Town boss Kieran McKenna has revealed on-loan forward Julio Enciso was left out of the team which faced West Ham today as he was focusing on the players who will be at the club next season and also to allow the forward to prepare for Paraguay’s World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Brazil, while Ben Johnson and Alex Palmer were among a number of players who have been ill over the last couple of weeks.

Enciso and Johnson were absentees from the 20-man squad announced ahead of the game, which the visitors won 3-1, McKenna having said there was illness in the camp at his pre-match press conference on Friday.

While Johnson, who joined the Blues after leaving the Hammers last summer, was unwell, McKenna revealed that a decision was taken not to involve Enciso, who has been on loan with the club from Brighton since January.

“Ben ill, Julio, no,” he said. “We decided in the week to focus, to go with the lads who are going to be here next year or permanently with us.

“He’s given a lot to the cause. He’s got big internationals next week, two qualifiers and he had a little niggle as well, so we allowed him to have the few days to prepare for those and we just focused on the game with the boys who have been with us who are going to be with us going forward.”

Enciso made 12 starts and one sub appearance for the Blues, scoring two goals.

Jens Cajuste, on loan from Napoli, was involved and McKenna was asked whether his involvement meant the Sweden international might be returning for next season having had an impressive season and finishing only 36 votes behind Liam Delap for the Supporters Club’s Player of the Year award

“I’ve already answered that, to be fair,” McKenna said. “We’d love to have Jens here, but there’s probably a lot to do for that to happen. We’ll see what the next few weeks brings.”

In addition to Johnson, keeper Alex Palmer dropped out of the side in the warm-up.

“I never like talking about sickness afterwards,” McKenna continued. “But we had a lot of lads with a vomiting bug, to be honest, and there were two or three of them on the pitch today.

“It hit Alex at 2.30pm and it’s been going round the group for the last couple of weeks, so that was a late one. But Christian [Walton] stepped in and did well.”

Photo: Action Images via Reuters

PortmanSi added 19:44 - May 25 Cajuste will be with us next season then…
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Mark added 19:46 - May 25 We are been unfortunate with so many injuries and illnesses this season, that certainly has not helped us. I am so glad we can draw a line under a disappointing season which has highlighted the huge gap between the Championship and Premier League. I look forward to getting back to winning football once again. We certainly have players who can light up the Championship when fit.

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blueoutlook added 19:50 - May 25 If that’s the team for next season, god help us !
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cressi added 19:53 - May 25 Like Cajuste and Delap then.
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Nottsblue66 added 19:55 - May 25 Ha!ha! Ha! McKenna was focusing on the team for next season I think I'll put a bet on us being in bottom 3 then If that's the teams for next season McKenna I think it's time to say goodbye
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virginblue added 20:17 - May 25 Nottsblue it’s you who needs to say goodbye. I’ll lay your bet on us finishing bottom 3 next year. And maybe you’ll lay mine on us going straight back up. Also, please look up the definition of support.
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trevski_s added 20:20 - May 25 "To go with the lads who are going to be here next year or permanently with us" is that a little hint about Cajuste? I do hope we put in for him and with De Bruyne looking likely he's going to Napoli, might help our bid
3

Gforce added 20:21 - May 25 I've heard rumours Cajuste is staying, let's hope they are true.
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Nottsblue66 added 20:39 - May 25 Virginblue- difference between me and you I don't have blinkers on I am not going to praise the team and McKenna for a fantastic season 4 wins and 1 win at home
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virginblue added 20:55 - May 25 Nottsblue difference between you and I is that I didn’t kid myself into thinking this season would be easy. Just remember where we were 3 years ago, and don’t bore me with the whole “that’s the past” nonsense. In 2022 we’d have snapped anybody’s hand off for a home PL win. I love my club, more so since Ashton and McKenna came in. It’s seems you don’t because you think the path to success is simple. Good luck with that.

