Central midfield pair Andre Dozzell and Cole Skuse return to the Town squad for Saturday’s final pre-season friendly against League One Charlton at the Valley (KO 3pm).
Dozzell, 18, played the first half of Tuesday’s U23s 4-3 defeat at King’s Lynn having suffered a hip injury while with the victorious England U19s at the European Championships in Georgia.
Skuse, 31, has been unwell and missed the Gillingham and Colchester games as a result but was back training at yesterday’s open day, although still feeling the effects of his illness.
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Still absent are four other central midfielders, Emyr Huws (achilles), Tom Adeyemi (ill), Teddy Bishop (groin) and Luke Hyam (ankle), while winger Bersant Celina has suffered a recurrence of his earlier illness and also won’t make the trip to South London.
Adeyemi has missed all of pre-season but McCarthy is hopeful the summer signing will get up to speed quickly as he recovers.
“Tom’s really struggled with it, it’s just knocked him off his feet, which wouldn’t be easy given the size of him,” the Blues boss said yesterday.
“But he’s a great athlete, there’ll be a couple of weeks and he’ll be fine. As soon as he comes back I think it’ll only take him a couple of weeks before he’s back.”
McCarthy says he’s not sure when Huws will be available: “I can’t tell you exactly because it’s his achilles and they grumble on, so that’s got to be perfect before he comes back.”
Bishop is understood to be likely to return to training next week, although McCarthy was more cautious: “He’s hurt his groin, I couldn’t give you a timeframe on that at all.”
The Town boss was hopeful it wouldn't be too long before Hyam was back in action as he continues his recovery from the injury which ended his 2016/17.
As has been the case throughout pre-season, youngsters Flynn Downes, Tristan Nydam and Conor McKendry will be among the 21 players travelling.
McCarthy says his starting XI against the Addicks will be nearer to the team which lines up against Birmingham on the opening day of the season next Saturday than has been the case in previous friendlies.
“There will be some who are not going to play, George Fowler’s not going to play at right-back, put it that way,” the Blues boss added.
“It’s going to be more the first team squad, the first team squad will be playing and will be subs and I’ll pick the bones out of it for Birmingham here.”
The Charlton squad includes former Blues striker Billy Clarke, who came through Town’s Playford Road academy and was a member of the squad which won the 2005 FA Youth Cup, although injury forced the 29-year-old, who joined the Addicks from Bradford over the summer, out of both legs of the final.
Ex-Town midfielder Lee Bowyer is now the assistant manager back at his first club while Jake Forster-Caskey is the stepson of former Blues frontman Nicky Forster.
Tickets are available via cash turnstiles at the match at £10 for adults and £5 for the over-65s, under-21s, under-18s, while there is a joint-under-18 and adult ticket for £11.
We should get some pointers today as to who will be lining up against Birmingham next saturday although our Midfield has been decimated already with Huws, Adeyemi, Bishop, Hyam, Skuse, Dozzell and now Celina all ill or injured, thankfully a couple return today but Huws is a concern while Adeyemi will need time to get match fit. The positive from this is that I want to see Downes in the starting line up next saturday so will be looking to see if he starts today.
I never really worry about pre season results but it's always good to win the last one so we go into next week on the back of a victory and in confident mood. Unfortunately I won't be going to this one as have an all day BBQ/Garden Party/ p*ss up/Orgy call it what you will, 4 guys 20 girls, couldn't say no really. COYB'S
