Bantams boss aims to cut numbers in January transfer window

Alexander is set to trim the large squad he inherited when the mid-season transfer window opens in just over three weeks.

With the busy holiday schedule approaching, he will hang on before finalising who will be on their way.

But he has ruled out a rush of new faces coming in – and reckons there is sufficient quality already in the dressing room.

“I can be certain we won’t be going into January looking to sign or recruit four or five players from other clubs,” Alexander said this afternoon. “I don’t think that’s the scenario.

“What the players have shown me over the last month and hopefully will do over the next month is that we’ve got the basis of a good squad.

“We can bring really good players off the bench to help us improve or maintain our performance.

“I’m not looking at one part of the team thinking, ‘oh my God, we need to do this, that or the other.’ “That’s not the case and I hope it won’t be the case in three or four weeks.

“When any manager tries to build a squad, you’re looking to tick a lot of boxes.

“You’re never going to sign any individual that ticks every box in professional football so you have to create a squad that does it.

“You have to have players that fill out the jigsaw and I really do feel we have that here.”

League Two top scorer Jake Young is set to be recalled from Swindon and Ryan East could also be on his way back from Rochdale.

Alexander knows they need to cut numbers in a squad he admits is “a little on the large side”.

Players such as Matt Derbyshire and loan signings Chishom Afoka and Rayhaan Tulloch have not been involved at all lately.

The City chief added: “Competition is healthy for any football club but you don’t players that are too far away from the starting line-up that are demotivated and finding it difficult.

“I think that’s a sad sight for any professional footballer.

“We have to address that in January but, for now, everyone’s got the opportunity to play.

“I’m trying to hold judgement for a few more games yet.

“We’ve had a good little recent run of form but we hadn’t just prior to that as well and it’s the same players.

Rayhaan Tulloch, left, and Chishom Afoka are not featuring (Image: Thomas Gadd)

“I just want to make sure we can maintain the consistency of our performances and results.

“I don’t want to rush into decisions a month before we need to do anything.

“I always think you get to know players better when you’re working with them day in, day out.

“You can see them from afar and see them technically. But you can’t see their personality, how they train, how they interact with the rest of the players and take on challenges you might set.

“We’re learning more about the individuals we have week-by-week, game-by-game.

“I still don’t think we’ve been here long enough to make any harsh or rash judgements right now. It’s important we hold fire until we get to January.

“We’ll have a few more games under our belt and hopefully a few more wins. But if it goes the other way and there’s not the wins, then we see the personality and character of the players.”