Leroy Rosenior: McInnes puts his defensive faith in McManus and Bryan
DEREK McInnes will be delighted to have finally ended the long-running search for a central defender by re-signing Stephen McManus from Middlesbrough earlier this week.
It's no secret that City's early-season promise has been hindered in recent games by a habit of leaking goals and has been an area that Derek has desperately been trying to address since the summer.
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Derek McInnes with Bristol City Academy product Joe Bryan who has just extended his contract which will see him at Ashton Gate until 2015
It can be really frustrating for a manager to see his targets slip from his clutches one after the other as was the case with the likes of Richard Keogh and Anthony Gerrard.
It is important not to panic in those situations, however, and to make sure that you still get the right piece in to complete the jigsaw even if you have to wait a little while for that to happen.
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As the manager has said himself, Stephen's arrival will give everyone a lift and because he was at Ashton Gate for a spell last season he will be able to slot back into the environment with little fuss.
It is always encouraging when a player comes back for a second loan spell because as a manager it offers you the confidence that he really wants to be around.
Derek brings McManus in at a good time because City are just starting to have a peek over their shoulder after a good start to the season.
The next group of games is vitally important for them in determining how their season may pan out.
A few wins would see optimism revived, but a run of defeats and they'll be back to looking over their shoulders again.
With Stephen on board now to solve this central defensive conundrum, the chances are that there will, hopefully, be more wins than defeats.
A trip to Bolton is a good one for City tomorrow because I feel that is a club caught in between two stools following the departure of Owen Coyle.
Joe Bryan, meanwhile, looks likely to get his chance to claim the left-back slot over the next few weeks after signing a new deal to keep him at the club until the summer of 2015 earlier this week.
That Derek is putting his faith in Joe will be a massive confidence boost for the young lad. It's wonderful to see a local lad come through the ranks and make an impact senior level – but the hard work will start here for him.
I know it sounds like a cliche, but too many young players think they have already made it when they get that first big contract.
I've seen it happen at City in the past because in a lot of ways Bristol is a bubble and you become a bit of a local superstar overnight.
It will be important for Joe not to get distracted by that and to keep doing all the things that have seen him get this far.
Rovers, meanwhile, are continuing to make slow progress following what was a good point away at Burton last Saturday.
It's one defeat in six games for Mark McGhee and his players now after a disappointing start to the season.
They are still near the bottom of the table, but their current form suggests they won't be for too much longer. The really encouraging thing about the recent goings-on at Rovers is that Mark seems to have really fostered a fantastic team spirit there.
I noticed David Clarkson again played in an unfamiliar midfield on Saturday and that says to me that there is a willingness about this squad in that players seem happy to go and do a job elsewhere on the pitch when asked.
The only slight concern Mark has before Torquay come to the Memorial Stadium tomorrow is over the fitness of Derek Riordan after he missed the trip to Burton with a hamstring problem.
I saw Mark said that he won't rush him back for fear of losing him for six weeks, which is a sensible decision.
Derek may have had his off-field problems, but his a name that you'd always see pop up on Soccer Saturday and I'm certain that once he gets a goal for Rovers that it will be the first of many.
Comments
by piledriver
Saturday, October 20 2012, 12:53PM
“Whilst I don't think McManus is a bad player and he's definetly the right "sort or type" for Derek, I would ask why, when he's been available from the start of the season, we've waited until the end of October to sign him and why, when we've been seeking a RCB for a year, we've signed a left sided one.
I hope Joe Bryan gets his chance however I'd prefer to see him wide left of midfield where he can utilise his pace and crossing ability whilst tracking back and working hard.”