Airdrie assistant boss Callum Fordyce is pleased to have kept most of last season’s squad, but feels they need at least three more new recruits.
The Diamonds are training at Broadwood Stadium in Cumbernauld while a new pitch is laid at their New Broomfield home, and Fordyce says pre-season is going well.
Player-boss Rhys McCabe has brought in five new faces so far this season, adding Queen of the South goalkeeper Josh Rae to Gabby McGill, Justin Devenny, Cammy Ballantyne and David Hutton in a goalkeeper/coach role.
But Fordyce says managers will always be looking to strengthen, and McCabe is no different.
He said: “I’m pleased. We’ve signed the majority of the players, kept the nucleus of the squad, and if you ask any player, manager or staff, that’s a good thing.
“We had that last season and if we can add one or two wee bits we’re not going to be too far away, really. Every manager is always looking to see if players are available, you’re always going to have a wee look.
“That’s what the manager is doing, trying to identify players in positions that we feel we need to strengthen in.
“I think everybody will say the same, that at times the right player will pop up for you.
“I think we might need a right few, maybe another three or four.”
Fordyce has been impressed with the standards in pre-season as they head into the NL Cup, which takes place at Broadwood this weekend.
Airdrie are up against Stirling Albion in their semi-final on Saturday, and will play either Cumbernauld Colts or Albion Rovers on Sunday.
He said: “Pre-season has been good. We’ve been in near enough every day.
“The standard from everybody and the fitness levels from the boys has been first-class, so myself and Rhys couldn’t ask for anything more.
“It makes our job a wee bit easier, and we’re still training as well, so we need to make sure we’re up to speed as well.”
While Fordyce agrees that most teams from Championship downwards use the Premier Sports Cup group stages as pre-season, he says there’s a wee score to settle from last season.
Although Airdrie bagged a stunning 2-0 win over Motherwell, they didn’t get out of their group, following a last-day defeat to Queen of the South.
And Fordyce said: “You’re getting more minutes in your players, but it’s competitive games and at the end of the day you want to win.
“We fell just short last season, with a disappointing result in the last game against Queen of the South, but it’s one of those where you’ll get minutes into the players and as soon as the competitive football starts pre-season is over, basically, and you’re looking forward to those games.”
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