Hamilton Accies boss John Rankin expects January to be a busy month, with plenty players going out the door, as well as in.
Rankin says he may utilise the Scottish loan market to bolster his squad, in a bid to claw their way off the foot of the Scottish Championship.
But he says the return of midfielder Lucas De Bolle is like a new signing, and provided an update on defender Jamie Hamilton, who is yet to kick a ball this season.
Rankin said: “I think it needs to be a busy January. I think it needs fresh blood, fresh energy and quality.
“With every incoming there needs to be an outgoing, so we’re aware of that, we need to move quickly, need to progress quickly.
“We’re looking at the game on Monday [at home to Raith Rovers], so we’re working hard just now to get bodies in for that, but I expect us to be working extremely hard throughout January.
“It’s a big month for us, with the position we are in the league, to strengthen in quality and numbers, is vital.”
He added: “A lot of the time it’s running your eye over a trialist, having a look at players and getting them in to our environment.
“Some people like to see what they’re coming into, others don’t, and they see it as beneath them to go on trial at a club.
“You need to get the right blend, and at times you have to allow people to come and see you, so they know what they’re coming into.
“Sometimes they come in and they don’t feel comfortable, others come in and love it, and want to stay.
“That’s part and parcel of it, and where we are in the food chain. It’s not as if we can go and buy players, and spend millions of pounds on superstars who have just come off the World Cup.
“We need to do our due diligence very carefully so we know where we are, where we are with the players, but the position we are in the league, it needs to be players who can come in and affect us straight away.
“We can’t have six months to settle in, because we don’t have that.”
On potential loan signings, Rankin said: “We haven’t used any of our Scottish loans, so that market might be an option.
“You know a lot of players who are going out on loan are younger players, we’re aware of that, and of our younger players just now needing a wee bit of experience to help them along and through a difficult time.”
Lucas De Bolle has come in on loan from Newcastle but only recently started playing due to concussion issues that stem from his final game down south before arriving.
Jamie Hamilton has also been ‘nearing a comeback’ a few times this season, and Rankin hopes he is finally almost ready to resume his career.
Rankin said: “Lucas is almost like a new signing; that was his first start on Friday night [in a 2-0 defeat at Cove Rangers], and it will take him time to adjust, because he had been out for a while.
“Injured players always find it takes them a wee bit of time to get used to the tempo.
“Lucas can maintain it for a period of time, and then drops off, but somebody with his quality can influence the game in our favour.
“Jamie has been nearing a comeback two or three times, but he has been unable to play at any point in the season, and that is really frustrating for both us and Jamie.
“He keeps feeling a recurrence of his thigh when he begins to sprint, he’s been on a different programme this time which is more weight-related, so hopefully that can result in him overcoming that injury.
“Jamie is a big player for us, but we need to make sure we get him fit and ready to go.”
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