KEOGH NOW EXPECTED TO EXIT
ANDY Thorn is pressing ahead with his plans to strengthen his Coven try City side as star defender Richard Keogh looks set to leave the Ricoh Arena.
The Sky Blues boss admits he's resigned to losing last year's player of the season after he was left out of City's 8-0 thrashing of Hinckley United on Saturday and not expected to travel on tour to Scotland today.
New signing Kevin Malaga * a ready made right-sided replacement * impressed alongside triallist and fellow Frenchman William Edjenguele, a left-footed centre-half who Thorn has hinted could be offered a contract as he looks to fill the void left by Martin Cranie.
“I think there's an air of inevitability about Richard,“ conceded the City manager, who will now switch his attention to drafting in two new strikers.
“That's how it is. He's a great lad and if he stays he stays, and if he goes that's business. All good clubs lose their better players at some stage and we'll just move on.
“I think everyone is resigned to it. If we are honest with ourselves, if a player goes into his last year of his contract and hasn't or won't sign an extension then from a business point of view that can't happen.
“But we've planned for that and we'll pick ourselves up. If it happens we wish Richard all the best and we move on and make sure we bring someone in as good as him.“
Keogh is understood to be at the centre of a three-way battle for his services by Cardiff * who have already made a formal approach * Leeds and Derby.
Cardiff would appear to suit the defender's personal circumstances given that it is close to Bristol, the home town of his new wife, while his best friend on and off the pitch last season, Cranie, is currently training with Leeds where he is trying to earn a contract at Elland Road.
Derby are also looking for a centreback after selling Jason Shackell to Burnley for £1.1million and Keogh is understood to be a target at Pride Park.
Meanwhile Thorn revealed he is looking to make more signings, saying: “We're desperate to bring in a couple of strikers. “That's a priority which we're working hard on and I am sure that will come because we all know we need players to stick the ball in the back of the net.
“It's important to get a spine first and strikers tend to take longer because they are hot property.
“But when we come back from Scotland there's a chance we could get a couple in. It is something we have planned and thought through all summer.
“I think getting the boys we have got in on free transfers so far shows that we have done some good business, so we'll continue to do that.“
As for Edjenguele's immediate future * the 25-year-old being available after leaving Greek club Panetolikos * he added: “That will stay in house until it is actually done but he's enjoying being with us and we're enjoying having him.
“We have kept it low key because things tend to get out and you can end up losing players. He's out of contract and he's a good lad who had done well in training with us.
“He's strong, got a lovely left foot and a bit of experience, and he's the right age as well. And I was pleased with him and Kevin Malaga at Hinckley. So hopefully he's one of two or three over the next couple of weeks.“
City headed up to Scotland today without striker Cody McDonald, who is staying to catch up on five days of fitness work he missed last week with a minor injury; Nathan Cameron, who is playing catch up from a knee operation, and Gary Deegan, who begins his pre-season fitness work after completing a two week suspension.
Triallist midfielder Steve Jennings will also not be travelling after suffering an injury in training but goalkeeper Joe Murphy will make the gruelling road trip after recovering from an Achilles problem. “Joe had a little jab in his Achilles because it was sore and he only started back running a few days ago but he'll play up in Scotland, no problem,“ said Thorn, who is not unduly concerned by centre-forward Stephen Elliott's shoulder injury at Hinckley.
“The boys who have missed the first couple of weeks of fitness work won't be coming with us to Scotland because they need to catch that up and then they'll be ready to join in when we get back.“
As for Saturday's eight-goal demolition at the Greene King Stadium, he said: “It all went according to plan. The score is not important, it's about what we get out of the game and we feel we got a lot out of it.“
City play Highland League club Brora Rangers tomorrow night in the first of three games north of the border.
ANDY Thorn is pressing ahead with his plans to strengthen his Coven try City side as star defender Richard Keogh looks set to leave the Ricoh Arena.
The Sky Blues boss admits he's resigned to losing last year's player of the season after he was left out of City's 8-0 thrashing of Hinckley United on Saturday and not expected to travel on tour to Scotland today.
New signing Kevin Malaga * a ready made right-sided replacement * impressed alongside triallist and fellow Frenchman William Edjenguele, a left-footed centre-half who Thorn has hinted could be offered a contract as he looks to fill the void left by Martin Cranie.
“I think there's an air of inevitability about Richard,“ conceded the City manager, who will now switch his attention to drafting in two new strikers.
“That's how it is. He's a great lad and if he stays he stays, and if he goes that's business. All good clubs lose their better players at some stage and we'll just move on.
“I think everyone is resigned to it. If we are honest with ourselves, if a player goes into his last year of his contract and hasn't or won't sign an extension then from a business point of view that can't happen.
“But we've planned for that and we'll pick ourselves up. If it happens we wish Richard all the best and we move on and make sure we bring someone in as good as him.“
Keogh is understood to be at the centre of a three-way battle for his services by Cardiff * who have already made a formal approach * Leeds and Derby.
Cardiff would appear to suit the defender's personal circumstances given that it is close to Bristol, the home town of his new wife, while his best friend on and off the pitch last season, Cranie, is currently training with Leeds where he is trying to earn a contract at Elland Road.
Derby are also looking for a centreback after selling Jason Shackell to Burnley for £1.1million and Keogh is understood to be a target at Pride Park.
Meanwhile Thorn revealed he is looking to make more signings, saying: “We're desperate to bring in a couple of strikers. “That's a priority which we're working hard on and I am sure that will come because we all know we need players to stick the ball in the back of the net.
“It's important to get a spine first and strikers tend to take longer because they are hot property.
“But when we come back from Scotland there's a chance we could get a couple in. It is something we have planned and thought through all summer.
“I think getting the boys we have got in on free transfers so far shows that we have done some good business, so we'll continue to do that.“
As for Edjenguele's immediate future * the 25-year-old being available after leaving Greek club Panetolikos * he added: “That will stay in house until it is actually done but he's enjoying being with us and we're enjoying having him.
“We have kept it low key because things tend to get out and you can end up losing players. He's out of contract and he's a good lad who had done well in training with us.
“He's strong, got a lovely left foot and a bit of experience, and he's the right age as well. And I was pleased with him and Kevin Malaga at Hinckley. So hopefully he's one of two or three over the next couple of weeks.“
City headed up to Scotland today without striker Cody McDonald, who is staying to catch up on five days of fitness work he missed last week with a minor injury; Nathan Cameron, who is playing catch up from a knee operation, and Gary Deegan, who begins his pre-season fitness work after completing a two week suspension.
Triallist midfielder Steve Jennings will also not be travelling after suffering an injury in training but goalkeeper Joe Murphy will make the gruelling road trip after recovering from an Achilles problem. “Joe had a little jab in his Achilles because it was sore and he only started back running a few days ago but he'll play up in Scotland, no problem,“ said Thorn, who is not unduly concerned by centre-forward Stephen Elliott's shoulder injury at Hinckley.
“The boys who have missed the first couple of weeks of fitness work won't be coming with us to Scotland because they need to catch that up and then they'll be ready to join in when we get back.“
As for Saturday's eight-goal demolition at the Greene King Stadium, he said: “It all went according to plan. The score is not important, it's about what we get out of the game and we feel we got a lot out of it.“
City play Highland League club Brora Rangers tomorrow night in the first of three games north of the border.