Peterborough loan striker Jacob Wakeling has caught the eye of Gillingham’s manager John Coleman in training.
Wakeling’s yet to play in a match for Coleman, and hasn’t kicked a ball for the Gills since coming off the bench at Bromley in early December.
Coleman’s been playing with a front three recently, rotating Elliott Nevitt, Oli Hawkins, Joe Gbode and Jimmy-Jay Morgan in those positions but isn’t short of options if he wants to throw someone else into the mix.
Goals are still in short supply for the Gills, despite creating more opportunities and Coleman’s desperate to see his side score more than one in a game, something that hasn’t happened since before Christmas.
Wakeling’s loan from Peterborough hasn’t been a productive one, with only five league starts so far, following on from early promise when he netted on the opening day of the season.
There’s still time to have an impact, however, and he’s not out of the frame.
Coleman, who also has Marcus Wyllie back available after injury, said: “We’ve got good competition now. Jacob Wakeling has looked lively in training.
“We’ve got good competition now for forward areas.
“[Jacob’s] been unlucky really. He scored a few goals earlier in the season (including pre-season) and for whatever reason he hasn’t played.
“You can’t play everyone. I think that’s one of the trials and tribulations of a manager when you’ve got a lot to pick from. You have to disappoint people.
“I go back to the song I’ve always referenced. Fleetwood Mac, ‘players only love you when they’re playing’. There’s never a truer word spoken. You’ve got to get them to understand that it’s nothing personal.
“We pick what we feel is right for the day. That might change the week after that. You’ve got to be ready to take an opportunity and you can look at Max Clark as the poster boy for that. He was ready to take his chance and he took it.”
Jonny Williams came off the bench last weekend, in what was only his second appearance for the Gills under Coleman. He’s a player that’s also keen to get involved in the remainder of the season.
“Johnny’s a great lad,” said the manager.
“He’s a great character to have around us and great on the training ground.
“Obviously he went through the injuries that he has but he’s experienced.
“When he came on [last week] he managed the game really well. He got us up the pitch. Got us out of danger. Won us a corner and a couple of throw-ins that keeps the ball in the other team’s half and lets you see out the win more comfortably than what it would be if we didn’t have someone of that character.”
Nelson Khumbeni has been in and out of the team under Coleman, following his January move to the Gills. The manager thinks fans will see the best of him next season.
He said: “Nelson’s just settling down now. He’s a good player. Definitely one for the future. Nelson’s a talented boy. He needs to get a little bit sharper.
“I hope to see a lot of him before the season’s out but I think we will see the best of Nelson next season.”
Ethan Coleman and Euan Williams are continuing to progress from their injuries but boss Coleman admits Josh Andrews is unlikely to feature again this season after suffering a cruciate knee injury.
“I’d be surprised if I saw Josh before the end of the season,” Coleman said.
He also confirmed that Asher Agbinone remains at Crystal Palace following a hamstring injury and hopes to know more about his situation next week.
