Whitley awaits the Pools verdict
By Mark Currie, Daily Post
15 December 2004
MIDFIELDER
Jim Whitley hopes to make a long overdue return to first team duty in the next
couple of weeks and reinforce a weary squad of players who have come through six
matches in the space of 20 days.
The former Northern Ireland international has endured a frustrating season to
date after spending the best part of the last 10 weeks sidelined by a serious
thigh injury, but he was full of optimism as he rejoined his teammates in
training this week.
"It was 10 weeks last Saturday that I tore a muscle in my thigh and I've been
banging my head against the wall ever since," he said. "But it was a bad tear
and I've had to be patient, which has not been easy because so many of us have
been going down with long-term problems.
"We've obviously stuggled for a team as a result but we need every one we can
get now that we have been docked 10 points and find ourselves in a relegation
battle."
Whitley had been pencilled in for a reserve team match against Stockport County
this evening but the Edgeley Park club sought a postponement because of last
night's FA Cup replay with Swansea and an FA Youth Cup match this evening.
Nevertheless Whitley is set to answer a call to arms if required for Saturday's
home game against Hartlepool United.
"In an ideal world I'd like to have a couple of weeks training and one or two
games under my belt before going back into the first team," he added. "But with
the size of the squad we have at Wrexham and the injury problems, that's not a
realistic option.
"I'm experienced enough at this stage of my career to know whether I can get
through a game at the weekend and if I feel okay, that's what I'll tell the
manager. If I don't feel right, it would not be fair on the other lads to come
back and not play a full part in the game.
"I want to get back as soon as I possibly can especially with it coming up to
Christmas, which is always a busy time in terms of matches. We need to pick up
some points along the way and I'm sure we can do that, especially as we expect
to have a few more of the experienced lads coming back in the near future."
Dragons boss Denis Smith meanwhile, welcomed the prospect of a few days respite
before Hartlepool's visit, claiming his wafer-thin squad had been pushed to the
limit during the recent hectic spell.
"We need to use this week to recharge a few batteries," he said. "It's not just
the physical effort of playing so many games in a short spell, it's the mental
wear and tear as well.
"It's a strain to perform well all the time and to drive yourself that extra
yard and it speaks volumes that the likes of Juan Ugarte and Scott Green, in
particular, have come in and done that even though they must be feeling jaded.
"I've given Dennis Lawrence a few days off because he played through the summer
for Trinidad. He hasn't missed a day's training and he's hardly missed a league
game all season.
"We paid the price on Saturday but I prefer to dwell on the positives, one of
which was that young Levi Mackin had a superb game. It bodes well for the future
and he should now be coming in for the odd game and then having a rest, unlike
Simon Spender, who has done tremendously well considering he's played a dozen or
so games in a row."