Transfer market tough, says Colchester boss Cowley

Colchester United manager Danny Cowley has said “recruitment is really tough at the moment” after his side were beaten 2-0 by Charlton Athletic in a pre-season friendly.

First-half goals from Matty Godden and Karlan Grant secured the victory for the Championship club, but after the match Cowley was happy with his side’s performance.

“We didn’t plan the pre-season to be easy, that’s why we’ve played Norwich, West Ham twice, Peterborough, Charlton – so we always understood that it was going to be tough for the players. That’s how we like it,” Cowley told BBC Essex.

“Off the back of the goals, I was really pleased with how the team responded. Recruitment is really tough at the moment, there’s no hiding place from that.

“We know what we want. We’re not willing to compromise at the moment but we are trying to stay as brave as we can to get the players that we want.

“This was always going to be a tougher summer than last year. Last year we were in contract, whereas this year we had a lot coming out. We’re working hard to find the players to complement the group.”

Tom Smith re-signed for the club on Tuesday after his contract expired at the end of June.

He is the U’s only recognised first-team goalkeeper just 10 days before they kick off their campaign with a Carabao Cup tie against Southampton.

The 24-year-old injured his thigh in February which ruled him out until the end of last season, before he suffered a further setback this summer with a burst appendix.

Smith said: “I should be good to go in the next week or two. I was out at the World Cup with my family, watched a few games, had a great time and then I came back.

“On the Monday afterwards, it was back to goalkeeping fitness. But, at 3am, I was calling our physio saying ‘something’s going wrong here – I don’t know what’s going on, what’s happening?'”

“I was in hospital for five days. The NHS looked after me. Bit of a nightmare but it’s all working out slowly.”

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