Boss Paul Jewell says it’s important that defender Tommy Smith gets rest during what will be a busy summer of international action for the 22-year-old. Smith will be away with the New Zealand senior squad for friendlies and World Cup qualifiers, then with the U23 side for the Olympics in London.
Jewell told the club site: "It's a difficult one for Tommy because the Olympics is one of the biggest - if not the biggest sports event in the world.
"He's going to be away with New Zealand in the Solomon Islands from May 20th until June 12th as well, so it's going to be a hectic schedule for him.
"It's important he gets his rest because he has to be careful that when he comes back to us he's not put himself in a position of being burnt out."
The New Zealand senior side play El Salvador and Honduras in friendlies later this month, then Fiji, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands in World Cup qualifiers in June. The U23s play Belarus, Brazil and Egypt at London 2012.
Smith is expected to put pen to paper on a new contract this summer with his current terms up at the end of June.
Meanwhile, defender Damien Delaney says he’s looking forward to Euro 2012 despite missing out on a place in the Republic of Ireland squad: "I know a lot of my mates back home are already planning road trips out to the Euros, or just looking forward to watching the games in local bars back in Ireland. It will be good to join them and support the lads as a fan.”
Elsewhere, defender Ibrahima Sonko says he wasn’t surprised to be released by the Blues and is confident he’ll find another club this summer: "At the end of the day, I hadn’t played much in the last 18 games so I didn’t expect too much.
"I have been in football so long that I just view it as another step that I have to move on to. In life, things happen for a reason and I am sure I will get something else.”
Photo: Action Images