Team News From The Hartlepool Camp
Last updated : 30 April 2009 By Thetashkentterror
Pools goalkeeper Jan Budtz spoke to the Hartlepool Mail about his side's upcoming New Years Day clash at Brunton Park against the Cumbrians tomorrow, Budtz hoping that Pools can get off to a good start in 2008 :
"I believe we can go to Carlisle and get the three points. That is what we set out to do in every game, whether it is at home or away. We treat every team the same whether it is Leeds United, Leyton Orient or one of the teams down the bottom like Luton. We will go to Carlisle in the same way but we really want to get the win.
"It would be a great start to 2008 if we were to get all three points. It is a hard place to go but it does not scare us. I am sure that if we play the way we can, we can win anywhere. We just need to starting putting wins together. You look at the league and we are not too far away and that is after a time when we have not played very well. That is frustrating but it makes us think if we can pick up our form then we can climb the table."Meanwhile Pools boss Danny Wilson spoke to the Mail about his plans for the January transfer window, Wilson having already been linked with a move for out-of-favour Swansea striker Darryl Duffy :
"I would like to think he would be available, I would like to think so but can we afford him? If they want their money back for him we can't afford him - simple as that. Possibly he may be available and he hasn't played that much. He has been on the fringes. But does the player want to come? It's alright looking at the overall picture, but I like that (Wayne) Rooney fella and will he come here?
"You have to be realistic. He may think he is better playing in the Championship than coming to us and other teams might fancy him as well as us. We will do our best to get the best in, but we cannot be disappointed if they turn us down - more will turn us down than what we get.
"We've got to make changes though. If we want to get better then we have to do it and that is no indictment on the players here. In that respect we will look hard and if we can bring them in we will. If we can't we won't bemoan the fact. If we have to let one or two go to change things around then we will, that's football.
"There's nothing positive at the moment in terms of definite targets who will definitely come. It can be a frantic month, but not necessarily at the start of the month. Things might happen as the month goes on as teams win games and are prepared to let players go - or vice versa, they may want to keep hold of them. You can never tell.
"Twelve months ago we had targets - Richard Barker was someone we chased for a long time and it was in place. In other areas they are not as simple as that. But we want better than what we have and you have to make sure you sign better players."
In team news for the visitors defender Jamie McCunnie is still making his way back from a knee problem while winger Andy Monkhouse is sidelined after undergoing keyhole surgery on his own knee injury recently. Striker Joel Porter makes it a hat-trick of poorly knees at the Victoria Stadium as he has been out of action in the last fortnight with medial ligament problems.
Rated as 50-50 for the New Years Day clash at Brunton Park are midfielder Willie Boland and pacey winger James Brown who are both hoping to shake off a bout of influenza. Meanwhile defender Ben Clark could find a place on the substitutes bench as he makes his comeback from a hamstring injury. One player definitely out of contention though is midfielder Lee Bullock who, after being on loan at Bury earlier this season, has today temporarily joined League Two side Bradford City for a month.
The referee for tomorrow's match is Michael Jones from Chester, and he will be assisted down the lines by Paul Kettlewell from Lancaster and Dave McCallum from Wallsend. Meanwhile the fourth official will be Jeremy Simpson who, like Kettlwell, is also from Lancaster.
