Counago and Campo given extra time off

Derek Davis

PABLO Counago and Iván Campo have been given extra time off during the international break as Ipswich Town's preparations for the Reading game are put on hold.

The Spanish duo have returned to the continent for a few days while Town have Alex Bruce, Owen Garvan, Gareth McAuley and Veliche Shumulikoski, are on duty with their respective counties.

Blues first team coach Bryan Klug has been left in charge of the rest of the team while Magilton is in Northern Ireland to spend time with his family and work as a media pundit for the national team.

Klug admits he would rather they were working to put things right as they seek their first home league win of the season.

He said: “It's a rotten time to have the break really because the one thing you want to do is get back out on the field and put it right

"We've lost some of our players who we want to do work with so it makes it a little bit difficult but the players that are here have worked hard and responded well to what went on at the weekend.

"We would have liked to have had another game pretty quick. When we get our players back next week that's when we really can start planning for the next game."

Town have not been helped by the disruption caused by the transfer market, with deals still going on even on deadline day.

Klug said: “It's been very unsettling for everybody. There's been speculation about players coming in and I don't think it has helped us. We want to get our squad together now and get on the training field and work with them."

Klug has asked fans to be patient as he and manager Jim Magilton try to build a whole new team, with two more possibly arriving on loan next week.

He said: “I think we're trying to integrate a lot of new players into the team and it does take time.

"Wolves are the best team we've played this year by a long chalk and they've had the basis for that team for a couple of years.

"We're really putting together a second team and it's going to take time and people have got to understand that.”

Town hope Owen Garvan gets some playing time after being laid low with a stomach bug of late while at the same time no-one picks up injuries.

“Owen has gone over there and we're hoping he plays in the games because through illness and one thing or another he's not had enough football since the first day of the season. We want him to have played in the games.

"Obviously, we want to get them all back here fit with no injuries and then we will assess how much it has taken out of them because travelling in international football is hard work."