Oldham Athletic set to benefit from Forest Green shake-up
Micky Mellon is hoping to add to his squad before Saturday’s first home game back in the Football League.
The Oldham Athletic boss has targeted a striker and a defender to help strengthen his troops following promotion back to League Two.
Latics gave a good account of themselves in an opening day goalless draw at title favourites MK Dons, but were found wanting in the Carabao Cup clash at Accrington Stanley on Tuesday night, losing the preliminary round tie 3-1.
Mellon had hoped to make signings earlier this week. But the midweek result further highlighted the need for reinforcements, with Forest Green Rovers defender Jamie Robson lined up to boost the back line.
“Hopefully we can bring in some competitors, because if they’re watching that tonight we’re going to need them,” said Mellon after the defeat at Accrington.
Latics have also been linked with striker Joe Quigley. It was announced earlier tonight that both Quigley and former Dundee United defender Robson have been allowed to leave Forest Green with immediate effect, as new manager Robbie Savage makes changes to a squad that finished third under Steve Cotterill last season.
“We’re going to need people who do, quite honestly, what it says on the tin,” Mellon continued.
“If you’re a front man, and you’re 6ft 2, I want you to play as a 6ft 2 front man. I want you to be competitive, I want you to win headers, I want you to get hold of the ball, I want you to be a threat in the box.
“If you’re a wide man I want you to get crosses in the box. I’m not asking you to do something you can’t do.
“We will look at it and see how we can learn from it, but I want and need my players to do more.
“The first thing you have to do is compete.”
And Mellon is hoping they can quickly rediscover their competitive edge in their first home game of the season, against Colchester (kick-off 3pm).
“I can’t wait for Saturday. I love managing at Oldham, I love managing at Boundary Park and my team have to represent the club, and us, better than what they did (on Tuesday),” said the Scot.
“But I am sure that the miracle of football that they will get on with it on Saturday and you’ll see a very different group.
“We’ll move on, they’ll be watching it back again and I’ll try to help them, because that’s my job to try to help them see the things that we want to do better.”
Latics’ last competitive game at Boundary Park was the emphatic play-off eliminator win over Halifax Town. And Mellon is looking to tap into that performance and atmosphere.
“They scrapped and fought that night from the kick-off. There was no magic dust sprinkled on them, it was just good old fashioned first contacts, running onto things, intensity, battling, and then the right to play,” said the Latics boss, who knows what to expect from the Boundary Park faithful this weekend.
“You don’t have to ask the fans, they’ll turn up, they’ll deliver, and it will be up to us to represent them properly,” he added.
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