All 12 Welsh Premier League managers will be cautiously navigating their way through the festive period fixtures over the coming weeks before rolling the dice on their respective teams’ ambitions in the January transfer window.
Most will be working on their board to loosen the purse strings and forced to operate on a ‘one in, one out’ policy to keep within budget and work in hope that the ‘in’ is an upgrade on the ‘out’.
Some clubs, whose pre-season objectives have come off the rails, might opt for a mini mid-season rebuild, whilst those clubs where relevant success is within sight, could take an altogether bolder approach in their transfer strategy and recruit ambitiously in an attempt to push them towards the finishing line.
The season, the WPL’s split-league format and the emergence of a first genuine title race in recent memory creates something of a perfect storm and would seem set to provide us with the best finale we have seen since the inception of the national league.
In previous seasons under the league’s ever-divisive format, the top-six run-in has often monotonously clambered along to a conclusion that only ever really sparks back into life once the Europa League Play-Offs get underway, but this is a season which promises much more.
The top-six format is absolutely made for a league championship that has three teams contesting for the title. With the challenging clubs set to play each other home and away once again in the Phase 2, there cannot be any doubt that this season’s winners will be well-worthy champions and fully deserving of the financial riches from entering the Champions League qualifying rounds.
And I expect the main contenders to bolster their squads accordingly.
I can confirm rumours circulating over the last few days linking experienced Football League centre-forward Jon Stead to The New Saints are inaccurate, though that is not to say that the defending league champions will be upping the ante to retain the WPL title.
The Saints have their sights set on several potential targets which include Barry Town’s flying right-back Macauley Southam-Hales, who is also linked with a move into the Football League, and an unnamed Welsh Premier League left winger.
Connah’s Quay, having cleared Craig Jones from their wage bill following his brief spell on Deeside, are also expected to allow Andy Morrison to add to his squad and the Nomads are thought to be keen on bolstering their attacking depth with the temptation to beat The New Saints to the post too strong to ignore.
Meanwhile, there is plenty to consider at Jenner Park. In a season in which survival will have been the primary objective, Gavin Chesterfield has guided Barry Town into an unlikely title challenge. Of course, these are not completely unchartered waters for the seven-time league champions but operating on a more modest budget to their title rivals, Barry Town must determine what direction they want to move in, should finances allow.
They will not possess the same spending power as Connah’s Quay or The New Saints but the potential sale of Southam-Hales, who is on contract to the club, could be reinvested into the playing squad. On-loan forward Mo Touray will also remain on loan for the duration of the season from Newport County and will not face a mid-season re-call to Rodney Parade.
The top-half of a 12-team Welsh Premier League has never been so fascinating at this stage.