Daily Post

Little wants Evans to cut out last season's mistakes

By Gareth Bicknell, Daily Post

11 June 2008

Steve EvansBRIAN LITTLE last night welcomed Steve Evans’ decision to re-sign for Wrexham – but demanded the defender cut out the mistakes which blighted last season.

Evans yesterday joined the Dragons fight to win promotion back into the Football League when he signed a one-year deal with the Blue Square Premier club, with the option of an additional 12 months.

The deal ends fears the Wales centre-back would leave the club after his contract ran out this summer, following Wrexham’s relegation from League Two.

Racecourse boss Little said he believes Evans has the qualities the Dragons need in non-league football, but said the 29-year-old defender must stamp out the costly errors he made during a miserable campaign for Wrexham last season.

Little said: “We’re very pleased about Steve signing. Obviously there’s a clause in there that allows him a second year, so if he does well there’s a challenge for him.”

The manager added: “He had a decent season last year but he made a few errors which were very costly.

“Overall his play was pretty good, but he made some mistakes which cost us goals.

“But when we analysed his play over the whole season, we feel he’s the type of player who will do well in the division we’re in if he can iron out those errors.”

While Little was pleased with Evans committing to the club for next season, the manager insisted the defender would still have to work for his place in the side and did not rule out bringing in more players in the same position.

“If the team get off to a better start than we did last season, with a player like Steve Evans coming into his own we should do okay,” said Little.

“But I’m trying to create competition in all areas, and if that means bringing in another centre-half over the summer than I’ll do that as well.”

So far this summer Little has brought in midfielder Paul Carden and strikers Simon Brown and Jefferson Louis.

But he said he was still far from satisfied with his squad and vowed he continue to overhaul it ahead of next season’s promotion bid.

“We’ve still got five transfer-listed players, and that situation will dictate what sort of squad we have for next season,” he said.

“Should those players still be with us then that’s five or six less new players we’d have.

“I wouldn’t say the squad’s set up the way I’d like it to be set up yet – we’ve got to hold of certain players we’ve wanted to sign, but it’s certainly moving in the right direction.”

Matty Done, who like Evans became a free agent this summer, has also been offered a contract by Little, but the winger is yet to respond to the club.

“It’s a situation we’re going to resolve,” said Little.

Meanwhile, Little praised defender Chris Marriott and goalkeeper Chris Maxwell – both products of Wrexham’s centre of excellence – after the pair signed one-year professional contracts this week.

Llandudno-based Maxwell has represented Wales at under-17 level, while Marriott has been a regular for the reserves for the last two seasons, captaining the second string on a number of occasions.

Little said: “The youth system at this club is second to none.

“We have a great system and the guys who run it with Steve Cooper in charge work their socks off.

“We’re producing some great young players and with the relegation last season it was important to show the youngsters we still respect the work that’s being done there.

“The two young lads deserve an extra year to see how they do.

“Our youth system is second to none and it’s a reward for everybody’s hard work that these two lads have signed contracts.”

Little added: “We will our best to look after them.