HEREFORD manager Josh Gowling says that waiting for his targets to make a decision has delayed his retained list.

Hereford currently only have two players contracted for next season in Ryan McLean and Harry Pinchard.

The Bulls boss says he has been in talks with targets for next season and their responses will dictate his retained list.

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“I know the budget but what we’ve got to do is look at where we want to strengthen so that makes the retained list harder," said Gowling.

“With the budget you have you want to keep a core of the players but also want to strengthen. I’ve known our targets for months, we’ve had the conversations with players but aren’t going to be able to get them all.

“Seeing which ones we get will determine which ones we keep. That’s why the retained list hasn’t come out yet.

“Some players want to wait because the play-offs are still going on and other clubs haven’t made decisions so these things drag on a little bit.

“We’ve spoken to a core of the group already and we hope that they will stay. We’ve also spoken to our targets so we’ll see how it plays out in the next couple of weeks.

“Season tickets and Boost the Budget will help massively with our recruitment. The idea was to keep the core of the squad together and add three or four but we’re not going to be able to do that, that’s for sure."

Gowling says that Hereford are not currently in a position to 'take risks' on contracting lots of players meaning they have the recruit players different.

“I’ll be diligent in the market and keep finding these players that have slipped through the net, we bring them in and develop them,” added Gowling.

“We have to be a bit more frugal in the transfer market. I know people want signings now but you’ve got to be more shrewd and diligent and have to wait.

“When you’re a bigger club you can afford to take the risk and have all your players on contracts, it’s not an issue because you’re willing to take that risk.

“We’re not, so you have to box clever. The thing is with non-contract players if they do well their agents tout them around everywhere and inevitably, they want more money or go elsewhere.

“We’ve got a squad at the moment that can compete at this level and there’s a few little kinks that we need to iron out and players to bring in to really progress next season and we will be better next season, that’s for sure.

“If you look at the squads we’re playing against for monetary value we’ve had an unbelievable season.

“Next year we will be looking to lean on the youth team at times and are looking to promote two or three of the youth team into the squad.

“There’s a good centre-half, a good midfielder and a good striker in there so we’re going to look at bringing them into the squad next year.

“To help their development but also the numbers of the squad."