Wilson's press round-up: Gobern a no go, Lee ahead of schedule, Wilkinson will get tough love, German impressing
The Spireites boss was in good form and held court on the reasons why he’s not getting carried away about a three-game losing streak, as well as giving updates on injured players and one who won’t be joining the club.
Oscar Gobern was a notable inclusion on the team-sheet when the reserves played at Grimsby in midweek.
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Hide AdBut that’s as far as Gobern’s return to the Spireites will go.
Speaking about the player once loaned to the club by Huddersfield, Wilson said: “We were asked to take a look at him but we felt at the moment in time he’s not the kind of player we want in that area, we have that kind of player in there already.”
And other trialists are less likely to be given an opportunity than players already in place at the Proact in the youth system.
Wilson said: “I’m not really considering trialists.
“I want to look at the younger players here, you don’t know until you try.
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Hide Ad“We’ve had one or two in the bench and we want to give them an opportunity and see how good they are.
“If anyone is going to get a chance it will be them and not someone on trial.
“Ricky German has done very well, he’s been part of the youth team, he’s very raw as you’d expect at that age but you never know, someone might polish up a little gem there somewhere.”
While the news on Dan Jones is less than positive for Chesterfield fans, another favourite is making good progress in his bid to return to first team action.
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Hide AdGoalkeeper Tommy Lee’s shoulder rehabilitation is going well.
His manager said: “He’s feeling great, he may be slightly ahead of schedule, he’s coming on very, very well.
“He’s doing a lot of rehab and feeling a lot stronger.”
Wilson’s press conference was preceded by a visit to the press room by new loan signing Conor Wilkinson, the Bolton striker fending media questions in double quick time, using no more words than were absolutely necessary.
The manager has high hopes for the 6ft 3ins striker while he’s a Chesterfield player, and believes the coaching staff can give Wilkinson the attention he needs.
“I think he’s fitted in quite well already.
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Hide Ad“The impact he made on Saturday when he came on was there to be seen.
“He’s got league experience already, he’s not a young lad coming into a level he finds difficult to adjust to. The more he trains with us the better he’ll be and this week he’s looked in fine.
“He’s a confidence player, he’ll need an arm round him and we’ll give him that and we’ll give him some tough love as well.
“We feel he’s got goals in him at this level.”
After a long week on the training ground, mercifully uninterupted thanks to the lack of midweek game, Wilson was upbeat about his side’s League One chances, despite their last three results.
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Hide AdHe’s not one for getting carried away at the best or worst of times.
“We’ve got a very honest bunch of boys, they’re more disappointed than anyone about mistakes but unfortunately it happens and we’ve been punished for it,” he said.
“We’ve been very, very good in lots of areas but they’re the defining moments and the difference between winning and losing games and we need to make sure we tidy it up as quick as we can.
“It’s only a lick of paint and some good goalkeeping that’s been against us in the last couple of games, it’s very fine margins.
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Hide Ad“At the beginning of season when we had wins maybe people got carried away with it and now we’ve had three defeats maybe people will get carried away.
“We’re very level headed, we know it’s a long old season and there will be mistakes made.
“We’re still in the infancy of the season. I think we will get stronger as we get along.”
And addressing Saturday’s hosts Oldham, he admitted there was more homework to do than normal given the high turnover of players at Boundary Park this summer.
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Hide Ad“They’ve got a very strong squad now, I think they’ve had 19 or 20 additions. That will take a bit of bedding down but they’ve brought quality in,” he said.
“I don’t know much about their performances, we’ve only had them watched once, that was last week when they lost to Shrewsbury, so I can’t really judge if their performances have been similar to ours and they haven’t got the results.
“You can only look at the squad they’ve got and it suggests they’ll get stronger.
“The players they’ve brought in will be very adequate at this level.”
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Hide AdOne question that didn’t get much of a rise from the 56-year-old surrounded former player Ollie Banks who is likely to feature for the Latics on Saturday.
Wilson said: “The decision was his to move, it makes no difference to me if players go to other clubs and perform well.
“I’m not even worried about that, he was a great lad when he was here, he just wanted to make sure he had better opportunities to play first team football.”