Ipswich Town’s clash with Preston tomorrow will come too soon for returning midfielder Emyr Huws, with Tom Adeyemi also set to miss out.
An Achilles injury has meant Huws has yet to feature for the Blues since turning last season’s loan spell into a £1million permanent switch and, despite playing 90 minutes for the Under 23s on Monday, is not yet ready for Championship action despite suggestions he could feature.
He will now play for the Blues youth side again this Monday before joining up with the Wales squad for friendlies with France and Panama, having trained with the Ipswich first team today along with long-term absentee Teddy Bishop.
With Adeyemi again absent with a hamstring injury, Mick McCarthy is working with the same squad which lost at Cardiff on Tuesday when the Lilywhites come to Portman Road.
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“We have no new problems and it’s the same squad,” McCarthy said.
“Emyr is training with us, as is Teddy, but not ready to be playing yet. He (Huws) will play in our Under 23s on Monday and then he will join up with Wales and could get some football there, which is going to help him.
“He’s only had one game last week since May and that doesn’t relly constitute him starting. He’s been out on the training pitch with us for a couple of weeks, has a smile on his face and is getting back to his old self.
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“Watching him and Teddy train with the first team has shown me the ability we have missed with those two.”
When asked if Cole Skuse, Adeyemi and Huws would have been preferred midfield three at the start of the season, McCarthy said: “If we were playing 4-3-3 they would have been nailed on to start. There’s Teddy Bishop and Luke Hyam who could have been fit but those three are really good, solid, talented players.
“We saw how good Emyr was here last season, so for him not to kick a ball for us is disappointing. We need some bodies back.”
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