Reds Manager on Millwall test
“We need players that are one-hundred per cent fit. We need the fighting qualities.
“Akos Buzsaky, Reuben (Noble-Lazarus), Emile Sinclair, Jacob Mellis and who knows what today brings?” quipped hill of the injured players. “With respect to those players, they haven’t trained all week.
Hill is without midfield trio Reuben Noble-Lazarus, Akos Buzsaky and Jacob Mellis whilst striker Emile Sinclair is also struggling.
Barnsley Manager Keith Hill met with the press today ahead of Saturday’s tough trip to Millwall in the npower Championship.
“I’ll carry the burden on my shoulders. I am responsible for a good, bad, indifferent sequence of results. I’ll take full responsibility for results.
“I’ve seen a lot of evidence that we’re going in the right direction. I can’t hide away that results in 2012 if they were put into one season, we would have been relegated. But we’ve still got an opportunity to achieve our objectives and try and keep the wheel moving forward.
“We can’t keep debating, we’ve got to do. As a football club we’ve got to make sure we’re prepared to fight and do a lot of digging. The players have shown me that they’re willing to work hard.
“We’ve got to remain positive and see that we can retain our Championship status.
“I’m optimistic about the 24 games that we’ve got. Realistically we’ve got to get at least 30 points.
“Everything that we want to achieve this season is still possible,” he said. “The year of 2012 hasn’t been a great year. But one – we retained our Championship status and number two, we can still do that.
Saturday’s opponents have seen a great upturn in form and sit pretty in the top six, but Hill is hopeful Saturday could be the starting point for his own side’s fortunes.
“Akos Buzsaky - little bit of a hamstring trouble. Over the weekend he’ll spend time rehabilitating while we take on Millwall.”
“I was upset with respect to Reuben’s, he turned his ankle slightly last Thursday and he’s had a precautionary injection. Emile Sinclair suffered a contact injury last week. To risk him would be nonsensical.
“I can’t afford to risk players who are doubts.
“A lot of credit goes to Kenny Jacket. Look at the situation and the recruitment that he’s brought to the football club.
One of the Lions’ danger-men is former Oakwell loanee Chris Wood, but now it seems other clubs are interested in the New Zealand international after his great form.
“I see good value for money I the players that we’ve got for getting us out of this situation, there’s no question about that.”
“I see that they’re having trouble trying to recruit Chris Wood. Kenny should get a lot of respect for the work that he’s done with Chris Wood and it looks like other people are trying to pick his pocket. But that’s typical of football.
“They’ve got a certain way that they play. They’re a little flexible in that framework as well.
“He’s done a lot of work with Wood on the training ground with the way that they play then there are other clubs trying to pick his pocket.”