Latics boss facing midfield puzzle

Dean Furman: return to the side has given manager things to consider

Simpson, Furman vying for selection

ATHLETIC manager Paul Dickov has a midfield conundrum to solve for the game at Crawley on Saturday.

The return to action of captain Dean Furman, in place of Robbie Simpson in central midfield, did not go according to plan at Carlisle as the visitors were well-beaten.

Simpson had started in the two previous games, a draw at Sheffield United and the home win over Leyton Orient.

Furman (pictured, above left) missed the game at Bramall Lane due to international duties with South Africa and on his return was only on the bench for the Orient clash at Boundary Park.

The decision to drop Simpson at Brunton Park was a controversial one, in that it altered a winning team — though at the time when Simpson was substituted against Orient, the game was scoreless.

The thinking behind the return of Furman alongside James Wesolowski against Carlisle was to stiffen the midfield. But with both men sitting deep, the balance was awry and Athletic were over-run.

Ironically, at a time when Furman’s exploits on the international stage have seen his star rise, Dickov will be contemplating reverting to the team shape which worked so well at Bramall Lane.

That would mean dropping his skipper and putting in Simpson — who admitted disappointment not to start at Carlisle — as a bridge between the midfield and deep-lying striker Jose Baxter.

DEAN Furman is again set for international duty with South Africa next month, in a friendly against African Cup of Nations champions Zambia.

But Athletic's captain won’t miss any club football. He will join coach Gordon Igesund’s squad after the home game against current npower League One leaders Tranmere on November 10. The Zambia game takes place four days later in Johannesburg.