Roeder Protects His Players From Rumours

Last updated : 18 December 2006 By Footy Mad - Editor

He says his squad must stay focused on the next game, and not concern themselves about rumours over the club's ownership or who will be arriving during the transfer window.

A statement from the club denied that a £227million takeover by US hedge fund Polygon and the United Bank of Switzerland had gone through, while the list of supposed targets with which Roeder has been linked grows by the day.

Roeder: "The club made the statement and there is nothing further I can add to that statement, or would want to add to it. Myself and the players, our job is to win football matches.

"We are back at home, we are playing a team who are challenging for the Premiership and the Carling Cup is a big competition to us.

"The following weekend, we play a team that is above us in the table - Tottenham - at home, and it will be very important that we win that game to being ourselves closer to Tottenham.

"These two games prior to the Christmas period are massive for us."