Sturrock on signings: 'We've gone in for several players including Akpo Sodje who chose Hibernian!'

17 March 2011 21:48
Southend United v The Bulls of Hereford United: There's only a week & a bit left in the loan window but Southend United boss Paul Sturrock insists it's tough out there, but it's not his fault players would rather go to Edinburgh than Essex! Sturrock: 'We will continue to work hard to bring people in' So still no loan signings with a depleted squad on it's last legs, those that have legs to stand on, but Blues boss Paul Sturrock is defiant; we've tried, it's not his fault players prefer Edinburgh to Essex, or Bury! Sturrock told www.echo-news.co.uk: "I'm fully aware that we need to strengthen our squad, but I would like the supporters to know that it isn't for the want of trying that we haven't made any signings yet. We've gone in for several players including the boy Chris Holroyd who has just gone to Bury, Akpo Sodje who chose to join Hibernian, Lewis Grabban who went to Brentford and another lad who chose to go to Brentford from Reading."Blimey, I'm not sure Luggy should be telling us all this even to keep us quiet!Still, we can't have a go at him for being honest, and there's more. Sturrock continued: "They're not the only ones we've been after and it has been very hard to get people to join us on loan. We've been in touch with Premier League clubs but the players who are available are 18 years old and it's hard for these kids to come in and immediately be a main part of your team. I've been trying to bring in experienced players like Craig Easton, Barry Corr and Chris Barker, but it's been hard work. Distance is a problem for some of our targets and others don't want to drop down to League Two, but the window doesn't shut until next week and we will continue to work hard to bring people in."Oh well, fair enough, and there shouldn't be an embargo to worry about at the moment, though maybe the odd agent is concerned about his client getting paid, or seeing his commission.So three days afetr another defeat at Crewe it looks as if those same old players will be patched up and kicked out to get three vital points against the Bulls of Hereford. The Luggy quotes are from his usual entertaining weekly column in the Echo:www.echo-news.co.uk/sport/theblues/8917300.Sturrock_says__Loan_signing_struggle/

Source: FOOTYMAD