Manager James Beattie has said that preparations for next season will begin in earnest once he has sat down with Peter Marsden and discussed numbers.
Speaking to the Official Site with the season well and truly over and Accrington earning a very creditable 15th place finish, attention has definitely turned to the future and our next campaign, but Beattie admitted he still had to sit down with the chairman and decide on budgets before he could go full steam ahead, but given the season we have had – and it being his first in management – there was no harm in having a few days first to relax, reflect and enjoy what we had achieved over the course of the season.
‘I think first and foremost I need to sit down with the chairman and get the numbers that I’m allowed to play with. He wanted to do that after the final game but that was tricky with the presentations and the chairman entertaining people so we’re going to take a bit of time out and meet in London in the next couple of weeks.’
Beattie says that whilst he’s obviously thinking about next season and potential players, once he knows the budget numbers and what he can play with, he can start making decisions based on information he’s already gathered and will obviously gather over the coming weeks, especially when it comes to players wage demands, and the wriggle room he can have in that direction.
‘I want the club to progress, I want us to be better and improve on this next year.’
Obviously, with a number of players out of contract though that will take precedence and their futures are currently being discussed.
The gaffer also confirms that striker Kayodi Odejayi is obviously a player on his mind, but he is contracted to Rotherham until the end of June and at the moment his wage would be prohibited but Beattie doesn’t expect that to get in the way of them at least having a conversation over the weeks.
Similarly for James Gray, Beattie has outlined his intentions for him, as well as speaking to other players in the squad, so next season’s playing staff should become more clearer over the coming few weeks.
It’s not only new contracts to be signed, there is also the pre season programme to be finalised so it should be a busy month or so, and that’s before we get to strengthening the squad.
Share this article