CHESTER boss Neil Young is trying to please every member of his squad as he continues to prepare for this month’s big kick-off.
Young revealed that every player is eager to perform and compete for a regular place in the starting line-up for Chester’s first Conference North match at Oxford City on August 18.
The Blues entertain a Bangor City side tomorrow at the Exacta Stadium (2pm kick-off) that is likely to feature ex-Chester striker Chris Simm, before Chester travel to Conwy Borough on Tuesday for their final pre-season friendly.
“We’re starting to see a lot of competition for places and players are really unhappy if they’re not playing in pre-season friendlies, particularly my centre half and captain George Horan,” Young said.
“If feels now as if I’ve played the pre-season games because we’ve played that many fixtures already.
“But I think pre-season generally has panned out okay, and it is nice to know so far, touch wood, that we have been lucky with injuries.
“I thought Paul Linwood was excellent on Tuesday in our 1-1 home draw against Fleetwood Town after being out with an injury, and Dom Collins has come back again and done excellent.
“Apart from Robbie Booth and Iain Howard being out with injuries we are virtually where we want to be and I think we have done well.
“The problem we have got is that we made a lot of changes in the summer, but it is now all about getting the right combination and hopefully in the next two or three games we’ll achieve that.”
Young admitted he had been impressed with the way in which midfielder Dave Hankin had adapted to Chester’s style of football.
He added: “I can see massive strides from individuals. Dave Hankin in our last two or three games and in training has started to look like a good player. He is coming off the line and he is looking good when he goes on runs.
“Dave has come in and he’s needed to take a lot of information on board in terms of the way we play because of the way we defend and we do like to press if we can.
“As a winger that can be quite difficult, but he has had a bit more leeway and he has done well and looked a lot better as we have gone on which has shown me what we have brought to the table.”
Young is planning to add another forward to his squad before the Blues travel to Oxford on Saturday week.
He employed trialists Matthew Blinkhorn and Vinny Mukendi in his forward line on Tuesday against Fleetwood, but revealed he was hoping to take a look at another striker in tomorrow’s contest.
He said: “I’m possibly going to look at another forward for tomorrow’s home match against Bangor, but I’ll definitely be bringing a forward in before the season starts, it’s just a case of getting the right one.
“I’m not sure whether Vinny Mukendi and Matt Blinkhorn will be used in tomorrow’s friendly at home to Bangor because I’m not sure of their own circumstances.
“The season is coming up soon and they may both have other options. Money pays the bills and I can’t offer them anything right away at the moment.
“But I’m still going to look at other options in the loan market.
“I’m looking to get the right player because what we don’t want to do is get a player without the right ingredients.
“Nathan Jarman and Marc Williams are lively and they seem to be combining well, but do we need someone who is big and strong, and that can challenge, or run in behind.
“I think some of the football we play when we have got the two smaller lads on the park is more conducive to what we do, but is that going to be feasible during the winter months?
“We have got one or two options, plus the two lads who started on Tuesday night, and in the next few days I’ll hopefully make a decision on who is the right one for the football club.
“At this moment in time it will be a short term option with obviously a view to do something more permanent if it works.”