Tranmere Rovers boss Les Parry starts a player hunt

Nov 24 2009 Liverpool Echo

“But the deadline is a complication. There are a couple of midweek games coming up so I’m sure we would get our money’s worth out of any loan signings we make.”

Illnesses and injuries could hit Tranmere hardest in the midfield area as they prepare to play host to the mid-table Shrimpers.

Charlie Barnett, Paul McLaren and Seb Carole went down with the virus over the weekend and were unable to train yesterday.

Rovers lost another midfielder, Ryan Fraughan, because of a family bereavement while there are continuing fitness doubts over right-back Shaleum Logan, centre back Ian Goodison and the versatile Gareth Edds.

Meanwhile, midfielder Alan Mahon and striker Bas Savage continue to be ruled out as long-term casualties.

Parry was able to work with just a dozen fit professionals in training yesterday. But he is hoping Goodison (back injury) and Logan (groin) will respond to treatment and that some of those with sick notes can overcome the symptoms in time to play.

“We will just have to work with whoever is available and get on with it,” Parry said. “At the moment we don't have a lot of options. It’s not just the number of injuries but the areas of the team were they are hitting us.

“You can put up with three players going out if one is a defender, one a midfielder and one an attacker. But it is difficult when you get hit in one area.

“We are not the tallest of teams and when Ian Goodison went off at Orient the biggest impact was in the knock down effect of who marked who at set plays.

“Hopefully Ian will be okay to play against Southend and that will help us with the height.”

The caretaker manager believes his players are keen to make amends for a below par performance in the second half at Brisbane Road.

He said: “The lads were disappointed about Saturday because they knew they could have got something out of the game. It was the performance and not other factors, like refereeing decisions, that impacted on the result.”