Chase hots up for Town duo (From This Is Swindon Town FC)

SWINDON TOWN: Chase hots up for Town duo

5:50am Thursday 28th June 2012 in Headlines By Sam Morshead

PAOLO Di Canio has confirmed that there has been interest shown in transfer-listed duo Alan Connell and Jonathan Smith.

The pair, who both played major roles in Swindon’s League Two-winning campaign, have been told they are free to find new clubs after Di Canio decided they were not in his plans for the assault on League One in 2012/13.

The Advertiser understands Connell has received attention from several clubs in League One and League Two, while Smith is the subject of reported interest from Oxford and York.

Di Canio hinted that offers could already be on the table for the two players, and he stressed that the next move was down to them.

“Obviously there are some rumours, there are some situations for them because it is obvious that they were protagonists and someone wants them,” he said.

“It depends what they want to do, they have to decide whether to accept or not or if they want for another situation.

“It’s obvious that Jonathan Smith and Alan Connell have got some good situations but they have to decide if they want to go through or maybe wait a bit more, I don’t know.

“It’s up to them now.”

Connell and Smith, the two players the Advertiser reported on Monday as being set to leave Town, have been joined on the transfer list by midfielder Lee Cox and goalkeeper Mattia Lanzano.

And Di Canio explained the reasoning behind the quartet being made available for a move away from Wiltshire.

He said: “Alan Connell was an important part of the team like Jonathan Smith - Lee Cox a little bit less because he joined in January and you can see he is talented but, with the way I want to play in the middle, I discovered he’s not exactly the player I want even if he’s a very talented player.

“Up front I want dynamism, more physical presence and Alan is probably not the kind of striker I would have next year.

“Jonathan Smith is a good midfield player, he’s one that can challenge all round the field, one that gives his heart - but I want to play a bit more football. It will be difficult for Jonathan to find the space.

“It was not fair to tell them to stay and maybe play one game or maybe even not one minute.

“So it is good enough for them to move on because they finished as a protagonist last year and try to find a place where maybe they can play regular football and maybe have a good contract.”

The four players will not travel with the Town squad to Italy for the Robins’ pre-season tour on Sunday.

Instead, they will continue training with a fitness coach at the club’s training ground at Liddington.

Meanwhile, striker Lukas Magera has left Swindon after his contract was cancelled by mutual consent.