Boss Walker will make changes for trip to Riverside
Thursday, 4 September 2008
‘I wonder what changes I should make for Saturday’s trip to Institute” ............. United boss Roy Walker takes note of his plans for the way ahead.
Ballymena United boss Roy Walker plans to 'freshen up' his squad for Saturday's trip to play Institute on Saturday at Riverside Stadium (2pm).
Walker, pleased the transfer-window closed at midnight on Monday, now hopes all transfer talk ceases at the Showgrounds - and the players start doing the job they are paid for.
“All the transfer speculation in recent weeks has not been good. I look upon this as a burden. But now the window has closed we can focus on the job."
Walker, who guided Crusaders to two League championship successes, has not had the best of starts at United.
In the last two home games Ballymena have conceded eight goals!
Walker admits this embarrasses him, and now that all the player in-out speculation has ceased he plans to get United back on track.
At the weekend he told Guardian Sport "you would not need to be a brain surgeon" to work out that the defence is leaking far too many goals. And this weekend against Institute he is likely to introduce one, and possibly, two of the young Sky Blue pretenders doing well in the Reserves.
Teenage ace Aaron Stewart, son of Reserve team boss Alfie, is a prime candidate for a starting place.
Walker is shrewd and sensible enough to know it could be wrong to introduce the lad to a side which has been leaking goals.
“But could he do any worse," he said. Walker has high hopes for Stewart - and this weekend he may stake his claim on a regular first team place.
Meanwhile, at the time of going to Press speculation about striker Kevin Kelbie leaving to join Linfield has ceased.
It looks as though the Scot will be staying at United.
Linfield are on the lookout for a replacement for Peter Thompson, and all the talk was that Kelbie would be going to Windsor.
But it seems that it was all just talk.
Kelbie, who came on as sub at the weekend against Dungannon Swifts, has two years of his United contract to run. The United fans would really like to seem him hit form - and help Ballymena out of the early season rut.
In recent weeks the rumours have been flying about Kelbie leaving United.
The top marksman for the past couple of seasons was sub on Saturday and many assumed that was because he was poised to leave the club.
But Walker left him out of the side because Davitt Walsh had played so well against Newry City a few days previous.
Walker made clear that if Kelbie was sold he would have to have an adequate replacement on stand-by to bring in.
United News
Seven Towers Supporters Club bus to Riverside Stadium on Saturday leaves Henry Street car-park at 12.15pm. The match kicks-off at 2pm.
On Tuesday, September 9, United take on Glentoran at the Oval in the County Antrim Shield quarter-final (7.30pm). Big striker Neil Teggart is poised to sign a one-year extension at United.
The hit-man, who has bagged a hat-full of goals in pre-season and on the domestic front, looks like being a big asset to United.
