STFC News
SWINDON TOWN: Magera Czechs out...for now
6:00am Wednesday 22nd February 2012
INTERIM chairman Jeremy Wray insists Lukas Magera still has a future at Swindon, despite moving on loan to Czech Republic side Banik Ostrava for the remainder of the season.
The striker signed a two-year deal with the Robins back in August but injuries and poor form has seen him struggle to hold down a regular starting spot under Paolo Di Canio.
Magera is now behind Paul Benson, Alan Connell, Billy Bodin and Ronan Murray in the pecking order and his former club Banik made contact with Swindon to discuss his availability.
The 29-year-old will now return to his native country, but Wray stressed that time has not been called on his long-term future at Swindon.
“He has played for them before and they came in for him. Their season runs on for a bit longer than ours does, they need a striker and they know Lucas,” he told the Advertiser.
“He very much wants to be a part of things here going forward but realises he is not going to get games in the short term and it seemed best for both him and ourselves for him to go there.
“He needs to go out and play. It is no secret that he has found League Two quite tough but he might be one of those players who does better in a League One situation.
“He is clearly a quality player, you don’t become a Czech Republic international without having something about you, but I think it just works sensibly for him to go out on loan in the short term and then we will pick it up at the end of the season.”
Magera is one of the big earners at the County Ground and Banik will make a contribution towards his wages during his time at the club.
Wray also confirmed Swindon are still actively working on bringing in another striker to help in the end of season run in, and that a new arrival could well be on the horizon.
“It is no secret that we are still looking for cover up front,” he added. “Paul Benson is soldering on playing the role of a holding striker but we want someone to come in as cover for that.
“There are one or two we are looking at, something may happen shortly so we will see.”
Meanwhile, Wray and Nick Watkins are due to meet with the FA in the coming weeks to discuss a number of issues related to Swindon, who have found themselves in hot water with English football’s governing body on a couple of occasions in recent weeks.