CHAIRMAN Paul Casson will back Barrow AFC manager Paul Cox all the way when he finds the right men to add to his squad.

Cox is looking for more strength-in-depth for his Bluebirds side, with Casson revealing the long-list of potential recruits extends overseas to Germany and other countries.

Barrow are operating with a 20-man squad at present – including Football League loan signings Ryan Yates and Dom Smith – with Cox often stressing the need to bolster the ranks.

Speaking from his home in Texas, Casson – who will be in town to watch AFC in action against York this week – confirmed he will back his manager when it comes to adding anywhere from two to four players.

“One of Paul’s many attributes is that he works 24/7,” said Casson of Cox. “There is probably a list of 60 or 70 players they actively go through – the list obviously changes. He is scouring lists from Germany and from all over.

“He will find the right two, three, four – however many he thinks there has to be – and they will come in.”

While Casson is happy to back Cox in his recruitment drive, he recognises the difficulty in finding players to both complement and add to the current squad.

The form of a side who sit fourth in the National League table and have lost just one of their last nine games means it is hard to line-up signings better than those already playing.

“It’s difficult for (Cox), because they have to be better than what he has got,” said Casson. “Say it’s a winger, he’s got to be better than Jordan Williams, Lindon Meikle, Andy Haworth. In midfield, Alex-Ray Harvey has been an absolute revelation, then there is the new lad Yates, from Nottingham Forest, and they have to be better than them. Up front, how do we find a striker who is better than Harrison, Bennett or Hannah? Hannah can’t even get in the team and he scored 23 goals last year.

“We’re talking about some fairly stratospheric talent that we are going to have to find. There is no point bringing players in who will only sit on the bench. We want people who will make Byron Harrison uncomfortable, so he thinks if he doesn’t step up his game, he will be out of the team. That’s some talent that is required.

“That’s why it’s not that easy. There are a million bodies out there who would happily come here, but that’s not what we want.”