Bristol City boss Johnson refusing to panic over lack of new additions
Gary Johnson has reassured Bristol City fans he is doing everything within his power to strengthen his squad while the January transfer window remains open.
But City's manager said there is no need for supporters to panic over a perceived lack of activity.
With nearly half of January having elapsed, Bristol City are yet to announce a new signing.
Yet Johnson, who is targeting a left-sided midfielder, insisted there is still time to land the right player and urged anxious fans to trust him.
He warned: "Just because there are no new faces at this moment in time, does not mean things have not been happening behind the scenes.
"We are working hard to bring the right player in. We know what we need and, with every day that passes, we are getting closer.
"Just because it has not happened yet, does not mean it will not happen at all. People have to trust me and not panic. There is no need to panic."
Johnson has been working his way through a long list of potential targets and this has now been narrowed down to a few names.
But the manager warned any business may have to wait until the end of the month. And he is not ruling out the possibility of making a loan signing after the transfer deadline on January 31.
He explained: "Because of the nature of the January window, a lot of clubs leave it very late to do their business.
"Clubs are reluctant to let their best players go and try to hold out for as long as possible in the hope of getting the best deal.
"People are keeping their options open and there is not that much money out there at the moment. That is why things have been quiet so far this month.
"But you will see a lot more activity from now on in and the last few days are likely to be very busy.
"People must be patient and remember we can still bring players in on loan after the transfer window closes.
"Given that the season finishes in May, you can still bring someone in for three months and have cover for most of the rest of the campaign.
"If you cannot get the deal that suits you now, you can always bring someone in on loan with a view to making the deal permanent in June.
"People are going to start worrying because half the month has gone and there are no new faces, but there really is no need to panic.
"I'm not going to name names, but we've looked at a lot of players and we're now whittling the numbers down and getting closer."
10 Comments
by Blue, Bristol
Thursday, January 14 2010, 11:10PM
“Graham, watch this space, Rovers will sign Baldwin this week and will follow that up with a striker and a midfielder. Vincent Pericard is in talks at the moment. However I believe that City will sign a couple of players, a left winger and probably a "big" striker on loan.”
by ivan the red, kingswood
Thursday, January 14 2010, 2:43PM
“Why should G.L. sign anyone, when he wants them for his self when he moves on to Derby to join his son.”
by Roversteve, Clevedon
Thursday, January 14 2010, 2:26PM
“Come on you Reds......Champions League two years time!!”
by bob, lunch
Thursday, January 14 2010, 2:01PM
“come on lads. I know we made mistakes in the past. But its now time to kick on. We should be looking to get some good additions so we can get our selves into the premiership. We are soon to have a new premiership stadium so we shopuld be looking to get into the premiership where we belong. up city”
by The Hedgehog, Horfield
Thursday, January 14 2010, 1:42PM
“When the Gas don't sign, it's poverty, not panic.”
by Chris, Bristol
Thursday, January 14 2010, 12:58PM
“There is no point in signing a player for the sake of it! SL has already stated if the right player is found he will be brought in! However, we do seem to be getting together on the pitch so i believe, sooner rather than later we will see results change! Then where will the boo boys be? Given the fact LJ is no longer with us, its funny to see them so clueless as to where to aportion the blame, really funny!”
by Paul, Still Snowy Cardiff
Thursday, January 14 2010, 11:51AM
“Pops, YAWN!
Your comment is nothing new and is probably just a cut 'n' paste from countless similar comments in the early summer - shortly before we signed Hartley, Clarkson, Haynes etc and Sno on lona - then everyone was happy.
Why not just let him get on with it and be quiet??”
by Graham, BS3
Thursday, January 14 2010, 11:42AM
“Why is it considered a "panic" by the Blue Post when City don't sign someone in the transfer window but not when Rovers don't?”
by Realist, The Real World
Thursday, January 14 2010, 11:05AM
“I am behind GJ 100% on this one. There is no point paying over the odds to get any old bloke in who happens to 'do a job' on the left hand side. We have had that situation on the right hand side ever since we got into the championship, with about 10 players playing in that position at some point. Bringing in the likes of Styvar and Stern John last year did us little favours.
City fans need to look at the bigger picture, and I think the summer will see some major squad overhaul, addressing this spiralling wage bill at the same time.
The likes of Basso, Trundle, Velicka, Styvar, and possibly Johnson (who has been disgracefully hounded out), Wilson, McCombe, and with I expect Saborio and Sno returning to their clubs there will have to be serious surgery to the squad.
We are also lucky in that for some unknown reason, we haven't had to fend off bids for our stars such as Fontaine, (Sean St Ledger 4 million anyone!!), Maynard and Skuse. With a 6 m loss and falling crowds fans need to reign in their expectations when banding about names like McSheffrey, Commons and Halmosi. We are still way down the Championship pecking order for such players compared to our rivals.”
by Pops, Bristol
Thursday, January 14 2010, 10:37AM
“Ahhh the Typical Mid-Jan transfer cop out from gary.
as for "don't panic we can still make loan signings" I'm guessing that will be folllowed by the standard one week after the transfer windows shuts "we've don't like to make short term loans" statement
Heard it before Gary, basically your saying you've no clue who to sign”