Luke Williams happy to focus on current squad as transfer discontent rumbles on

Luke Williams, head coach of Swindon Town, is fully focused on the current Swindon squad after a current lack of transfer activity.

After Bank Holiday Monday's 0-0 draw with Southend United, Williams said he was "very confident" of having new faces for Swindon's meeting with Shrewsbury, however no-one was added and to insult to injury this was after Michael Doughty and Darnell Furlong were recalled from their loans by parent club QPR.

Williams did say though that he is only told of Swindon transfer news "when it becomes relevant" to him but nevertheless the lack of incomings led to frustration for Swindon supporters who expected a signing before Saturday.

Total Sport asked Williams if he thought there would be a regret in not adding to the squad for a game as important as Shrewsbury, especially after the departures of Doughty and Furlong, but opened the question with an apology considering the awareness that Williams is not the man in charge of signing players - that responsibility goes to Tim Sherwood.

Regardless, Williams is the one that is told to face the media and he responded as follows:

"First, there is no need to apologise because you need to ask the question and I understand that so it's fine.

"For me, as you highlighted there, (transfers) are not my remit so I think the best way for me to approach this situation is for me to focus on the boys that are here (and) to try and give them every support to sit with them and watch the game back with them, watch their individual clips back with them and try to simulate something on the training pitch that is a problem for us.

"(I try) to set some something up that is similar that they can practice but of course nothing is the same as being out there (the pitch). 

"When/if new players come in I will dedicate my time equally to those as well. I understand the question, of course, and the answer is the honest one I will give you."

Later on in the press conference, Williams was quizzed on if he had been told that new players are coming soon, to which he replied:

"Honestly I would love to share more with you (the media).

"Again I have no problem with the question, it's a natural, obvious one but I hear some things, probably if I'm honest similar to what you hear, from sources, contacts that you know that maybe you're going to recieve this player or that player but I know no more than that unfortunately."

Immediately afterwards, he was asked if the make-up of Swindon being chock-full of predominantly under-25s as a philosophy had gone as far as it could, something he disagreed with.

"I don't think the project has gone as far as it can, I think maybe the balance is out.

"I think to turn your back on something that has been relatively succesful, if you take a number of things into context, this club of being, in the hole four times under five different owners (and) has been under administration. It is a dangerous and ridiculous way to run a football club.

"Then, we need also, to be repeating the type of season that we had in the play-off (year of the 2014-15).

"When you think of Wes Foderingham in that team, and then Sam Ricketts came in to give us (experience).

"(That group) were outstandingly talented young players and they needed that little bit extra and now it's quite evident that there isn't so much of that (talent).

"If you're asking me 'do I agree that we need more experienced (and that) battle-hardened players coming in could help this group (my reply is) 'yes', 'do I think the project has gone too far?'. No."