John Coleman hopes he is concentrating on football rather than transfers tomorrow night when Accrington Stanley take on League Two Barrow in the first Group G Papa John’s Trophy match at the Wham Stadium.
The transfer deadline is at 11pm tomorrow night and Coleman has admitted he is worried about clubs attracted to his players, especially strikers Dion Charles and Colby Bishop.
Defender Cameron Burgess has already joined Ipswich Town while the Reds boss is still hopeful of adding a striker and a midfielder to his squad.
“You gear yourself up for transfer deadline day and it’s amazing how many deals get done on the final day when there are three months to do things but everyone leaves it until the last minute,” said Coleman.
“I am looking at the exit door rather than the incoming door, hopefully we will keep all our players in place and we can have a good go this season.
“It is a worry but on the flip side, you want the lads to do well. I would love to see all my players play in the Championship or the Premier League but you can’t let them all go or else you will have no team.
“It’s a balancing act as you have to try and do what’s best for the club and do what’s best for the player and sometimes there are conflicts of interest but you have to deal with it.
“I think we need to add in attack as we are a bit thin on the ground with Joe Hardy out for a length of time and John O’Sullivan out, we are a bit thin on attacking options, and also a midfielder.
“I would like to get any business I am doing coming in by the end of today.”
Stanley also play Fleetwood and Leicester U21s in the Papa John’s Trophy with Coleman saying he will give squad players a chance tomorrow.
“It’s a competition I like, it gives you a chance to see some of your own players in first team action and a realistic chance to get to Wembley.”
He is hoping his team will be more clinical after Dion Charles, who is now on international duty with Northern Ireland, and Burnley loan striker Joel Mumbongo both missed chances when clean through at MK Dons in the 2-0 defeat.
“That game could have gone either way and it all hinges on four or five chances,” added Coleman.
“They took two of their three/four chances and we missed two sitters in my opinion, we have to be more clinical.
“We need to create more chances, we have got to be making nine/ten chances in a game and that’s something we have got to get back to.”
The full pre-match interview video with John Coleman is available to watch on the club's official YouTube channel, CLICK HERE to find out more!