C+P from W/O site: Boothroyd hoping to seal loan signing 8:00am Friday 26th September 2008 Comments (0) Have your say » By Anthony Matthews » Aidy Boothroyd was working on boosting his injury-ravaged squad with a loan signing yesterday and is hoping Jay DeMerit could be fit for the trip to Sheffield United. The Hornets skipper limped out of the latter stages of the memorable mid-week Carling Cup victory over West Ham United with what appeared to be a hamstring injury, but Boothroyd revealed the problem is not as serious as first feared. "We scanned him yesterday and we're waiting to see how he settles down today," said the Watford boss yesterday. "It's not as bad as we first thought thankfully, but we'll see what he's like today. "He's generally pretty good at getting back from injuries and he needs to be because we haven't got anybody else that I would want to go into that. He's a tough guy and he's our captain so hopefully he'll come through and if not then I've got a few irons in the fire to replace him. I've got somebody lined up and I'm hoping I'll get a call this morning and it will give me the chance to do something." Although further details of who Boothroyd was seeking to bring in were not available before the Watford Observer went to press, the Hornets' continued progress in the League Cup has given a boost to the coffers at Vicarage Road. "The other thing about the Carling Cup is it brings in money that we didn't think we had, so if it gives me an opportunity to bring in someone on loan I will," Boothroyd said. "I know where we're at and we need a little bit of help at the moment and thankfully the chairman agrees with this course so that's what we'll do." Jobi McAnuff and John-Joe O'Toole, who missed the victory over the Hammers after sustaining injuries in Saturday's never-to-be-forgotten 2-2 draw with Reading, will also be assessed prior to tomorrow's trip to Bramall Lane, but the news regarding the third player to be injured against the Royals, Mart Poom, is far more concerning. "That's very serious unfortunately," the manager said of his keeper who sustained a dislocated shoulder after colliding with striker Kevin Doyle just 90 seconds into the game. "It looks like a six-month job. He's had to have his shoulder pinned and obviously for a goalkeeper and a 36-year-old it's not good at all. "He's fought back before from injury, but it's very, very disappointing because he's come into the team and done very well for us, but we'll wish him well and we'll be working hard to get him back to somewhere near where he was." However, the one area of the pitch where the manager is not suffering from a lack of resources is in the goalkeeping department, now that Richard Lee has returned to full fitness. But the loss of Poom has given Scott Loach the opportunity to make the number one shirt his own, and on the evidence of the 20-year-old's displays against Reading and the Hammers he will take some dislodging. "I thought Scott was fantastic in all the games he's played in the Carling Cup and when he came on, on Saturday, against Reading, apart from one dodgy kick at the beginning, I thought he was outstanding," his manager remarked. "He's got a huge presence, he fills the goal, he's not afraid to say things and he's got excellent distribution skills. His shirt is there for him and he’s got to make it his own." With around a dozen players in the London Colney treatment room currently, Boothroyd took the opportunity to pay tribute to the work of Andy Rolls and the rest of his medical team. "Andy Rolls and his physio department are working very, very hard to get the players back," said the manager. "That's the whole point of having a good team off the pitch is that when you need them they save you thousands and thousands of pounds in terms of loan fees because they usually keep all the players fit. "Having said that, this is the worst I've ever known, the worst he's ever known, but because we've got him and his team I'm confident that we'll get them back quicker than what most people would."
http://www.watfordfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10400~1403564,00.html Sam Sodje on a months loan.
