DEAN SAUNDERS today revealed that he will not be offering Angelos Tsiaklis a new deal when the transfer window reopens next month.
Following his release by Manchester City in the summer, Tsiaklis joined Wrexham as a free agent in September but made just the one appearance in the 2-0 defeat at Cambridge United later that month.
Saunders only brought in Tsiaklis, who spent two months on loan at Wrexham last season, on a short term deal which has now expired, although the 20-year-old Cypriot has still been training with the Reds.
And Tsiaklis, who has been interesting Blue Square Premier rivals Barrow, will not be retained by Saunders.
“People have been wondering why I have not been picking Angelos but he only came in for a month,” said Saunders. “He has been here since then training but he won’t be offered anything in January.
“I have just been been trying to help him out. Angelos is a good young player but I feel like we need something different in there to that type of player.”
Saunders is hoping to bolster his squad when the transfer window reopens next month and the priority will be a striker.
Wrexham have averaged less than a goal a game this season and although Saunders is not sure how much money will be made available, he knows it is a problem he desperately has to address.
“I don’t know where I stand (in terms of budget available),” said Saunders. “I have got a list of names I would like to bring to the club but it is whether I can afford it.
“You don’t have to be Sherlock Holmes to work out what is wrong, we are just not putting the ball in the net.
“We need more players who can score goals, and not just strikers – all positions.”
While he is looking to strengthen the squad, Saunders has already made new contract offers to some of his existing players.
The majority of the squad will be out of contract in the summer but Chris Maxwell, Andy Fleming, Neil Taylor and Frank Sinclair have already been offered new deals.
But Saunders has not ruled out having to let some players go next month if it enables him to strengthen the squad.
“I will put offers into Chris, Andy and Neil this week, and I have had discussions with Frank,” said Saunders.
“I am going to get phone calls for some of our players, maybe ones I don’t want to let go.
“If I get calls for players I will have to consider it and then it is juggling things around.”
Saunders held a training session on the Colliers Park astro turf on Saturday afternoon after the league fixture against Mansfield Town was postponed.
Referee Ross Joyce made the decision to call of the game at 11.30am because of a frozen Racecourse pitch, and Saunders had no complaints about the decision: “It was frozen by the dugouts and players’ entrance but the sun came out which gave it a chance,” he said.
“But the clouds came over and it would not have been playable by 3pm. I put my boots on and the studs were not going into the pitch.
“There are no complaints. I wanted the game on – Mansfield did too – it was a chance for us to claw some points back and get further up the league.
“Instead we had a training session and it was an opportunity to work on a few things. All the players were geared up for the game and they needed to get that out of their system.
“But the next time we play the game, we will probably have new players in.
“We will have to try and slot it in somewhere. Unfortunately, we are always behind with games and we are never in the league table where we should be with players called up for international duty.
“But hopefully the squad will be stronger in January.”
Wrexham return to action when they host Altrincham, who knocked the Reds out of the FA Trophy last week, on Boxing Day.
But a friendly match against Colwyn Bay at Colliers Park has been pencilled in for tomorrow, with Saunders recognising the need for some players who have rarely featured in recent weeks, and been without a reserve team fixture, to be given a run-out.
“Some of the boys have not been playing, and have only had one match in five weeks. They need to get 90 minutes,” added Saunders.
“A couple of players run out of steam at Altrincham, but when you have not been playing like a few of them haven’t, that’s what happens.
“That is why we entered the reserve league. They have been training hard but you can’t replicate games.”