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Turner talks about players
The Hereford United manager,Graham Turner, gave a long interview to Trevor Owens of BBC Hereford and Worcester last week. Part of that interview was about players who had either stayed with, or recently left, the club.
Turner started by saying:"A fair number of them have re-signed. Andy Tretton, an influential player last season has re-signed, and David Brown has re-signed.
"Simon Travis, we have agreed terms with him, he has just got to put pen to paper. I think Simon has a bit of versitility about him. He can play right side of left side and he's full of enthusiasm and a decent professional. A number of clubs were chasing him when we signed him at the back end of last season and I think one or two have made contact with him during this close season. But he is quite happy here and we have agreed terms so he will be with us next season.
"People like Rob Purdie, Danny Williams, Jamie Pitman, have signed so I think we have probably got nine signed full-time professionals now.
"And it is a time when we have lists coming in daily of players available. I've spoken to perhaps a dozen or fifteen players so far. I've arranged to meet a couple of them next week and would hope to progress it further. But there are plenty of alternatives out there.
"I know we've lost Steve Guinan, Michael Rose and Ben Smith, but we have just got to shop around and see what we can get in.
"There is still a little bit of doubt over Matt Baker. When I spoke to him first about a contract late February, he made it clear that he wanted to leave it to the end of the season. At the end of the season we made him an offer and really he wanted to get the England trips out of the way including going to the USA to play this weekend. So when that is over and done with I would hope that we could sit down and maybe finalise a contract.
"If we lose him, then we have to look around and see what is available. At the moment the way it is looking there is no shortage of players.
Asked if there had been any definite interest in Matt Baker, Turner said that he was not aware of any, but he had not spoken to Matt for over a fortnight.
"But anything could have happened while he has been away with England, but I'm not aware of any concrete offers to him."
Turning to Ben Smith, Turner said that he was not surprised that he had moved.
"I'm aware he spoke to Chester, I'm aware from the end of the season that he had been talking to clubs. We did make him an offer but he wanted to play in the league."