OLDHAM boss Harry Kewell says Latics are working hard to bring in new recruits ahead of the transfer deadline – but insists any fresh faces have to be up for the fight at the bottom of League Two.

Latics need another senior goalkeeper but are also looking across the board ahead of Friday’s 5pm cut-off as they bid to improve on a start of the season that sees them rooted to the foot of the table with just one point from five games.

However the head coach, who believes his squad needs more depth and experience, is looking for the right characters who will be ready to scrap at the wrong end of the Football League.

“Obviously everyone’s looking for players to strengthen because it is going to be an interesting season,” Kewell said.

“If you don’t have the back-up, if you don’t have the support, then you could find yourself in a lot of trouble, being down the bare bones with the games coming thick and fast.

“We’re all working behind the scenes. We have players that are of interest to us but when you speak to them you’ve got to want them to come for the right reasons.

“They’ve got to want to come and play.

“You can get some players and they are umming and ahing and you know they’re not up for the fight. They want to play football but they don’t want to work hard.

“There’s players out there that will do anything just to play and they are the players you are looking for, the hungry players.
“I think it’s exciting, I know you may say ‘Harry, you’re lying’ but to be given an opportunity to come to a club like Oldham and to maybe even change their fortunes and get them up the league then surely that’s going to promote you in a light that’s going to attract other people.

“We have players that are interested, we’re just working on the final details.”

Free agents can be signed after the close of play on Friday but Kewell needs players who can make an instant impact.

“You can still pick up one or two free agents which you can take your time over a little bit more,” the former Leeds and Liverpool winger said.  

“But to get what I’m looking for, people that may be able to bring a little bit of a spark to us, I’m just waiting on a couple of phone calls.

“I’ve got some talented young players but we have a couple of players we’re looking at and if we can get them across the line I think they’ll be great additions.”

Despite going off in the defeat against Morecambe Ian Lawlor could be fit to face Bolton on Saturday.

That hasn’t stopped the hunt for a new shot-stopper with academy ‘keeper Mackenzie Chapman having deputised on debut for the second-half of the Shrimps reverse at Boundary Park.

“We’d love to bring an experienced keeper in, but it’s a difficult market out there,” Kewell said.  

“Players are holding off, they want to see certain things but I want a player that wants to come and play.”

On Chapman, he added: “He’s ready to go.

“I thought he was exceptional on Saturday given the situation he went into.

“He’s a very confident boy and I’d have no problem in putting him in goal if we can’t find a keeper.

“We’re still confident that he (Lawlor) can make the game.”