IF Wanderers and Dougie Freedman are to dig themselves out of trouble at the start of the Championship season, then it will be a case of working with what they have got.

While reality is suspended in many football clubs up and down the land today, the final 24 hours of the transfer window, it seems to weigh particularly heavy around the shoulders of the Whites boss, who simply cannot seem to catch a break at present.

Millions will be spent last-minute shopping but Freedman does not expect to invest a penny, unless another manager comes calling for one of his own players.

In the light of a fourth defeat in five, the Scot gave a rather pointed response to a question on whether he will push for more investment from owner Eddie Davies today.

“Nothing changes,” he said. “It hasn’t changed in 18-plus months since I have been here, it certainly won’t in 18 hours.

“If someone phones me up then I’ve got to be ready to say ‘yes’ and get one or two in, or ‘no’ because it isn’t enough money or it doesn’t suit the situation.”

The lack of cash available to Freedman has certainly made his life tougher since he walked through the doors from Crystal Palace.

But there are many fans who argue he should be getting more out of the squad he currently possesses.

The team that took the field at Elland Road was put together with more than £10million in transfer fees and there are quite a few clubs in the division that still look upon the wage bill – albeit drastically reduced – with a tinge of jealousy.

That Freedman is planning ahead into next week’s international break tells you he does not share the view of some that Saturday’s defeat at Leeds was a final nail in the coffin.

Results have been well below expectation, as have performances on the whole, but the Whites boss remains convinced results will change.

“I don’t use the word ‘luck’ but I’m sick because of all the hard work I know goes into this football club that isn’t being rewarded at the minute,” he said.

“I don’t think we’re far wrong. We need to get into a lead and start thinking about keeping it a little longer.

“We should have beaten Leeds. We need to get on a run very quickly and have to get a couple on the bounce, but I think we’re capable.”

While a handful of missed chances looked on the surface to be Wanderers’ main problem against Leeds, Freedman was equally annoyed by the defending for the game’s only goal.

“Our biggest problem is stopping the silly mistakes that seem to be hurting us daily,” he said.

“That gave Leeds something to hang on to. They showed desire to keep the ball out of the back of the net and that was illustrated in the last couple of minutes when we had two clear-cut opportunities.

“The positives are that we created chances, we defended very well after that, but that one mistake at the start of the game was it. I’d told the lads what to expect because that’s all Leeds had in them – the crowd needed something like that to gee them up.”