Walsall target signings

The Express and Star have quoted DD in the following story..
Walsall boss Richard Money today confirmed he already had a list of transfer targets for the club`s return to League One.

Money`s players will pick up the League Two championship trophy before a civic reception at Walsall Council House tonight.

But the manager is already looking ahead to next season and he confirmed that football consultant Paul Taylor is already working on signings.

Money said: “We have had a bit of a head start because we`ve been promoted for three weeks already which has enabled Paul to do quite a bit of homework on players who might be available.”

The full verison been available in tonights paper, whilst the Evening Mail also follow the story….
RICHARD Money today admitted that Walsall have ‘a lot of work to do’ over the coming weeks to ensure their squad evolves into a force to be reckoned with in League One next season.

The Saddlers will receive the League Two championship trophy and medals tonight and be deservedly lauded at a civic reception to celebrate their excellent season’s work.

But while the current squad has done the job highly efficiently at League Two level, it needs to be improved if the Saddlers are to challenge for a second successive promotion.

Money is well aware of that. He and his consultant Paul Taylor have been on the case for some time, promotion having been clinched three weeks ago.

And after the champagne glasses have stopped clinking tonight, some serious work awaits, both in terms of attracting new players and convincing out-of-contract linchpins like Dean Keates and Clayton Ince to re-sign.

‘We will enjoy the moment but we don’t want to stand still from here,’ Money said. ‘We have got a lot of work to do with players out of contact and a lot to do trying to secure players to make us better next year.

‘There is no doubt we need to sign two or three. For me and Paul Taylor the key is, of course, fitting it all into our budget.

‘One thing in our favour is the solidity of the group we already have. The spine of the team has been very impressive all season and, of course, some of those are signed on already and some are not. But we want to add a bit of spice. Maybe we need a bit more creativity and a bit more finish.

‘If we can find the right players I am sure we can go into next season with confidence. So let’s see who we can sign and who we can re-sign. Then let’s talk about what we might be able to achieve next season.’

Even though no balls will be kicked in the next two months, it is a period crucial to the Saddlers’ prospects for next season.

The signings last summer, notably Ince, Martin Butler, Michael Dobson and Hector Sam, were crucial to the subsequent success.

Of course the message boards are full of speculation, with Andrew Whing from Coventry been put forward to join alongside Kevin Harper, whilst the need for a cutting edge has led to Leon Constatine and Spencer Weir Daley been mentioned. We will have to wait and see what transpires.