Trials are not an error for Dickov

PAUL DICKOV: Latics’ manager is constantly searching for the best talents for his side

ATHLETIC'S search for talent goes on.

Though constrained by a tight budget, manager Paul Dickov is still trying to improve his squad.

On Tuesday, in a private friendly at Chapel Road against Grimsby Town, he continued to cast his eye over players trying their utmost to prove their worth.

A total of three unnamed triallists took part in the friendly match, the latest in a string of unattached professionals attempting to prove their worth in football's tough marketplace.

Jason Jarrett (pictured, right), Dean Kelly, Rod McDonald, Rodrigue Dikaba and Jean-Francois Cristophe have all made it into the first-team reckoning since the new boss took over at Boundary Park after Dickov took a close, detailed look and liked what he saw.

The likes of Jason Beardsley, Scott McLaughlin, Lanre Oyebanjo, Francois Kompany, Alex Pursehouse and Julian Cherel weren't so lucky and were sent on their way.

But those professionals that haven't yet fixed themselves up, three months into the 2010-11 season, are far from alone.

On the eve of the current campaign there were around 600 players without a club in this country.

And even at present, almost 150 are publicly listed on the PFA's website givemefootball.com as being on the hunt for sides willing to take them on.

The PFA gallery includes several well-known names with significant top-level experience, like Clairefontaine-schooled ex-Arsenal and Middlesbrough striker Jeremie Aliadiere; Jay Demerit, the former Watford captain who played for the United States against England in the 2010 World Cup; and Darius Vassell, the former Aston Villa and Manchester City striker who has 22 England caps with six goals to his name.

Clearly, these days it doesn't take a huge helping of poor form or bad luck to be thrown onto football's scrapheap.

But Dickov also says that players have to be willing to drop wage demands in football's new credit-crunch affected realm.

"There are a lot of players out of work," Dickov said.

"Footballers have to wake up and realise the situation that clubs find themselves in nowadays.

"Right through the game, people have to realise that times are not easy and that clubs simply don't have the sort of money that is sometimes being asked for.

"We have no money — that is no secret — and we are in a situation where we have to send players out before we bring them in."

There are always exceptions to lower-league football's new age of austerity.

One big-spending club in npower League One is said to be paying players upwards of £10,000 a week, while even at non-league level Crawley Town spent around £500,000 assembling a squad capable of a promotion push in the Blue Square Bet Premier.

Athletic operate in a different — some would say more realistic — world when it comes to spending. Or not spending, as the case may be.

But on taking the job, Dickov was under no illusions as to the grim financial picture at Athletic.

Despite the hurdles, he is nonetheless keen to continue taking on board triallists, meaning there could be further non-contract signings like Dikaba and Cristophe in the future.

"Agents are always getting in touch with us and we also use our contacts in the game," added Dickov.

"I am not doing my job properly if I don't do anything to have a look at players that are recommended to us and we will continue to do so."