Peterhead: Why Jim McInally is continuing recruitment drive despite 20 new signings already on board

Jim McInally wants to continue his recruitment drive at Peterhead – despite already bringing in 20 players this summer.

The Blue Toon boss feels his struggling squad still needs help and reckons it would be remiss of him not to address the situation early.

It will mean the size of the squad expanding further and it will likely mean some players leave in January. He has also been without Andy McCarthy, Hamish Ritchie and Russell McLean all season and Conor O’Keefe, Ola Adeyemo and Robbie McGale all missed the game against Dunfermline on Saturday through injury.

McInally has had additional players in on trial over the last fortnight at Peterhead and is still awaiting work permits for Enock Walusimbi and Loran Venrooy, who joined last month.

But the new faces will continue to arrive if he feels it can aid Peterhead’s cause.

“I’m not going to leave any stone unturned,” said McInally. “I know we have a massive amount of players but we can deal with that in January.

“But we need to be on the front foot to make sure we are competitive every week. I need to be proactive and if we can get these guys in (who are on trial) to help than we will.

“One or two of the senior players have struggled because it’s been a tough time. We need to change it and there’s no point in kidding on that we’re OK.

“Russell is back running and Andy is pain-free but it’s going to be a couple of weeks before they can make any impact.

“We’re only seven games in and we will improve. But there’s no point in waiting until we’re isolated or there’s a gap opened up.”

A number of unproven young players have come in to the club as part of the squad overhaul, who have been experiencing senior football for the first time.

Nine of them are teenagers and few have had any real taste of first-team action at either their previous or parent clubs.

“Jack Wilkie has done well and has a great attitude,” added McInally. “You just see him improving and he’s got a real chance of playing for Dundee.

“If Prince (Asare) could show on the pitch what he does in training, he would be OK. He’s only just turned 19 and he’s maybe more of a project. We’ll just keep working away with him.”