Planet Swans ArchivesWilliams was the first choice keeper at Victoria Road for three seasons before being frozen out this term by current No 1 Jim Provett as Hartlepool embark on a season of second division football after winning promotion last term.
The paper states that Williams would welcome a move back to his native Wales after being asked to be released on loan to get first team football. He did play in ‘Pool’s LDV match this week but is expected to return to the bench for the weekend visit to Blackpool.
However, the paper also suggests that Flynn is looking for cover for Roger Freestone – a position currently held by Brian Murphy. However, Murphy is likely to be away for up to a month in November after being named in the Irish Under-20 squad to face Italy in Tolka Park on October 29. It is believed in Irish circles that the squad that makes that game is likely to be the squad that they take to the United Arab Emirates in November for the World Youth Championship Finals. This tournament was originally scheduled to take place in March but was postponed due to the war in Iraq. The tournament is scheduled to start at the end of November and will run until mid-December but add travelling time to that and it is likely that Murphy will be unavailable to Flynn for up to a month.
The Irish are expected to announce their squad for the game s few days after the Italy friendly and all experts are predicting that Murphy’s name will be included in that squad.
On that basis it seems logical that Flynn will be targeting a shot stopper to act as back up to Roger during that period although it seems unlikely that a goalkeeper who has asked to go on loan as he is No 2 will come somewhere else to be No 2 even if it is his ‘native land’. Our sources suggest that this may be a fabricated story to try and generate some interest in the player who is currently surplus to requirements at Hartlepool.
Whether Flynn chooses to move into the loan market for a short term replacement for Murphy remains to be seen but it is unlikely that it will happen immediately – I would imagine not until Murphy has been recognised as part of the squad for UAE.
It is also interesting to note that the Republic of Ireland are aware of the movements of their young ‘stars of the future’ with the announcement of the squad came the news for the Swans that apparently Murphy is still a Man City player according to the FAI web-site!
Despite that though it is clear that he is still rated within the Football Association of Ireland and the loss of him for that period of time will surely prompt Flynn to move for cover?
