Hill hints at loan market moves

Photo: Jon Coluccio

Keith Hill

Rochdale manager Keith Hill may soon delve into the loan transfer market to freshen up his squad following Saturday's defeat at home to Wycombe.

Hill said that his team might be lacking competition for places and that there could be some surprises in the coming weeks, with some players going out on loan and others coming in.

The Dale boss said: "I believe in the young players but we might have to do a little shape-shifting and freshen things up because there is a little familiarity within the squad. I don't like that because it doesn't promote competition for places and there might be a few shocks and surprises with respect to some of the players maybe moving on and some coming in."

After picking up just one point from their last three games, Hill believes that the loan market could provide the boost that his side needs ahead of a busy schedule of fixtures over the next couple of months.

"The loan market re-opening has got to be of interest to me because we know how ruthless this business is and I can not afford to wait for players. We believe in them but there is a little ingredient missing at the moment and I don't know what it is. I don't know whether the players and ourselves have got a bit lazy with the fact that we have got a good squad here. Maybe to find that little ingredient we have to go into the loan market."

The manager agrees that the fans are yet to see the best of his side but drew comparisons with Dale's relatively poor start to last season, in which Dale were still able to reach the League Two play-off final.

"We are five games in, six if you include the Oldham game, and we haven't seen the best of our team. You are only really judged by results and at this moment in time we are in negative equity.

"That doesn't diminish my challenge with the 41 games remaining and I think we were in a similar position this time last year and we climbed up the league to finish fifth in the table, scoring a lot of goals and getting a lot of points on the board."

Meanwhile Dale have been drawn at home against Carlisle United in the second round of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy. The tie will take place on the week commencing Monday 6 October. It is the first game between the two sides since Carlisle gained promotion from League Two at Spotland in May 2006 with a 2-0 victory.

Both sides received a bye into the second round of the competition.