Blackburn Rovers manager Jon Dahl Tomasson has admitted he is in contact with loanees Jack Vale and John Buckley amid an ever-growing injury crisis at Ewood Park.
The Championship club have had to contend with a number of niggles to key players this season, with the likes of Dom Hyam, Sam Gallagher, Hayden Carter and Joe Rankin-Costello all currently on the treatment table. This has stretched their paper-thin squad to the limit, causing the gaffer selection headaches in recent weeks.
Despite this, Rovers have performed admirably as of late, moving up to as high as 10th in the table before dropping a couple of places with a defeat against neighbours Preston North End last Friday.
This has posed the question as to whether the club would be looking at recalling some of their loanees in January, with Rankin-Costello’s long-term injury prompting rumours that midfielder Buckley could return from Sheffield Wednesday in the New Year.
The 24-year-old was allowed to depart for Hillsborough on a season-long deal on Transfer Deadline Day in search of regular first team football, despite Tomasson’s desire for him to remain in Lancashire. He has since featured 10 times for the Owls, who are in the midst of a huge battle to survive in the second tier.
The Rovers boss was asked if a return could be on the cards, and confirmed that he has been in contact with the player, as well as Jack Vale – who is currently plying his trade at League One outfit Lincoln City. Speaking to The Lancashire Telegraph, the former Danish international said;
“It’s very early days, the January market is not open yet. We have contact with John (Buckley).
“I always have one of the staff, Damien Johnson, who takes control of that. We are analysing John’s games when he is starting and when he is coming from the bench.
“I have a personal contact with him in that way. It’s the same whenever you loan players out, the same with Jack (Vale) at Lincoln.
“You always need to have that connection with the player, to give them a good feeling and to see if he’s doing well, is he doing what he wants?
“For John, it is a difficult situation at Sheffield Wednesday. It’s a difficult situation for Sheffield Wednesday as a club.”
Like Buckley, Vale departed the 1995 Premier League champions on a season-long deal, but was forced to wait until October to make his debut after suffering with his own injury concerns. The striker netted his first goal for the Imps in a 2-0 win over Notts County in the EFL Trophy earlier this month, whilst he has also contributed two assists.
New manager Michael Skubala heads to LN5 with a shortage of attacking options, with both Ben House and Tyler Walker nursing long-term injuries. However, the latter is expected to return in the coming weeks whilst Jack Moylan will arrive from League of Ireland side Shelbourne in January.
Writer’s View
Tomasson’s comments do not cause any immediate cause for concern, especially with the form of top goalscorer Sammie Szmodics. However, further injuries cannot be ruled out and the option to recall Vale could be explored should their talisman become their latest victim.
The 22-year-old has shown glimpses of what he can bring to Lincoln, who are hoping to push for at least a play-off place themselves this season. Moylan’s arrival and Walker’s imminent return should assist with this, but strength in depth will be needed and Imps fans will be keen to see the loanee remain until the end of the campaign.
Head of Writing
