A busy few days at Spotland has seen one player extend his current contract, another sign a permanent deal and the introduction of a new recruit.
On Friday, Ashley Eastham became the 15th player from last season’s squad to either pen a new contract, or sign an extension to his current deal. Febian Brandy joined Dale until the end of the season on Monday, before Reuben Noble-Lazarus made the permanent switch to Spotland from Barnsley on Tuesday.
Speaking to Dale Player about recruitment, Hill commented: “We’re trying to get in front of ourselves on recruitment. We’re signing players and we signed Ashley Eastham [on a longer contract], which is a great signing.
“I think it’s testament to how well he has done and how patient he was last season. While he has been patient he has been learning – he hasn’t been lying dormant, if you like.
“We’re pleased with the recruitment strategy that we’ve got. We’re protecting the club’s interests and we’re making sure that we’re getting the right value for money. We’re not paying over the odds and I think sometimes when you leave things too late on recruitment, or you panic recruit, then you pay over the odds. We’re certainly not doing that, which is good news for the football club.
He added: "Stability and continuity don't breed contempt and they don't breed laziness, especially when you know the players have so much ambition and they're not stagnating. They're stimulated with progress and they want to improve.
"I feel as though we've got players of the right age who are signing contracts. They've got a bigger ambition to play, not just in League One, but maybe the Championship, and while they know that the dream is alive for Rochdale to be playing in the Championship, equally so they have individual ambitions as well.
"And it might be that we lose one or two of them like we have done in the past to Championship or Premier League sides, which is a pat on the back to Rochdale Football Club.
"I do believe that with the age of the players that we're recruiting that there's a real appetite for those players to improve and to improve Rochdale Football Club and the team."
The full interview is available to view on Dale Player.