Boss Mick McCarthy says he expects keeper Dean Gerken to be fine to face Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday despite the 28-year-old having been subbed in the first half of last week’s 1-0 home defeat to Burnley with a dead leg. The Town manager says striker Daryl Murphy has suffered a minor injury in training but also ought to be OK.
"He’ll be fine, I think,” McCarthy said of Gerken. "He’s done some work with [goalkeeper-coach] Malcolm Webster and the other keepers this morning.
"Nothing too physical, but he’s joined and got knocked and banged. I think he’ll be all right, I think he’ll be fine.”
If the former Bristol City and Colchester man hadn’t been fit, McCarthy would have had no qualms about naming 17-year-old Michael Crowe in his squad.
"He’s got huge potential,” he said. "We’re all delighted with him that’s why we’ve got him tied down on a longer contract.
"He would have been on the bench. I wasn’t looking to get anybody else in. There’s only one way to see, isn’t there? If he has to play, he has to play.”
He confirmed that the London-born, Norway-raised keeper was withdrawn from the Wales U19 squad — for whom he qualifies via his grandmother — as cover for Gerken.
"He had to train here because we only had one goalkeeper,” McCarthy added. "I would have thought his work here would be better than there.
"If he has to sit on the bench, then I’m sure he’ll be delighted to be around the first team.”
The Town boss says striker Daryl Murphy is the only other injury concern but he also expects him to be fine: "Murph got a bit of a knock yesterday, he’s tweaked his groin, but I’m hopeful he’ll be OK.”
Meanwhile, former Town keeper Arran Lee-Barrett has joined Bolton on a short-term contract after first-choice Adam Bogdan suffered a knee injury in training. One-time Town target Andy Lonergan is expected to take the Hungarian’s place in the side.
The Trotters have also lost loan winger Liam Feeney, who has been recalled by his parent club Millwall.