Inigo Calderon has admitted that he would like to have three goalkeepers in his squad but, for budget reasons, Bristol Rovers will have to make do with two for the time being.
Last summer Rovers opted to bring in Josh Griffiths on loan from West Bromwich Albion who, despite being just 22 at the time, still boasted over 120 senior appearances to his name in EFL football while sending Jed Ward to Forest Green Rovers for the season to aid the academy product’s development.
The plan at the time was for Ward to get as close to the 50 games mark for the National League outfit as possible to then return to the Gas with a view towards the goalkeeper being Rovers’ first-choice again on the back of his breakthrough season last term.
As things stand, that plan has worked perfectly with Griffiths playing every game bar two EFL Trophy ties for Rovers this season while Ward has played every league game for Forest Green so far in the fifth tier and has earned raving reviews from supporters of the Gloucestershire outfit.
In support of Griffiths, Rovers currently have 21-year-old Matt Hall who has played just two EFL Trophy matches for the Gas in one-and-a-half years of being at the club with former manager Matt Taylor often suggesting that the former Southampton shot stopper wasn’t yet ready for League One football if something was to ever happen to Rovers’ first-choice. That was emphasised by the fact that Taylor opted not to name a reserve goalkeeper on the bench for the vast majority of matches this season.
The former Gas manager had also discussed the idea of bringing in a free agent goalkeeper as cover but only if the right candidate revealed themselves. Now, Rovers are under the stewardship of Calderon who has named Hall on the bench for his last three matches in charge and is seemingly content with not bringing in a goalkeeper to add cover this month.
“Not at the moment,” the Rovers head coach told Bristol Live. I think we are good in there. I mean, in an ideal world you have three goalkeepers but in League One you have to know as well about the budget and so we have to do everything.
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“That’s why before, about goings out, goings in, it has to be a matter of numbers. We cannot afford to have 30 players here so we have to be in numbers and the goalkeeper is the same.
“I would like to have three, yes, of course, but we have to have two. Simple.”
It currently appears extremely unlikely that West Brom would have any view to recalling Griffiths this month while the same applies in regards to Rovers and Ward who are pleased with the 21-year-old’s performances for the National League promotion-chasers.
So far this month Rovers have signed one player in experienced midfielder Romaine Sawyers while left-back Bryant Bilongo has gone out on loan to League Two side Harrogate Town for the remainder of the season.
There is a view towards further ins and outs this month but Calderon has repeatedly stated in the media that he is content with the resources he currently has and any business would only be completed if it improves the squad.