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Wickham Set to Travel to Coventry
Wickham Set to Travel to Coventry
Friday, 19th Dec 2008 12:16

Academy schoolboy striker Connor Wickham will travel with the Town first team squad for Saturday's game at Coventry. The 15-year-old would become the Blues' youngest ever player if he is involved against the Sky Blues.

Boss Jim Magilton explained the thinking behind the youngster's inclusion: "It's a taste of first team football for him, which will give him an insight into how we do our business.

"We rate the boy highly. It's all part of his education and I'm sure he will benefit from that.”

Wickham, a big, powerful striker, was born on 31st March 1993, which makes him 15 years and 263 days old. Town's current youngest ever first teamer is Jason Dozzell, who made his debut (and scored) coincidentally against tomorrow's opponents Coventry on 4th February 1984 when aged 16 years 57 days.

The Colchester-based frontman recently scored his first England U16s goal in their Sky Sports Victory Shield win against Scotland at Lincoln's Sincil Bank while winning his second cap at that level.

In the summer, Wickham, who also qualifies to play for both the Republic and Northern Ireland, won four U17 caps and scored once at the Nordic Tournament in Denmark in which England annually field an U16 squad, despite the competition being for the older age group.

Magilton hinted at the striker's inclusion at some point over Christmas a week ago: "He's an outstanding individual. He's making massive strides, he's played at schoolboy level for England and I think he's going to be a big, big player for this football club. He's not far away.

"We've always brought players through and he's the next one, I think. We have high hopes for the lad. He'll bring enthusiasm and quality and he's a wonderful athlete.”

Town will assess defenders David Wright and Gareth McAuley again today but the duo look set to take their places in the backline. Pim Balkestein and Iván Campo would come in if McAuley and Wright fail to make it, while the Blues are without suspended trio Alex Bruce, Ben Thatcher and Owen Garvan.

Wright, who missed last week's defeat to Cardiff due to a virus and who has had a hamstring problem, will replace Thatcher, who is suspended for one match after being sent off for two bookable offences against the Bluebirds. Moritz Volz will continue on the right of the defence.

Skipper McAuley is expected to be OK after hurting his shin when he collided with a post during the Cardiff game and is likely to be partnered by Richard Naylor, with Bruce serving the second match of a four-game ban for his sending off against Bristol City.


Midfielder Garvan picked up his fifth yellow card of the season during the Cardiff match.

With Garvan missing, Magilton could continue with Veliche Shumulikoski and David Norris at the centre of the midfield, although Tommy Miller could be in line for a recall.

The Town manager has preferred to use Jon Walters up front in recent away games, which would see Norris move to the right of midfield, which would lead to Miller's recall. Walters's inclusion as a striker also gives the Blues the option of switching to a five-man midfield. Darren Ambrose will probably keep his position on the left.

Disappointing displays from Pablo Couñago and Jon Stead last week, may see the return of Kevin Lisbie, while Danny Haynes – and perhaps Connor Wickham – could be in line to come off the bench later in the game.

Magilton says the squad are determined to get back to winning ways: "We are all very disappointed about last week's display but we can't wait to take on Coventry City at the Ricoh Arena tomorrow in the Coca-Cola Championship.

"We have regrouped and we are all in this together and think we can win the game.”

The Sky Blues have had good news on the injury front this week with defender Stephen Wright and striker Leon McKenzie both coming through a training game. Wright has missed much of the season with an achilles problem, while McKenzie tore a thigh muscle in October.

However, manager Chris Coleman will be without captain Scott Dann (shoulder) and midfielder Guillaume Beuzelin (knee), while Leon Best, Clinton Morrison, Freddy Eastwood and Elliott Ward have all been suffering with the flu this week. Striker Michael Mifsud is over a bout of food poisoning which saw him miss last week's game at Charlton.

Coventry currently sit two places and three points behind the Blues in 14th with a less than impressive home record of three wins, four draws and four defeats, the most recent victory a 4-1 drubbing of Southampton back on October 4th.

Coleman says he has tried to play down the problem in training: "I haven't mentioned it to the lads once this week. There's no point in me saying ‘go out and enjoy yourself' because you know that's just not realistic.

"They are desperate to do well at the Ricoh but my biggest criticism of them at the moment is that they get too anxious at home.

"They're too tense – they can't produce the flowing football that they can in away matches.

"At home they feel we have to excite, to be creative and attack. They want the three points so much that there's always the danger of losing their shape.

"If the opposition string four or five passes together we sometimes panic and start rushing around because we want to get the ball back.

"We've got to be patient – there will be intervals when they're on top, but if they're not hurting us we can afford bide our time a little bit.”

Coleman is aware of Town's up and down recent results: "Ipswich have been a bit inconsistent like us. They have been strong at home, although they lost their last one, but they beat Bristol City 3-1 before that, off the back of losing at Norwich.

"They are a good footballing team who can be anything or nothing, which is this league to be honest.”

Town have a good record against the Sky Blues over the years, winning 34 games (32 in the league) losing 20 times (18) and with 21 matches (20) ending in draws. The Blues last won at the Ricoh Arena on Boxing Day 2006, Alan Lee and Jon Macken securing a 2-1 victory with Michael Doyle netting a last minute consolation for the home side.

Last season, goals from Pablo Couñago (2), Jason De Vos and Jon Walters saw Town to a 4-1 victory over the Sky Blues at Portman Road, with Stephen Hughes netting for Coventry.

At the Ricoh Arena, Julian Gray and Dele Adebola helped the home side to a 2-1 win, Danny Haynes scoring for the Blues. Town had Tommy Miller red-carded in the final minute for a second yellow card, although video replays showed the midfielder made no contact with Michael Doyle.

Ex-Town keeper Andy Marshall is a current member of the Coventry squad, although he has played only twice this season and conceded three goals on each occasion. No member of Jim Magilton's squad has played for the Sky Blues, although Moritz Volz played for their manager Chris Coleman at Fulham.

Premier League referee Rob Styles from Waterlooville in Hampshire is officiating, having shown 46 yellow and three red cards in 15 games so far this season. Styles's most recent Town match was the 2-2 draw at Norwich last season in which he booked five players, including Pablo Couñago, Gary Roberts and Sylvain Legwinski, and also red-carded Darren Huckerby.

Likely squad: R Wright, Supple, D Wright, Volz, McAuley, Naylor, Balkestein, Campo, Shumulikoski, Norris, Miller, Walters, Ambrose, Quinn, Couñago, Stead, Lisbie, Haynes, Wickham.


Photo: Action Images



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