Gills boss delivers exclusive update from MEMS Priestfield
“Good afternoon – it has been a busy week at the club with several players now leaving and a game against the Royal Engineers and a fixture tomorrow against Ebbsfleet.
“This morning I had a good chat with Barry Fuller and we have decided not to offer Barry a further year with us at the present moment. However the door is not closed to Barry for sure as I feel it is only right to let him give him an opportunity to find a club that can give him a contract now for security for his family, but at the present moment we are not in a position to offer him a contract as he still needs to do more work to get up to top level.
“Barry has not missed a training session, he has not missed a game and he is a diamond bloke to have around the club but I have to make these decisions. I had a good honest chat with Barry and in a few weeks’ time if he hasn’t got something and we haven’t got what we want then the door will still be left open for Barry Fuller to return here. He can continue to train with us to help him keep fit as I realise and respect that he has been a good servant to this club.
“Ryan Gilligan has been offered a contract out in Sweden and he has decided now to go out and take that up even though I did want to look at him further. He is a good player, he comes from good family stock, he got a lot of goals two years ago but I can fully respect the fact that he has gone to take the contract that is actually on the table whereas at the moment we are still not sure whether or not we can take him.
“With regards to Dean Morgan he has done very well but I think he was too similar to what we have currently got. He has trained every day, had an excellent attitude but at the moment I don’t feel we can take that one any further.
“The team to play tomorrow is Stuart Nelson in goal, right back Matt Fish, left back Joe Martin, the two centre backs are Callum Davies and a French trialist that we have got over. We have a midfield four of Jack Payne, Charlie Lee, Chris Whelpdale and Bradley Dack.
“The two forwards are Ben Strevens and Danny Kedwell.
“The substitutes will be Tommy Forecast, Connor Essam, Andy Frampton, Jack Evans, Lewis Montrose, Danny Jackman, Adam Birchall and Charlie Allen.
“We have picked up no injuries this week – the players have trained very hard. Once again their fitness levels have improved for the third week running. Their Body Mass Index (the amount of fat they are carrying) has gone down. The percentage of fat in their bodies has again gone down for the third time in three weeks. To me they are looking good, they are looking fit and they have all been very bright.
“Our aim for this Saturday and for Tuesday is for all our players to try and get to 90 minutes. They have been playing 45, a 60 and the obvious progression is to play 90 minutes. Hopefully after the Dover game on Tuesday night everybody will have got a 90 minutes under their belt.
“Behind the scenes we are currently in the process of recruiting several interns from the University of Greenwich to work in the Sports Science department on match analysis, strength and conditioning and massage departments. We are still currently looking for a youth team physio to come in and fill that position.
“Overall it has gone very well - the Chairman comes back from his holiday this weekend and Andy, myself and the Chairman will be sitting down to go through strengthening the starting 11 with further signings hopefully in the next couple of weeks.
Regards,
Martin