Fleetwood Town boss Pete Wild has given updates on three of his players’ injury statuses.
The Cod Army have been inconsistent to start their second season back in League Two, with three wins, draws and losses to their name so far to put them in 15th place. They welcome Colchester United to Highbury this weekend, but will be down a few players to pick from against Danny Cowley’s side.
Three Players Out
Speaking to club media about the latest injury updates, Pete Wild confirmed the absences of both Ronan Coughlan and Shaun Rooney against the U’s. The latter last played in the 1-1 draw with Walsall earlier this month, but has been absent with a persistent foot issue in recent weeks. Coughlan has yet to play football since January, but has now been given a timeframe of a return, alongside midfielder Matty Virtue.
“Matty’s back out on the grass, but we’ll probably struggle for the weekend with him. Shaun Rooney’s probably not going to be available, he’s still suffering with his foot.
“Ronan Coughlan has been free to go back to full training for the first week this week, which is fantastic news for him. He’ll need another couple of weeks of full training to make sure there are no reactions, and then we’ll hopefully target the EFL Trophy game for his first outing.”
Their opponents have an injury boost of their own, with goalkeeper Matt Macey returning from a concussion suffered the last time they visited Lancashire against Accrington Stanley.
Writers’ View
While not pleasing news, it is encouraging signs for Fleetwood Town that they will have three players back in the near future. Matty Virtue’s return is likely to come next week and will be a big boost for Pete Wild to have, considering the reliability he showed last season. Shaun Rooney’s versatility is also a big miss, with Tobias Mullarkey having to fill the void at full-back last time out against Cambridge United. Ronan Coughlan now has a set target of a few weeks before Fleetwood face Leeds United in the EFL Trophy, so it will not be long before their reliable goalscoring option can come back and support James Norwood up front.
