Source: FOOTYMAD
Motherwell Stymied In Transfer Market
Much depends on the result of tonight's game against Breidablik. Motherwell manager Craig Brown has been frustrated with his efforts in the transfer market and hopes making it into the Europa League group stages the extra revenue will help ease some of his concerns. Brown's first team has changed since last season with Jim O'Brien, Giles Coke, Lukas Jutkiewicz and John Ruddy all leaving since the end of last season. The only replacement has been in the goalkeeping position with the arrival of Darren Randolph from Charlton. The former Scotland manager has targeted a new striker as his top priority and is pursuing loan options, but the club's precarious financial position is proving restrictive. Brown has failed to add further to his squad ahead of tonight's second qualifying round against Icelandic side Breidablik. He is well aware that his prospects of adding new faces after the game so could hinge on their progress in the competition. Brown said: "We target the group stages and that would be a terrific boost to the club in terms of prestige and income, which would help us to recruit for the squad. A good draw in the group stage or even the next round would help, it would maybe interest television. The draw is on Friday so we will know who we would be playing before the second leg. That could be a huge incentive, but it will be anyway because we are determined to get through." There is only one likely source of income at the moment: the sale of defender Mark Reynolds, whose contract expires next summer. Motherwell turned down a bid of around £1million from Rangers for the former Scotland Under-21 international two years ago, but no further bids have been received at Fir Park this summer despite interest from the likes of PSV Eindhoven. Brown said: "The sale of any player would release funds to enable us to recruit. But it would be very difficult to recruit better than Mark Reynolds. I'm not getting too despondent if Mark stays here. He is vital member of the squad and an outstanding player, who has missed one match in the last two seasons." Motherwell face a tough test though against opponents who top the Icelandic league after scoring 26 goals in 11 games. Brown said: "Marginally, we're expected to be favourites because we're full-time professionals and they are semi-professionals. But they have some very good players, Jocky Scott has been over to see them and he has confirmed that. They are fit and quite quick on the counter-attack so we have to guard against an away goal. We are representing Scotland and we don't want to let the country down, so it will be a fighting, aggressive, enthusiastic performance." Editor Ger Harley (ger@scottishfitba.net)Admin Team (admin@scottishfitba.net)This is Scottish-Fitba.Net
