Town boss Paul Cook was keeping his cards close to his chest regarding the Blues’ injury problems at this morning’s press conference ahead of tomorrow’s home game against Bristol Rovers and says the injury situation at the club hasn’t been great over a period of time and will be something which is looked at at the end of the season.
Kane Vincent-Young was subbed at half-time in last week’s 0-0 draw at Wigan, the right-back’s first competitive start in 17 months. Also missing last week were loanee Luke Matheson with a knock and James Wilson due to a knee problem.
Asked whether Vincent-Young stands a chance of being involved this weekend, Cook said: "It’s always going to be difficult, we’ve got a couple more injuries, if I’m being truthful. I don’t really want to debate each and every individual player, if that’s OK.
"I understand you guys have a job to do. If we were only speaking about one or two people, then I wouldn’t have a problem, but the reality is, the injury situation over a period of time at this club’s not been great, has it?
"We do seem to be adding to it at the minute and I’m not so sure whether that is the games, whether that is fatigue, but it’s something that we’ll seriously look at at the end of the season, that’s for sure.”
He added: "Like every manager, we want our best players on the pitch. A lot’s made of formations, tactics and all the above but there’s 11 v 11 on most pitches up and down the country each week and every manager craves to have his best 11 on the pitch.”
Cook says the injury situation, which goes back some seasons, is something he has identified as something which needs to change.
"One of the ways that I had criticised at Ipswich is that we’ve had too many injuries. I’m not saying players are not injured, I’m not saying that,” he said.
"But it becomes a nice place to be, a treatment room when things aren’t going so well. I prefer teams full of character and life and energy and the best place for those players is on the football pitch. Going forward, that’s the only way it will be at Ipswich Town, the only way.”
Asked about loanee winger Luke Thomas and midfielder Emyr Huws, neither of whom have appeared since he took charge, Cook said: "Again, I’m sure the club will probably making announcements on these guys, so I’ll leave that to the club, if that’s OK.
"Luke’s a different sort of situation, Luke’s had some personal issues that had to be dealt with away from football, so we certainly wish Luke well.
"And obviously Emyr’s is a different situation to Luke’s but I’ll let the club put something out on that, you’ve just caught me out a little bit on that one, sorry.”
Town have played down suggestions that Huws’s contract has been settled, however, it would be little surprise if an agreement of that type was come to with the Wales international out of contract at the end of the season and almost certain to leave.