Juggling act

Lee Johnson: selection headaches

HAVING a squad of fit, eager players is a scenario which is starting to give Athletic manager Lee Johnson nightmares.

Johnson has recruited shrewdly, adding undoubted quality to the team. So far Athletic have defied pre-season odds indicating a relegation battle was a possibility.

The team is comfortably mid-table, and could easily be higher.

With few injuries in the sided, selecting a team for tonight’s mouth-watering televised Lancashire derby at Preston is sure to mean plenty of head-scratching for Johnson.

“I’ve got a good squad here now,” he said. “I don’t care whether they’re 17, 27 or 37; I’ll play whoever is flying in training and in form.

“Everyone is fighting for the cause, so that’s going to make it a bit difficult for me in team selection.

“Every single player in the squad is good at the moment, which is what I want, but it also causes me a headache!”