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[TheCultOfIanTunnacliffe]

From tonight's edition of the Manchester Evening News:


ALTRINCHAM NEED HELP UP FRONT - HEATHCOTE

Non League by Tony Glennon


Altrincham boss Graham Heathcote has warned the Robins risk losing their cherished top-flight status unless he’s given the means to boost his strike force.

The ailing Moss Lane outfit currently prop up the Blue Square Bet Premier after scoring only three times in an opening four match spell which has seen them suffer three odd-goal defeats and register just one point from a draw with Darlington.

And, as Alty prepare for tomorrow’s visit to a York City side similarly still chasing their first win, Heathcote - who lost main strikers Colin Little and Chris Senior in the Summer - admits the Robins’ lack of firepower is already giving him real cause for concern.

He said: “I’ve tried to replace Colin and Chris without spending but it’s already apparent the strikers I’ve brought in are not good enough for this division.

I feel so sorry for our defenders who have done well so far but if things carry on this way, we’re simply not going to score enough goals to keep our heads above water.

“It’s an awful thing to be saying in August but I’m already thinking in terms of a survival fight.”

[bigcol]

Unless it's reverse mind-games, I'm pleased my name isn't Reeves or Twiss and I've just signed for the mighty Alty.

[joe]

Very negative! I can't really see that statement bringing the extra fans we're after through the gate.

[bigcol]

There's a simple solution: put our players on 2+ year contracts.

[markecky]

Its far to early to say they are not good enough for the division.

Its hardly as if they have wasted chance and chance..they have only had about two chances each all season due fact they we have had no midfield and they have not supplied anything.

I have been impressed with Reeves, we know what Dale can do and Denham for me has worked his tripe off and is definitely good enough for the division.

Not seen enough of Twiss although to start pre season "fat" was pretty inexcusable.  He would be my main worry.

For me this is one of three things.

1) It will motivate them to prove him wrong.

2) It will motvate them to not try a jot

3) He never said it at all.

I guess time will tell.

[markecky]

There's a simple solution: put our players on 2+ year contracts.

THen we'd be stuck with them for longer?

[bigcol]

If Senior had been on a long-term contract he either would have stayed or would have gone to Darlo via a transfer fee which should then fund a decent replacement.

[fuertes]

If Senior had been on a long-term contract he either would have stayed or would have gone to Darlo via a transfer fee which should then fund a decent replacement.

This is a bit naive. I don't think Darlington would have paid much of a fee for a part-time player. We can't afford to tie people down to longish contracts only for them to get injured/not perform.

[fuertes]

If GH really said what has been reported, we'll have to trust he knows what he's doing. If all our strikers are the type to respond to a rollocking, it's probably not the worst thing to say. Alternatively, he may have taken Dale and Damien aside and said "I'm happy with your efforts, and I don't want to obviously pick on a single player, but I'm going to mention our striking problems in an attempt to get Twiss to buck up his ideas".

I really don't know, but given his record I think we have to give the manager the benefit of the doubt. I seem to recall he was a bit harsh in his criticism of the players after losing to Luton in the FA Cup, but they responded quite well after that.

[joe]

Its far to early to say they are not good enough for the division.

Its hardly as if they have wasted chance and chance..they have only had about two chances each all season due fact they we have had no midfield and they have not supplied anything.

I have been impressed with Reeves, we know what Dale can do and Denham for me has worked his tripe off and is definitely good enough for the division.

Not seen enough of Twiss although to start pre season "fat" was pretty inexcusable.  He would be my main worry.

For me this is one of three things.

1) It will motivate them to prove him wrong.

2) It will motvate them to not try a jot

3) He never said it at all.

I guess time will tell.



[/quote ] I hope the strikers try to prove him wrong but i also hope he's been mis quoted and never said it at all!

[bigcol]

I'm sure other fans share my frustration that a team that was gelling well and starting to show a lot of promise has to be rebuilt again because of players leaving & to a lesser extent injuries.

Guess we need to get used to it.

[Ballers]

He says strikers that he has brought in. So that's Reeves, Twiss and Holsgrove. Well Twiss hasn't played. Reeves has already scored and looked dangerous at Southport which leaves Holsgrove who seems more of a winger anyway and needs time to adjust to this level. Little strange, maybe GH was just a bit down when he spoke to him.

[markecky]

He says strikers that he has brought in. So that's Reeves, Twiss and Holsgrove. Well Twiss hasn't played. Reeves has already scored and looked dangerous at Southport which leaves Holsgrove who seems more of a winger anyway and needs time to adjust to this level. Little strange, maybe GH was just a bit down when he spoke to him.

Ballers I stand corrected, although agree fully with the rest of your post.

[taxi Phil]

As an exercise in demotivating Reeves and McCready this wants some beating. What worries me even more is the effect on people reading the MEN who might have been thinking of pitching up on Monday, but won't now bother because our own manager is dissing us !

[Leon]

Seems these weren't heat-of-the-moment words - we've signed a new striker. See official site.