Squad changes possible

29/12/14: JP - "We want to freshen two or three up if we can but not necessarily on January the first.

John Potter will be allowed to do some wheeling and dealing in the January transfer window. Speaking to this website he explained his approach to what can be a very important part of the season and to his managerial success:-

"I have spoken to the board and there will be a wee bit of movement in and out throughout the month. I am not in a major rush to sign the first person offered. I have been offered what seems like a million players on day one but I have my own thoughts about guys that I like and players that might become available. I will not sign somebody for the sake of it. I want to sign people that I think will make a difference.

"I think I know the areas that I need to strengthen, character and experience as well. So we want to freshen two or three up if we can but not necessarily on January the first. If someone becomes available then great and I have spoken to two or three people about things that might become available in terms of loans. That is the kind of market we are looking at."

The transfer window is notorious for its last minute deals but John Potter is optimistic that he can do business before it gets to the desperate stage:-

"I wouldn't like to get into that stage and so I spoken to managers about players that we are keen on. They are players that are involved or on the fringes of first teams. It all depends what other teams do with making signings. If they make signings as well then we might get the players in quicker as well.

"There are two or three things that we are working on but by the end of the transfer window I am confident that we will have freshened it up.

"There will be players moving on as well. I have spoken to some about moving on, some about staying, maybe going out on loan. There are clubs interested, so it is a case of juggling at the moment. No names at the moment."

One player who does know his future does not lie at East End Park is Sorel Chemin. The gaffer felt that he did not have the luxury of being able to wait and see the player developing:-

"He came in and did well. It took him a while to get started but we worked on him quite a bit and there was a big improvement. Ideally we would have liked to keep him for a longer term but in the position that we are in, we just cannot afford fringe players. People have to come in and make an impact in the first team and unfortunately we just thought that he wasn't ready.

"His contract was up and that was a decision that I had to make. He is one that could free a bit of money elsewhere. I spoke to him last week and told him the position. He understood it and was disappointed but we just felt that he wasn't the finished article yet and we do not have the time, not this season anyway."

Other young players at the club are well known to the gaffer because he has worked with them in the Under 20s and has a good understanding of what he thinks that they can do:-

"There are a couple in the Under 20s who are performing well at the moment - Declan O'Kane and Finn Graham. They are pushing for an opportunity and I have told them to keep doing that and I wouldn't be shy about putting them in the first eleven. There are lots of different things to worry about.

"The likes of Allan Smith, Shaun Byrne and Ross Millen who I have worked with, they know me - I think they are doing alright but I think they can do a lot better. I have spoken to them and it is about getting more out of the players that we have got."

Another space created with John Potter's elevation to first team manager is that of Under 20s coach. He still performs that too and the dugout can get even lonelier when his assistant Neil McCann is on duty as a Sky tv pundit. On Saturday Neil was at Easter Road for the lunchtime match between Hibs and Rangers and he wouldn't have made to Brechin until the second half. Potts has his thoughts on solving that problem as well:-

"I have spoken to somebody and hopefully I can get a player in who could help with some of the coaching responsibilities. Me and Neil are fine at the moment taking games but it would be good to get a helping hand and we would hope to sort that in January. In the meantime my brother Brian, Kenny Murray and Mo Hutton can lend a hand if needed."