'We just have to stay in this league' - Irish League boss searching for January reinforcements and hopes returning star will be like 'new signing'
Newry City manager Darren Mullen hopes the return of Noel Healy can help provide his side with a timely boost and admits he’s searching for January reinforcements with the key objective remaining in the Championship.
Healy hasn’t played since being sent off during a 4-1 October defeat to Ards but is set to make his return against the same opposition at Clandeboye Park next weekend, where Mullen’s men will hope to end a seven-game winless league run.
Relegated from the Premiership last term, Newry fell to a 3-0 defeat at Limavady United on Saturday and now haven’t scored in any of their last four matches, conceding 10 times in the same period.
They remain one point ahead of Newington in 11th but lost further ground to Ballinamallard United, the team one spot ahead of them, on Saturday after Mark Stafford’s side secured a 1-0 win over Ards, helping open up a six-point advantage on Newry while holding a game in hand.
"Noel typifies how we play with his intensity and aggression - he's used to how we want Newry teams to play so him coming back will be like a new signing and hopefully we can get a few more back before Christmas,” Mullen told the club’s media channel. “Sometimes you need a bit of luck and the harder you work, the luckier you get, but we're not getting any luck at the minute.
"You can't be second-bottom of the league and blame it all on luck - we're there for a reason. I know the fans couldn't get going with the weather conditions today but they can be assured we're not sitting on our hands, we're trying to get players in."
The last time Newry legend Mullen, who was drafted back into the hotseat after Barry Gray’s departure earlier this season, managed in the Championship he led the Showgrounds outfit to the title, but admits this campaign is all about survival.
"We’re working on trying to bring players in because if I’m being honest, there’s only so much I can do with the squad at the minute – I’m being honest,” he added. “I need to bring in the players who can play the style we want and were used to before.
"That’s easier said than done trying to bring the players in. In fairness to the young lads that have came in, they’ve helped us and we would have been lost without them, but we’re having to throw too many of them in too quickly.
"Our injury problems haven’t helped, but it is what it is. It’s tough but we just have to stay in this league, which is a disappointing thing for me to say at this stage of the season and this level, but that’s the reality of what we’ve been left with.
"We’re trying to get players in in January that can hopefully make it easier for the other lads because if you bring in that bit of quality it will bring the other lads on.
"We’re still working on that but we’ve games to play in December and if we can take the positives from the second half (against Limavady) into Ards next weekend then we give ourselves a good chance.”