| Badjiak added to injury list ahead of Cork game |
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| Friday, 11 May 2007 | |
 With Piotr Bajdziak out for the rest of the season with a crucient injury, Sligo Rovers manager Paul Cook is facing a major injury crisis ahead of the visit of Cork City to the Showgrounds on Saturday night (Kick-off 7.45).by Michael Moran, courtesy, The Sligo Champion Polish midfielder, Piotr Bajdziak, is the latest to join a growing list of absentees and could be out for the remainder of the season having picked up a cruciate injury in the three-two League Cup exit to Finn Harps on Bank Holiday Monday. Also ruled out at the weekend are Conor O’Grady, Gary Curran, long-time absentee, Brian Cash, while Jason McCartney had a groin strain and Seamus Coleman a thigh strain. “We are down to the bones at this stage and that is very, very frustrating for me,” said Cook. As he prepares to meet Damien Richardson’s side and searches for a first victory in seven games, the newly appointed Showgrounds boss has again urged his players to “stand up and be counted” in the wake of the disappointing result to their First Division neighbours in Ballybofey. “Apart from the disappointment at the result, I found out a lot about some of my players on the night. I fully expected to do that in my first month here and I am learning quickly. “What I do look for is professional footballers to be professional. Fans will except effort and sometimes realise that results will go against you. However, they won’t accept a lack of effort,” Cook acknowledged. He has reiterated his intention to bring in some new faces when the transfer widow opens in July and says the onus is now on both himself and the Rovers squad to improve results. “We certainly have our hands full with Cork, but I expect that when the players cross that white line they will give one hundred and ten per cent and will make Cork work for anything they might get. That is the least our supporters deserve. Fans will put up with a lot of things, but not a lack of endeavour,” he maintained. Commenting on the three-two defeat to Harps, in a game where Rovers were two in front at half-time, Cook said he told his side at half-time that the next goal was vital. “We just seemed to switch off and we got punished in the end,” he added. That defeat came on the back of another ‘late late show’ at Tolka Park on Friday night when Shamrock Rovers took all three points with a 94th minute winner. “In fairness that was the exact opposite to the Finn Harps match. We worked very, very hard, but we never looked like scoring. “We need to be more creative and I will be hoping for the right sort of response against Cork. We need to get back to winning ways and that would give everyone a boost,” said Cook. |
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