Scott says no to loans and Elding
Last season was a busy one for Brentford when dealing with the loan market. Alongside season long loanees Ben Hamer and Alan Bennett, we also signed up (deep breath) James Wilson, Mikkel Andersen, Damian Scannell, Billy Clarke, Jordan Rhodes, Sam Williams, Damian Spencer, Josh Wright, Dean Bowditch, Eric Odhiambo and Frankie Artus at some point. Could make a whole team out of that lot, although you’d probably have to play a 1-4-5 or something, unless you fancy Rhodes or Clarke in defence. This season has so far been much quieter. While we have Lewis Price on loan for the season from Derby to keep goal, and James Wilson is here for a second loan spell until January, we’ve not dipped our toe back into the market to anywhere near the same extent as last season so far.
There were some suggestions that we might borrow a midfielder at some point to cover for the suspended Marcus Bean and the injured David Hunt, but it turned out that Hunt was fit enough to play after all, so no midfield loanstar was called up. Now Andy Scott has gone even further and ruled out making any new loan signings in the near future, as per his comments to the Hounslow Chronicle:
“Competition for places in the side is getting there. That is the reason I didn’t go into the loan market, because I am very confident in the squad we have got.”
“I think we are going to get stronger. It is important I transmit that confidence to the lads and say ‘you are good enough and I want you here’, and that is why we don’t need anyone at the moment.”
He has a point, what with Ben Strevens nearly ready to return to first team action after he broke his leg in pre-season and Bean back from suspension at Exeter on Saturday. And as previously said, if we can’t sign someone who will improve our squad, what’s the point? We’ve got enough players now to form a strong looking bench and strong looking first team, we just have to get them playing well again. Easy.
In other transfer news, reports (I don’t know which reports exactly, informed post this I know) have suggested that we might be swooping for out-of-favour Crewe striker Anthony Elding. Of course it would be perfect timing for us to sign a striker, what with three fit strikers already at the club and a fourth just returning to fitness, but never let such facts get in the way of idle transfer speculation. So before the massive Elding rumours could have a chance to build, Andy has stepped in to blow them out of the water, again while speaking with the Hounslow Chronicle:
“I made an enquiry about Anthony last season, but I am not interested in him now. I am happy with the squad I have got.”
Short and to the point. I like it.
