CARL TREMARCO WANTS TO STAY AT WREXHAM
Richard Williams - Wrexham Evening Leader

CARL TREMARCO admitted being at Wrexham has given him a "new lease of life" and he is hoping to extend his stay with the Reds.

Left-back Tremarco was brought in by manager Brian Little last month from Tranmere Rovers, with Wrexham buying out the remaining four months of his contract.

Although his career at The Racecourse has been temporarily halted by a hamstring injury, the fit-again Tremarco has impressed in his short spell with the Reds.

Delighted with life at Wrexham, Tremarco is hoping to earn a new deal but the 22-year-old said the main priority is to ensure the club avoids relegation: "I am enjoying it at Wrexham, it is like a new lease of life," he said.

"It is nice to do something different every day. It was the same thing every day at Tranmere but I am enjoying coming into training because I am involved on the Saturday. There is something at the end of the week.

"At Tranmere, I worked hard all week to sit on the bench or the stand at the end of it. There was no end product.

"I want to play well for the rest of the season and hopefully get offered a new contract. I would love to stay.

"But more important than me is keeping Wrexham up, to give the supporters something to cheer about and then to kick on next year."

Tremarco, who was awarded a new two-year contract by Little in 2006 when he was in charge at Tranmere, made just 10 appearances at Prenton Park this season before making the switch.

Immediately handed a starting place at Wrexham in place of the departing Ryan Valentine, Tremarco played his part in the victory against leaders MK Dons and the draw against Bradford - where he was named man of the match - before a hamstring problem forced him off at Morecambe.

Injury apart, Tremarco is pleased with how it has gone at Wrexham: "I was a bit nervous against Dons because it was the first time I had gone anywhere else other than Tranmere," he said. "The lads made me feel welcome and from a personal point of view I thought I did well.

"I was pleased with my performance against Bradford and delighted to be man of the match.

"But it took its toll at Morecambe. My hamstring was not right after the first 10 minutes and being stubborn I thought I could play on. I really felt it at the start of the second half and if I had not come off, I'm sure it would have snapped.

"Then I would have been out for six or seven weeks instead of two.

"I knew I'd be out of the next game. I was pestering Mel Pejic to let me train and be involved. Now I'm back, touch wood, I stay out of the treatment room now."

Tremarco has been named in Little's last two squads but frozen pitches at MK Dons last Saturday and Hereford United on Tuesday have prevented him making a comeback.

And Tremarco admitted he found it frustrating sitting on the sidelines, adding: "I have not played for a while so I was eager to get back. It was horrible sitting in the stands against Darlington, especially as we won, and I thought I had a job to get back in the team."

"That is the story of my career. I have been in the team at Tranmere, then got injured and then found myself trying to get back in.

"I've been back training a couple of weeks but if I was being honest, I was glad in a way that the MK Dons game on Saturday was called off. I'm not saying I wasn't right, it's just the extra time was better for me."

Tremarco's place has been taken by Neil Taylor and although he rates the Wales under 21 international highly, he is hoping for a recall against Grimsby at on Saturday.

"I was gutted to get injured and miss the last couple of games but Neil has done well," added Tremarco. "Neil is a good player and if got back in the team, he would keep me on my toes. Whoever plays will have to give 100 per cent because the other is ready to step in.

"One of us will be in on Saturday and I hope it's me, but if it is Neil I can't complain, I'll just have to get my head down and keep going."

I WON'T BE PLAYING ROLE OF TINKERMAN
Mark Currie - Daily Post

WREXHAM manager Brian Little is adopting a policy of 'if it isn't broken, don't fix it' as competition for places gathers pace at the Racecourse.

With the Dragons boss in no hurry to tinker with a side unbeaten in their last five outings, strikers Rob Duffy and Eifion Williams, midfielder Jeff Whitley and defender Richard Hope are among a group of players who are waiting patiently for a chance of first-team action.

And Little expects all of them to be ready for the call if and when it comes.

"It's entirely up to them," he said yesterday. "The first team have done especially well in the last few games but it's very important for everyone involved to keep on their toes.

"Mike Williams is a prime example of what I mean, because he came in when Richard Hope was suspended and has deserved to keep his place in the team.

"It's true to say we have a fair number of players here now and although some of them might find the situation a bit difficult, they all have to be ready to take their chance when it comes.

"I've told everyone that they have a role to play and it might be the case at some stage that someone will come into the side and play the most important part in helping us to achieve our objective (avoiding relegation)."

The Racecourse boss is only too well aware that some situations are beyond his control, with Neil Roberts yesterday turning an ankle in training, and Wrexham have to complete their remaining 17 games in a period of just 10 weeks.

"If you look around at what went on in last Saturday's games, people were being sent off or injured and others were suspended, so you never know exactly what is going to happen," he added.

"Illnesses and personal problems may also come into it and, of course, players knock on my door on a regular basis if they are unhappy. But it's my job to pick the team I think is the best one for every game and, while I don't always get it right, I don't worry about upsetting people.

"We have a lot of games to go and they will be coming thick and fast between now and the end of the season. So we know we will have to change the team from time to time because circumstances will dictate that we do."

Wrexham are still waiting to hear whether League Two leaders MK Dons are prepared to extend Drewe Broughton's month-long loan spell, which expires after Saturday's home match with Grimsby Town.

But the paperwork has been completed to allow Oxford United striker Rob Duffy to extend his stay until April 26, one week before the season ends.

Fans' favourite Danny Williams, meanwhile, also hopes to be back in first team contention in a fortnight or so. The midfielder has yet to complete a full 90 minutes after featuring in the Dragons last two reserve team outings and admits he is not yet feeling 100%.

"The first target is to play a full game, hopefully that won't be far away," he said. "I'm feeling okay with my back but I need to be totally convinced that's the case.

"I'm getting a little bit of stiffness, which is only to be expected after such a long time out, and if that means I rest it for a couple of days after playing, then that's what I'll do. But once I've played another couple of reserve games I'm sure that will ease up and I'll be looking to get back."