Jon Dahl Tomasson delivers ‘disappointed’ verdict on John Buckley’s Blackburn Rovers exit
The Blackburn Rovers head coach did not want to lose the midfielder, who has joined Sheffield Wednesday on a season-long loan
Jon Dahl Tomasson didn’t want to lose John Buckley on transfer deadline day despite the midfielder joining Sheffield Wednesday on loan.
The 23-year-old sealed a loan switch to the Owls in a bid for more first-team minutes. Buckley was left out of matchday squads to face Watford and Plymouth Argyle and had yet to play a minute in the Championship.
The deal is a season-long loan but Rovers have a recall option in January. Lancs Live understands Rovers had another signing lined up, believed to be a forward, in the case Buckley left but that deal never materialised.
Tomasson was also expecting a fresh face to come in if Buckley was allowed to depart. The Rovers head coach, as a result, has concerns about the squad being stretched.
“I was disappointed to (lose) Buckley, I would rather have kept him,” Tomasson told Rovers TV. “But as I understand it, we needed to get players out before players could come in. We all know it is a stretched squad and John is a good player.
“I thought when John went away on loan, we would probably get one more player in. It didn’t happen, I don’t know the reason for that. We all know that we need players in some positions and it is a tough league.”
Rovers did sign defender James Hill from Bournemouth on loan and striker Semir Telalovic in the last 24 hours of the window. Both players provide reinforcement in much-needed positions, at centre-back and up front.
Whilst Tomasson was pleased to add those players, he did air concerns about a lack of ‘proven’ Championship experience. Having missed big chances at Plymouth, the Rovers boss is concerned about where goals will come from.
“I’ve said it many times, I think we need help with bodies,” Tomasson explained. “Our CEO also said that we need experience.
“We need goalscorers and we need numbers as well, so it is good we have got a couple of numbers in. They are young players, which I like to develop.
“Of course, we didn’t succeed with the experience which you need in a competitive league. Hopefully, we have got goals but we don’t know it yet.”
