Boss Joe Royle has refuted Spanish striker Pablo Couñago's claim that the reason he is out of the first team is unrelated to football. Couñago, who scored for the reserves on Monday night, has been a bit part player in Town's Championship campaign up to now.

Royle said: "I cannot allow Pablo to make nonsense statements in public without having to respond. I honestly think he is deluded.

"I repeat - if Pablo works hard and plays well there is no problem and he will be in the team. There is absolutely no question of there being a bias against him.

"Pablo's a nice boy with a lot of talent but I don't know what he is thinking with this latest statement. The time has come for him to look long and hard at himself."

"When we reported back for pre-season training he was 20 percent down on the previous season. In a run he came behind a 53-year-old coach (Willie Donachie), who was struggling with a calf strain.

"I saw Pablo score an outstanding goal last night but there are times when he seems to think that running is not in his contract.

"It is there for all to see that you cannot play in the modern game unless you are properly fit."

Royle adds that the ex-Celta Vigo man's fitness was nowhere near what it should have been after the summer: "When we reported back for pre-season training he was 20 percent down on the previous season. In a run he came behind a 53-year-old coach [Willie Donachie], who was struggling with a calf strain.

"I saw Pablo score an outstanding goal last night but there are times when he seems to think that running is not in his contract.

"It is there for all to see that you cannot play in the modern game unless you are properly fit."

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