FC Halifax Town: Wild being given some selection headaches for play-off showdown

Wild is delighted with the condition of his players with just over a week to go until the Boreham Wood clash, which will be screened live on BT Sport.

Commenting on midfielder Jack Earing and Josh Macdonald, two members of his squad who haven’t featured regularly this season, Wild said: “Everybody’s in with a chance of playing. Those two have come back excellently, as I thought they would.

“They look in a good place and they add to what is a strong squad.

“They probably haven’t had the game time they probably would’ve liked this year but I would have no qualms in throwing them in at any point in any game.

“I think everybody in that 20 man squad could play a part, and will play a part.

“I wouldn’t be worried in the slightest in playing anyone in that squad.

“I don’t think there’s anybody that’s not where they should be. There’s two or three of the younger lads who’ve come back and looked like men, look really sharp.

“That’s really impressed me and given me some headaches in terms of team selection, and it gives me a lot to think about.”

The Town squad took part in an 11 v 11 training match on Saturday, featuring a couple of youth teamers to make up the numbers.

The game took place at Town’s training ground in Leeds after Calderdale Council refused the club permission to play at The Shay.

“The lads are exactly where we wanted them to be physically and mentally,” Wild said.

“We had an in-house training game on Saturday morning, which we wanted to play at the Shay, but unfortunately the council didn’t want to help us with that, which was disappointing to say the least.

“I think the barriers the council have put up in trying to help us was a massive hindrance to us and I think it shows maybe where the club stands in the council’s eyes.

“We as a club were really disappointed with how our request, which was given a lot of notice, was handled.

“But the lads looked good in the game and we’ve had another strong start to the week.

“It was very useful, I’m happy with how it turned out. There were some lads that shone and you thought ‘well done, great’ and there were some lads who’ve probably benefited from the minutes.”

Wild said playing at The Shay would have been very useful for the team’s preparations.

“Our training pitch is a lot smaller than The Shay and we could have replicated being in a stadium and playing on a bigger surface,” he said.

“It would have massively helped us. They were given over seven days to help us with our request, and all they did was put obstacles in our way.”

Town are in talks about playing an away friendly this weekend, but Wild was tight-lipped about who the opposition would be, only confirming they are not in the same division as Halifax.

“We’ve been talking to a club about playing a game at the weekend, that’s not finalised yet,” Wild said.

The Town boss would also not be drawn on his side’s travel arrangements for the Boreham Wood game, which are also still to be finalised.

“I have the structure to a team I would like to pick and a squad I would like to pick,” said Wild when asked if he had a starting 11 in mind for the game.

“However, I want to see how this week finishes and hopefully we can get a friendly at the weekend. If that goes well, I’ll digest what’s going on and as we move into next week, think about who’s going to be in the starting 11 and the squad, so everybody has a clear idea of who’s doing what.”

It has been confirmed that the game will go straight to penalties if it is a draw after 90 minutes, with no period of extra time. 

“I think it will help us being the away side, in terms of fatigue, and travelling down there etc,” said Wild.

“It adds to the lottery basis this play-off process is going to be, because anything can happen and I think that gives us more of an opportunity.

“I’ve seen with the bookies that everybody’s writing us off again. That really pleases me because we’re at our best when that happens.

“We’re the rank outsiders and we’re happy to be. we’re hoping to turn a few heads along the way.”

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