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[Darren]

Heathcote ready to ring changes
By Connor Murphy
Comment
EVOLUTION rather than revolution will be the key as Alty look to turn around their so far disappointing campaign.

Robins boss Graham Heathcote is planning changes in the January transfer window but insists there will be no massive overhaul at Moss Lane.

Heathcote remains confident his team are close to being competitive in the Blue Square Premier and will merely be looking to finetune the current formula.

 But there will still be some difficult decisions as well.

Reinforcements will be brought in - loan agreements are close to being reached over a young striker at a Championship club and a midfielder at another League club - but that means letting a couple of the current squad go.

Discussions have also opened with Stoke about securing central defender Ryan Shotton on a season-long loan deal and a decision is expected by Friday.
Heathcote told SAM Sport: "We have to look at improving the squad in January and maybe look at improving other areas as well. Fresh ideas in the coaching can only be helpful.

"We've got a team that's very close to the level it needs to be at. We just need the icing on the cake and that's not easy to get.

"I have had lots of conversations about players.

"Due to the financial situation, I've been looking at a couple of loan deals with League clubs but there's other irons in the fire as well.

"Clubs at this level will be looking to move players out to move other players in and we can look at that as well.

"One of the decisions we have to make over the next few weeks is which players we have to move on, which is something I never like to do."

Before Heathcote can make any changes, however, he must first navigate the tricky Christmas period.

Saturday's Setanta Shield match at Nuneaton Borough kicks off a sequence of five games in 15 days, which includes two massive derby clashes with fellow strugglers Northwich, at Moss Lane on Boxing Day and the Victoria Stadium on New Year's Day.

And Heathcote knows the coming two weeks will be absolutely vital to Alty's chances of survival.

He said: "I'm looking forward to the Setanta Shield but I have to make sure that the likes of Asa, Gareth Whalley and Carlos Logan get some football. That's my priority this weekend.

"I'm not trying anything new. I just want to get some football into their legs. We've got five games in 15 days now so I'll need to use the whole squad and these guys haven't had many games recently. I want to get everybody a 90-minute run-out.

"I'm really looking forward to our derby games though. I'm delighted that Northwich have survived and it's vital for football in Cheshire that we keep these games alive.

"Playing them twice over the Christmas period it will create a real cup tie atmosphere. We need all the fans to turn out and give us their support because they will be two big games."

3:28pm today

[Longman]

"Reinforcements will be brought in - loan agreements are close to being reached over a young striker at a Championship club and a midfielder at another League club - but that means letting a couple of the current squad go."

Why??  Because we won't be able to afford the loan players' wages as well as some of our current players?

2 questions ;-

1. Don't we need to extend our squad?  Which is paper thin already!  Although if financial restraints won't allow they won't allow!
2. Can we not get the club who we are loaning the player(s) off to pay the wages?  Didn't Stoke do this with Shotton?

[markecky]

When you take a loan player you pay his wages.  Sometimes the loaning club will agree to pay part or meet you halfway but usually you take on the full amount.

[Longman]

Yeah but surely alot of clubs (particularly financially solvent ones) would be happy to pay the players wages in return for reguler first team football experience!!  Allbeit at conference level.

[Alty365]

"EVOLUTION rather than revolution will be the key as Alty look to turn around their so far disappointing campaign."

We've got to evolve, not revolve. 

[Longman]

"Basically what you're saying is you don't want another Chris Evans on your hands."

"No that's exactly what we do want."

"I'm your man!"

[Dougals Dad]

Smell my cheese!

[louise1925]

It does look as if GH is looking more towards loaning league players rather than searching the pyramid, which in some ways is a shame, but if he can unearth a couple more Ryan Shottons we might be okay. Vics have taken some decent league youngsters on loan, so I see no reason why we shouldn't prosper too. I don't know about anybody else, but I am encouraged to hear that negotiations have taken place with a young, championship forward - sounds interesting to say the least. Still think there is a great deal of talent around the likes of Curzon, Skem, Witton and FC United, which might be available in January, but let's wait and see...

[Alty Dave]

Gh is surely lookig at all the angles.

I bet we do not want to pay transfer fees hence the loan deals are a stop gap in case we can stay up.

If we do not stay up we are looking for different players perhaps?

I will feel sorry for the players that go, who will they be?

Saturday appears to be a bit of a trial in my oinion?

[Mrs Warbouys]

Saturday appears to be a bit of a trial in my oinion?

Thats weird, a chef I was talking to today(no northwich pun intended) said to put an onion in the body of the turkey on Christmas morning to enhance the flavour,that to will be a bit of a trial with my onion.

[baldrick]

My guess for players to go

Pat McFadden - Hardly ever plays
Joe O'Neill - Likely to make way for a new striker
Colin Potts - The Jermaine Defoe of Altrincham. If i was Pottsy i would have left ages ago
Jake Sedgemore - Never really lived up to the pre season claim of Altrincham's greatest ever player

[Amsterdam Alty]

My guess for players to go

Pat McFadden - Hardly ever plays
Joe O'Neill - Likely to make way for a new striker
Colin Potts - The Jermaine Defoe of Altrincham. If i was Pottsy i would have left ages ago
Jake Sedgemore - Never really lived up to the pre season claim of Altrincham's greatest ever player

pat no, cost nothing good incase of injuries
joe no, he dropped out of full time on GH call to go get an education, my guess is there is a gentlemans agrement to keep him till he finishes uni.
colin potts is injured and a gem when he is not but i have to agree with you there if fit would be in my team within a heart beat though
sedge, despite the alex baiting fun he provides, he has contributed little other than a couple of goals and some nice touches but has shown class at times without any praise at all. him and something creative in the midfield would be nice, which i think is where whalley came in and out through injury and in because of cameras then out through injury, i could continue i hope you get it though

my money is on going as well as potts is:

Logan i mean jesus if there was an award for jinking about and looking prety mohawk or not then ye mabe but he is a pound shop truffle not a thorntons continental. looks likk he may be good at first you think he is but oh oh no he's just a major dissapointment  and the final few moments fizzle out and leave a nasty taste.


sorry to go all james black kopparberg mixed berries is just like fruit juice!!

[louise1925]

I think that first and foremost GH must shed the players who are continually injured (of whom I can think of 3 or 4). Replace them with young and hungry lads, whether they be loan championship forwards or unibond players.

[Timperley The Best]

please gh dont forget a left back is top of the chrimbo present list