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Nottingham Forest’s Greg Halford is still on the Wanderers radar – but in the short term, Dougie Freedman is exploring his options on the right side of his defence.
After shelving plans to sign powerful utility man Halford from Forest after he picked up an ankle injury in training, the Whites boss now has a major decision on his hands as he prepares to welcome in-form Sheffield Wednesday.
Does the Scot go with youth in the form of Development Squad stars Hayden White and Oscar Threlkeld, or experience in French summer signing Dorian Dervite – a man more accustomed to life in the centre of defence?
A hint was even dropped that Kevin McNaughton has a slim chance of coming back into the frame, with his absence now no longer put down to a hamstring injury, but illness.
Interest in Halford could yet be revived next week, with Freedman disappointed that he could not bring in the 6ft 4ins utility man to combat the direct football employed by the Owls.
“We came very close to doing something,” he said. “We spoke to Nottingham Forest and they were happy for him to get some games. We did a deal but Greg got injured in training.
“I think he has twisted his ankle so it’s seven to 10 days he will be out and we can re-visit it.
“But right now we need to move on quickly. I am not a guy who lingers on it.”
Freedman admits that the pressured circumstances his side currently find themselves in are not ideal for nurturing young talents like White and Threlkeld in the first team.
“The kids have been put in and I’m not afraid to do that but there are times when you have to get someone more experienced to do a job,” he said. “Both Oscar and Hayden have done okay, not fantastic, but definitely okay, but I have told them both that they have been thrown in too early.
“I think both of them will be good enough but I think it’s too early to be playing them for a long period of time.
“That’s why I wanted to bring Greg in to shore up that position, but it wasn’t to be.”
Source
After shelving plans to sign powerful utility man Halford from Forest after he picked up an ankle injury in training, the Whites boss now has a major decision on his hands as he prepares to welcome in-form Sheffield Wednesday.
Does the Scot go with youth in the form of Development Squad stars Hayden White and Oscar Threlkeld, or experience in French summer signing Dorian Dervite – a man more accustomed to life in the centre of defence?
A hint was even dropped that Kevin McNaughton has a slim chance of coming back into the frame, with his absence now no longer put down to a hamstring injury, but illness.
Interest in Halford could yet be revived next week, with Freedman disappointed that he could not bring in the 6ft 4ins utility man to combat the direct football employed by the Owls.
“We came very close to doing something,” he said. “We spoke to Nottingham Forest and they were happy for him to get some games. We did a deal but Greg got injured in training.
“I think he has twisted his ankle so it’s seven to 10 days he will be out and we can re-visit it.
“But right now we need to move on quickly. I am not a guy who lingers on it.”
Freedman admits that the pressured circumstances his side currently find themselves in are not ideal for nurturing young talents like White and Threlkeld in the first team.
“The kids have been put in and I’m not afraid to do that but there are times when you have to get someone more experienced to do a job,” he said. “Both Oscar and Hayden have done okay, not fantastic, but definitely okay, but I have told them both that they have been thrown in too early.
“I think both of them will be good enough but I think it’s too early to be playing them for a long period of time.
“That’s why I wanted to bring Greg in to shore up that position, but it wasn’t to be.”
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