Stephen Baxter delighted with Carrick Rangers business in 'very difficult market' and hints at further arrivals
Carrick Rangers manager Stephen Baxter is happy with the transfer business he's been able to conduct so far in a "very difficult market" and insists his club aren't done yet as they look to improve on last season's Premiership performance.
Having finished 11th in Northern Ireland's top-flight, Carrick ultimately preserved Premiership status by comfortably beating Annagh United in a promotion/relegation play-off, and Baxter has opted for further experience in the summer window.
He has reunited with former Crusaders stars Billy Joe Burns, Jimmy Callacher and Adam Lecky, who combine for over 1,000 Irish League appearances, while ex-Cliftonville goalkeeper Nathan Gartside and talented playmaker Aidan Steele have also arrived at Taylors Avenue.
The Irish League landscape continues to change with a whole host of options available to players, but Baxter is delighted with the calibre he has been able to attract to Carrick and is still on the hunt for another couple which can further improve his squad.
"I'm really pleased that in a very difficult market we've been able to attract players of significant quality to Carrick," he told the club's media channel. "They were all keen to come and everybody we tried to get...I think there was maybe one player who chose another club that we were close to signing and it didn't happen, but outside of that all the players we targeted we got.
"Now it's moulding everybody together which is important. I don't think we're done yet, I think we maybe need one or two more players to finish the squad off.
"We're still light in one or two areas and we're working hard behind the scenes to make that happen."
It has also been a summer of change in the dugout with Baxter appointing Peter Thompson, who he worked with at the Crues, to his backroom staff alongside Mark Surgenor, while new personnel have also taken up roles in Carrick's medical department.
They kicked off their pre-season preparations with a 4-0 defeat to H&W Welders on Saturday, but Baxter is prioritising fitness over results at this stage and says it'll take time for everything to click.
"The buzz around the place has been fantastic," he added. "We've good, exciting people all wanting to work hard, all wanting to listen to what we're trying to bring to them, and it will take a bit of time.
"It doesn't just all click in when you're working with brand new people, forming relationships on and off the pitch...it's not all going to click into place in one or two weeks, it'll take a month.
"Seeing the body language and tempo of everything has been super. I'm pleased with where we are right now."