it’s not necessarily the attraction it’s that we’re not established in the premier league which is what makes it that much tougher. We have to go for potential or top championship players or bottom half prem players until we can hopefully be a Brighton then it becomes a little easier to get players in who are more confident we won’t get relegated. It’s fair enough imo

foot_kick_ball_goal added 19:45 - Aug 10 Already posted this... But think it fits better here...
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foot_kick_ball_goal added 21:16 - Aug 10

After reflecting on this issue, I think I'd like to see another Forward, CM and LW come on as cover for who we have. Especially because of injuries that could happen in the competitive premier league environment. (See broadhead and hirst)

However, casting my memory back to when KM took over, it was said the team needed a full overhaul to compete in League one. A few additions and a season and a half later we got promoted.

Then it was said that we need massive changes to the squad in order to compete at championship level as the players weren't good enough. A couple of additions and up we went. With, notably, pretty much the same team playing the last game of the championship season that played the last game of the league one season the year before.

Now we are in the premier League. It is being said that we need a lot of new players to be able to compete at this level. I said to a friend of mine at the end of last season, that 5 additions may well be enough (LB, DCM, Forward, Omari and a LW) ((...I didn't see hdalky leaving)). I also said, that with the exception of omari these signings could be mainly for cover for who we have.

This team has come up the leagues together. Through hard work and following KMs plans, tactics and work ethic, they are now in the premier League.

This is the team. Our team. The same team that has taken us from L1 to premier league in a couple of seasons. In a way I'd rather see is relegated as a result of giving the players who worked so hard a chance to compete at the highest level then scrape safety by replacing the players who have given everything for club.
However... Maybe we should dare to believe that they may yet have more to give. After all; they do have a habit of defying expectations.

We are the 13th man on the field and our belief and support might just give the other 12 the edge to suprise everyone.

foot_kick_ball_goal added 21:18 - Aug 10 (thanks to the mods for taking down the last post for me... Android copy and paste decided to be a bit overzealous with the copy selection and I didn't notice until it was too late)
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Linkboy13 added 21:19 - Aug 10 You can make excuses or dress it up how you like but if we don't make signings soon we will be back in the championship. Keiron McKenna tried to put a brave face on things but deep down he must be very frustrated with things.
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ArnieM added 21:25 - Aug 10 August the 20th in Blackburn might have an impact on the SS, " will he, won't he" final outcome. It may not be Blackburn that us stalling on this deal. .....
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AbujaBlue added 23:45 - Aug 10 People shouldn't really be getting worked up in a frenzy about the throwaway "nothing imminent" quote. McKenna plays his cards close to his chest - we certainly won't be hearing about any incoming players from him (as should be the way).
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Bazza8564 added 08:46 - Aug 11 AbujaBlue, YES totally. He is always going to say nothing imminent, any leaks getting out cause chaos with the smooth running of the transfers. I don't know why we ask him to be honest, just let the guys talk about the players when we land them.
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dirtydingusmagee added 09:59 - Aug 11

may be nothing imminent was a throw away remark Abujablue, but Mark Ashton made a comment not so long ago that there were more players coming, and that got peoples hopes up, THAT may have been a throw away remark ,unfortunately that dosnt seem to be the case . Loans seem more likely now and will hopefully help strengthen the squad which imo will struggle against many of the Prem teams, just pray we can gain enough points to stay up this season , that would be mission accomplished in my book .

Bazza8564 added 11:16 - Aug 11

Guys is the 11th of August, 3 more weeks before the window closes yet and just because we aren't being told every detail. Yes Mark Ashton said there would be more, but he didn't say they would all be here before August 11th did he?
Let the guys do their jobs and quit bitching please, it's the same every window and at the end of the window everybody says "wow what a window" Please show a bit of faith

Bazza8564 added 11:16 - Aug 11

Monkey_Blue added 11:30 - Aug 11

Most clubs look to be doing far more because they aren’t so discreet. Most prem clubs have been linked with significantly more players, but haven’t signed significantly more players if as many as us. I don’t think I have a right to know every conversation on every player and if we did as fans this would satisfy curiosity but disadvantage the clubs efforts. Muric, Johnson, Greaves, Delap, Townsend..and we have nearly 3 weeks to go until the end of the window including loans which tend to be done later unless you are signing players a club has absolutely no interest in having in their squad, but also done later when we know what gaps we have so who we’d want. The club has spent over £60m and will probably spend all but £100m by the end of the window so calm down you drama queens. Tell me what percentage of clubs have said they don’t need to bring any more players in at this point.

FreddySteady added 12:35 - Aug 12 There’s this, apparently. https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/three-premi
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hyperbrit added 17:07 - Aug 12 isn't Sammie on a free after this season?
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Cambsrover14 added 21:46 - Aug 12 No is the short answer to that he is contracted to us until 2027 including a year option. This is getting rather boring it's £500,000 either pay up or do one. Sick of hearing about this sh!t.
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