Leyton Orient boss Russell Slade seeking the solution for 'unlucky position'
10:50am Thursday 9th February 2012 in Latest Football News By Matt Bass
Russell Slade has made a new left back his priority. Picture: Action Images
With the loan market opening again for business yesterday, Russell Slade has put a left back at the top of his wish list.
The departure of Charlie Daniels to division rivals Bournemouth in November left the E10 side without an experienced recognised option for the position, meaning the manager had to act swiftly to bring in cover.
In came Millwall’s Tony Craig, followed by Adam Chicksen from MK Dons as short term solutions but with loan moves now a possibility for Slade, the O’s boss is hoping to strike another deal in the market.
Summer signing Leon McSweeney has filled the void recently but the Irishman has also featured in midfield and on the opposite side of defence this campaign.
Slade revealed he has been working hard to add another defender to his squad but has been thwarted thus far in his attempts.
“It has been a real headache,” explained the manager.
“I have been really close on a couple of occasions with two Championship left backs and one in our league. I am hoping for one of those to drop.
“It has been like the unlucky position in terms of trying to get somebody in. I have not had a lot of fortune with it for one reason or another.
“But I do want that solving – it is a priority, put it that way.”
With the departure of skipper Stephen Dawson at the end of January, Orient lost a key member of their midfield and Slade has not ruled out a move to replace the former captain.
Cardiff City’s Solomon Taiwo was brought in ahead of Dawson’s exit and the O’s boss has not dismissed the idea of making another addition in the middle of the park, or indeed elsewhere, but stressed his main priority was finding a solution to the left back problem.
On moving to bolster the midfield, Slade continued: “It is a possibility. However, I need to put the left back position to bed, at least in the short term, i.e. until the summer.
“Also, it might be that I will look for a little bit more firepower. One of our biggest problems is that we haven’t scored enough goals. That needs addressing.
“Solomon picked up a groin injury in the Spurs game (a reserve friendly match). He still trained on the Thursday and probably shouldn’t have done after that game.
“He has tweaked a few fibres, however, we are hoping he will train maybe on Thursday this week. That will at least give us competition for places in midfield if he comes through the latter part of this week in training.”
click2find
