NEIL Young’s phone bill is not going to make pretty reading.
The busy Blues boss has not been off his mobile this week in a bid to add some pace and ‘vibrancy’ to his shot-shy side.
Although Young continues to chase an experienced centre-back, most of the calls he has been making have been to professional clubs – from the Premier League down – who he hopes can loan him the type of attacking midfielders he craves.
Young, who wants to bring in players who can play wide left and in the centre, was last night still waiting to hear whether he has been successful in his attempts to boost his squad before Saturday’s trip to Kidderminster Harriers (3pm).
But even he fails to do that, it certainly will not be for the lack of trying.
Young said: “I’ve contacted 14-15 Football League clubs this week because we’re not going to get anyone from around us.
“In some cases the clubs have said no because we’re a little bit too far down the pecking order. Others have said if they were to send a player out on loan ideally they would like them to train full-time with that club, which we can’t offer. While others have said yes only for the players to say no.
“It isn’t easy and we have to be realistic.”
Young has identified players lower down the non-league ladder but he has been scared off by the amount their clubs want for them – in one case he was asked to stump up ‘�15,000-�20,000’ for a Skrill North striker.
The money Young has to spend has gone up since Antoni Sarcevic’s �95,000 move – plus add-ons – to Fleetwood Town.
But despite receiving some of the proceeds from the talented midfielder’s sale, his budget remains one of the lowest in the Skrill Premier.
That is why he has turned to the loan market.
Young said: “We’re going to sign good, fast young kids if we can.
“I’ve settled on the way forward, I’ve got my mind set, and we’re looking to add some vibrancy in wide and central areas and mix that up with the experience we’ve got.”
