Oxford United players are hoping the club's ownership and management issues can be sorted out soon - so they know where they stand.

As speculation continues that chairman Firoz Kassam is moving closer to handing control of the football club to the Argentine management team, goalkeeper Chris Tardif says all the players want is stability.

The U's have already had three different bosses at the Kassam Stadium this season, with Ramon Diaz following on from Graham Rix and then caretaker-manager Darren Patterson.

And if Diaz and his team were to leave in the summer, it could throw team-building plans back to square one.

"All we want is stability," said United's No 1.

"We really want to know what's happening next season - that goes for those who are under contract for another year, like me, and for those whose contracts are coming up.

"We're all playing for our jobs at the moment."

Diaz and his assistant, Jean Marc Goiran, were unavailable for comment, and are believed to have returned briefly to Monaco.

And while it's always the case that players are happy with the management if they're in the team, and less so if they're not, there's a general feeling that the club have moved forward with the new set-up.

"Things are done better behind the scenes," Tardif said. "That is maybe more to do with the chairman giving them scope to do things how they want. I'm sure previous managers would have liked that scope."

Meanwhile, after discussions with goalkeeping coach Alan Judge, Tardif has set himself a target of clean sheets between now and the end of the season.

United have had just two shut-outs in their last 19 matches, which is the main reason why they are down in 17th place in the table.

And although the keeper can't be blamed for 90 per cent of the goals conceded, he is still determined to improve the team's defensive record.

"I've been talking with Judgey and we've set a target for the last 11 games," he said.

"I won't say what it is, because that's between me and Judgey.

"But it is down to personal performance as well. At the start of the season I set myself a clean sheet target and if we have a really good finish to the season I can still achieve that, though it will take some getting!"