Barrow manager Adam Murray has confirmed the future of one of their out-of-favour players, following his recent omission from the first-team picture.
The Bluebirds had a disappointing start to their National League return, but have since picked up three victories on the spin – including a statement away win against high-flying Southend United away from home.
Their recent form has allowed the club to escape the relegation picture and rise into mid-table, ahead of Saturday’s fixture against Wealdstone, knowing another victory could take them within goal difference of the play-off places.
Barrow manager confirms player update
Interestingly, Barrow’s recent form began after the club were beaten by Solihull Moors in a contest which saw them reduced to ten men, following MJ Williams’ red card.
The 30-year-old is entering the final 12 months of his contract at the National League side, but hasn’t featured for Barrow since his red card against the Moors last month.
Throughout his suspension and time away from the pitch, the Bluebirds have been flying, meaning it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Murray has opted to try and call upon the same players each week whilst the form is the best it’s been all season.
However, during a recent interview with BBC Sport Cumbria, Murray addressed Williams’ future and it appears as though his time with the club could be coming to an end.
When asked whether the versatile midfielder could return to the squad, Murray stated…
“As it stands, the door is shut. MJ (Williams) is a good guy, I’ve got a good relationship with him but from a football point of view, we’re on different pages.
“We’ve seen in recent weeks when we get everyone on the same page, it’s a powerful thing. At the minute, there isn’t a place for MJ. I’ll never say never but we’ve moved to a different page.”
Though Murray doesn’t directly state that Williams could be leaving, the suggestion seems to be that unless there is a sudden u-turn, he won’t be involved moving forward which would likely prompt an exit.
Would an exit be the right thing to do?
Football is an unpredictable sport that can change constantly at any given moment. Barrow have been active in the transfer window, but have also lost a lot of players too, including the likes of Charlie McCann and Wyll Stanway.
Should Barrow’s form change, suspensions occur or injuries happen – then Williams could find himself back in first-team contention, especially given he has begun the season as captain and can play in several different positions.
Similarly, Murray also reported that Williams hasn’t done anything wrong and the pair have a good relationship – implying that attitude problems aren’t the reason, as they can be in many other cases.
Though undisclosed, fans now know that there have been conversations between all parties and their footballing pages aren’t aligning with each other – something that is common in football.
If Barrow’s good form continues or Williams wants first-team minutes, it makes the possibility of an exit likely – whether that’s a short-term loan deal before another assessment down the line, or whether a permanent departure is the best course of action.
