FC Halifax Town: Wild has some selection headaches for Woking trip

FC Halifax Town boss Pete Wild says he has got a lot of decisions to make for their trip to Woking on Saturday.
Actions from FC Halifax Town v Harrogate Town, FA Cup match at the Shay. Pictured is Pete WildActions from FC Halifax Town v Harrogate Town, FA Cup match at the Shay. Pictured is Pete Wild
Actions from FC Halifax Town v Harrogate Town, FA Cup match at the Shay. Pictured is Pete Wild

Influential duo Matty Brown and Cameron King are both back in contention for the game, while Jeff King is also available again after a one-game suspension.

The Town boss says he is looking to send two or three players out on loan and hopes that would mean he would be able to bring players in. But none of that is expected to be before Saturday.

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”I’ve got a lot of decisions to make, probably the most since I started,” he said of selecting his side for Woking.

”I’ve got some players to sit down and have a chat with this week around maybe sending them out on loan.

”It depends how quickly I can get people out on loan and how quickly I can then secure the services of other people.

”These things take time, we’re not playing Championship Manager here, you’ve got to do these deals appropriately with clubs and make sure you do things right.”

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When asked whether striker Jack Redshaw is in contention to start on Saturday, Wild said: “He’ll be in consideration like everyone else and we’ll see how far down the line he is with his sharpness and his fitness.

”We’ve got to remember he’s not played a lot of football in the last 12 months so I’ve got to be careful, and make sure he’s ready for what comes with this league.

”Is it too soon for him to be starting? I need to make that decision over the next 48 hours.”

Wild says he has selection headaches all over the pitch.

”One thing the lads are doing is chomping at the bit to be in the side, there’s nobody coasting or cruising,” he said.

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”We understand we’ve had a difficult time of things recently, and we’re all keen to put it right and to stay where we are in the league, or even better.

”All things considered it’s been an excellent start. I will keep saying it, that when we walked through the door we were nailed-on relegation favourites.

”For the lads to have got themselves where they are after 20 games is an excellent achievement.

”We’ve had some indifferent results but so does every team, unless you’re Liverpoool.

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”Unfortunately we’re going through our sticky spell at the moment but the teams who finish up there at the end of the year come through their sticky spell quicker than others.

”We’re hoping that we can come through the other side of it.

”I don’t think our team play has been that bad, but we are getting undone by individual mistakes.

”You look at the two individual mistakes that put Torquay 2-0 up within 20 minutes, then you’re chasing the game and then you get hit on the counter attack.

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”I don’t think our all-round game is that bad, I just think we’ve got to cut out the individual mistakes which are costing us.”

But Wild is not tempted to change his approach.

”We’re going out to express ourselves like we do in every game,” he said. “We know what we’re good at, we’re working hard and we won’t detract from our plan.”

The Town squad were given last weekend off due to not being involved in the FA Cup, and Wild feels that has benefited the players.
“I think all things considered, how well we’d done in the first 20 games of the season, it was good to have a break and recharge the batteries,” he said.

”Looking at the players, they were all spent, they were all very tired and put a lot of effort into getting us where we are.

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”It came at a really good time for us. We’ve had some time out, it’s allowed everybody to spend some time with their families and get away from football.

”We’re refreshed now, and ready for that Christmas push.

”We were frustrated after the Torquay game, we didn’t think the scoreline reflected the game.

”So the start of last week and this week the squad’s been lively, fresh and there’s been a good buzz around the place.”

On Saturday’s game at Woking, Wild said: “I’m really looking forward to it, it’s a chance to push forward again, and a chance to try and get some consistency, try and cut out the individual errors that have cost us.

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”It’s not been our overall play that’s cost us, it’s the individual errors and we’ve got to cut that out.

”They had a really good start. They’ve had a bit of indifferent form, like us, but last time out against Stockport, they went to Edgeley Park, which is a tough place to go, and won 3-1.
“I think it’ll be really tough, and we’re going to have to be ready for what’s coming.”

Town have looked vulnerable from set-pieces of late, which is something Wild is keen to work on.

”It’s one of many areas,” he said. “It comes under the individual errors I was talking about.”In the first 14 games, we conceded from one set-piece, and six out of the last nine goals we’ve conceded are from set-pieces, or a penalty.

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”It’s a concern but I think we’ll be ready for it come Saturday.”

Halifax played an in-house game on Tuesday, which Wild said was a useful exercise.

”It’s probably caused me more headaches than I thought it would in terms of team selection, which is a good thing,” he said.

”We’re nearly back to full numbers now which is brilliant, and gives us strength-in-depth going into the busy Christmas period.”

Follow all the action from Woking on Saturday afternoon on our live blog at www.halifaxcourier.co.uk.