fao Young Nudger Colchester United manager Geraint Williams admits he is finding it difficult to strengthen his squad at Layer Road. Williams, who only took the U's job permanently on 28 July, has seen his newly-promoted side lose their first two games in the Championship. He is keen to bring in new faces - but financial constraints have restricted his options so far. The former Welsh international midfielder told BBC Sport: "I have been in the job about a fortnight and I have been on the phone constantly. "You talk to other managers and realise they have done exactly the same. Everyone this year seems to be looking for players and complaining that their squads are not big enough. "We are all chasing people in a limited pool of quality players - and we are all constantly ringing each other trying to get something started. "But when we ring up to sign players they have got to be within our budget and when we ring up for loan players we want the best players available - but so do the other clubs and some of them are bigger than us. "That is what we are up against - but the one thing we can offer is time on the pitch. If we do get good young loan players in then they will get games." Among the players Williams has managed to sign are Jamie Cureton and Kevin Watson - and he knows he needs more experienced heads to guide his other players along. Williams explained: "It is very difficult for youngsters who have established themselves in League One to take the step up into the Championship and take it by storm. It is going to be a long battle wherever we finish and we know it is going to be a tough season but by the end of it we will have done our best Geraint Williams "We are a little bit short of experience at this level and that is what we would like to add. "But players who have played at this level have obviously been on Championship wages so when you ring up for players with Championship experience who might be available then that is what you come up against. "We have just got to keep looking for those players - and try to find the right ones." Williams, 44, played for Bristol Rovers, Derby County and Ipswich Town before hanging up his boots with Colchester in 2000. He stayed on at Layer Road and worked as assistant to previous managers Steve Whitton and Phil Parkinson before stepping up to take the job himself when Parkinson left for Hull City. Williams is aware he faces an uphill struggle to avoid a quick return to League One following the club's promotion last season - but he is ready for the fight. "It is an exciting challenge to manage Colhester in the Championship but I am realistic as well. "When you look at the attendances at games and see 24,000 here, 18,000 there - then 4,600 for Colchester, you realise how far we have come. "It is going to be a long battle wherever we finish and we know it is going to be a tough season but by the end of it we will have done our best. "I have got a fantastic bunch of players who have earned the right to be in this division and who are focused on doing the best they can to stay in it."
same i support barnsley....... interesting read though, gives you an insight as to just how hard it is for teams like us to sign championship proven players. although we're probably more atarctive than colchester!!