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benslifeyt added 21:01 - May 25 If cajuste stays we will have best cm in championship
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ArnieM added 21:19 - May 25 Who will be alongside Cajuste then?
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Karlosfandangal added 21:32 - May 25 Anyone who thinks Town will be in the bottom 3 next season knows nothing about football, The squad that they have is good enough for play off at worst. How many goals did Szmodics get in the Championship how many Assits and goals did Clarke get in the Championship, How many Assits did Davis get in the Championship, How many goals did Hutchinson and Assits get in the Championship etc plus Hirst Broadhead Burns Philogene Ognbebe O’Shea Greaves Palmer Woolfenden etc and whoever Town buy

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jungleboy added 21:34 - May 25 We have to be in a confident frame of mind for the start of next season. A well organised pre-season set of games is crucial, including all new players. We didn't really have that this season and, with very tough early fixtures, failed to get off to a good start.
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Gforce added 23:38 - May 25 @@ArnieM......Hopefully Tom Cairney from Fulham.
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armchaircritic59 added 23:44 - May 25 Nottsblue66, I worked for a bookmaker for a little while in a previous incarnation. I can tell you, you'll be quoted a nice juicy price for us finishing in the bottom 3 three next season, how much would you be prepared to stake?
1

armchaircritic59 added 23:46 - May 25 I forgot to say, there's absolutely nothing wrong with having that opinion, you're entitled to it as much as others are entitled to theirs, but are you prepared to put your money where your mouth is?
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wischip added 10:06 - May 26 There seems to have been more illnesses go through our squad this season than usual.
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PortmanTerrorist added 10:40 - May 26 OK so on face value and am talking about his face at end of match when we were singing his name, Burgess is gone (bad), Axel stays (brilliant), Leif Stays (hopefully), Omari stays (hopefully)....and Jens stays. That last one is a quandary. Never fully fit, surely will cope less well with rigours of Championship. Also, great going forward, but him failing to get back and plug that space in front of Leif and Greives (the way Mass has done so well for us) cost us as a team and has really impacted those 2 defenders making them look silly when it was really Jens fault....and where did West Ham's 2 goals come from....the space in front of Leif and Greives! Loved watching Jens, but am a hard "NO" on that one for next season.

1

Bazza8564 added 11:49 - May 26 Ive admired Jens this season but he looks as he's been on the beach for the last two games so im surprised he started ahead of Taylor if this really was a statement of who will be here next season. Interested to read comments about other players. Personally I would cash in on Lief if we can get £20m for him and if someone matches Omari's £35m release clause (which I doubt) and Delaps £30m thats a big pot. Fulham were quoted as sniffing around Ben Johnson at £10m, and Harness, Walton, Al Hamadi possibly will probably move on, as will Broadhead, who I understand has been close to being allowed to leave in the last two windows. That leaves you a nucleus of Palmer, Muric and Slicker Clarke Tuenzebe, Oshea, Wolfenden Townsend Greaves Morsy Taylor (Cajuste maybe) Humphreys Burns Ogbone Chaplin Szmodics Clarke Philogene Hirst And somewhere at a maximum of £90-£100m to spend. Now before everybody goes wild at me, TWTD has carried all these potential exits so i'm only repeating possibilities, and yes, i'm painting a deliberately extreme position. It's maybes! The point I'm trying to make here is that whilst the painful season has been awful to go through, £100m (without parachute money of £35m), plus that nucleus might feel a bit better and perhaps people will get the rationale behind what Mark Ashton did with rebuilding a completely new foundation of young players who should only get better. Rather than roll the dice on finishing 17th and risking the fabric of the club, a la Sheepshanks, have we not got a base on which to build 5 players at £20m plus a couple of season year loans with obligations to purchase?? Imagine what that could buy! We know Cajustes fee is £10m, I believe we are widely expected to buy Flynn Downes back, maybe another £15m. Perhaps before the keyboard warriors start whingeing that they think we are suddenly Real Madrid and should have won the title, they will reflect on the position Mark has "potentially" put us in

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mutters added 14:18 - May 26 Don't rise to Nottsblues, he only started supporting the town when we go promoted back to the Premier League. No interest before and so his comments are highly irrelevant
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Keanos_Barmy added 16:46 - May 26 Have heard that O'Shea is likely to be leaving as well. Unfortunately.
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Bazza8564 added 18:15 - May 26 Keanos. Whats the word on O'Shea then? Mark tends to set the relegation clauses at twice the payment so another £30m, wheres he going because that would surprise me given he is heir elect to club captain?
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