ADRIAN Heath is wasting no time in setting about the task of reshaping his Burnley squad ready for an all-out assault on promotion next season, writes PETER WHITE.
The Turf Moor boss watched potential targets Paul Tisdale and Jim Bentley in last night's reserve game against Hull and plans another check on Everton youngster Chris Price in tonight's Goodison Park Pontin's League derby against Tranmere Rovers.
And Heath revealed that there could be one or two more players given a chance to impress or taken on trial before the present season ends.
"A lot of players are being offered around at the moment and others who are just looking to change clubs at the end of the season," he said.
"There could well be one or two more we will be looking at.
"You have to take these opportunities, you never know who you might be able to pick up."
The manager won't be making any hasty judgments over Bentley, a young Manchester City central defender who arrived from Maine Road yesterday.
"Although he played for the reserves last night it wasn't the best of games for anyone to impress," he said.
"But he's a big, strong boy and he did all right.
"He will train with us for a few days and we'll have a good look at him."
Price didn't play last night, when Burnley reserves crashed 3-1 at home to Hull. But Burnley will be represented at Goodison this evening.
"It might be better to see him in his own environment and surroundings that are familiar to him," said the manager.
"And it will be competitive, there is always an extra edge to games between Everton and Tranmere."
There is no doubt that Heath means business as he is already looking beyond what seems inevitable disappointment in this season's race for the play-offs.
Last night's reserve team performance - described by coach Harry Wilson as one of the worst he had ever seen at that level - will only have increased the manager's resolve to get it right all the way through the club.
Burnley fielded a lot of players who would regard themselves as seniors but crashed 3-1 and Wilson said: "I wasn't happy with that at all and I am sure the manager wasn't happy either. It was a very mediocre performance to say the least."
Hull took the lead only for loan man Steve Guinan to equalise. Just before half time the visitors went back in front and, shortly after the break, scored their third direct from a corner.
There was no coming back from that.
Burnley's team was: Russell, Huxford, Vinnicombe, Bentley, Scott, Robinson (sub Eastwood 75 mins), Smith, Little, Tisdale, Guinan, Helliwell (Carr-Lawton 75 mins).
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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