Injury crisis continues
Ian Holloway admitted that Swindon Town will keep managing several squad members over the next few weeks after a summer plagued by injuries. Eight players were absent for the club’s first League Two match, and the injury list has grown with the return of pre-season setbacks.
During the Northampton Town game Holloway started Ollie Clarke and left Ryan Tafazolli on the bench, knowing neither could play a full 90 minutes. Clarke’s calf problem meant he only played in three of the first four friendlies, missing the matches against Bristol City and Leyton Orient, and he has only logged more than 45 minutes once.
Tafazolli made three substitute appearances of 30 minutes or less, while Ollie Palmer’s only over-45-minute outing came against Leyton Orient.
Pre-season setbacks and new arrivals
The injury woes were compounded by the arrival of Joseph Hungbo, who was left out of Wigan Athletic’s pre-season matches before joining Swindon. Sam Inwood suffered a hamstring tear against Cardiff City after a sudden jump from 30 minutes to a full 90, highlighting the risk of rushing players into action.
Holloway said: “I think that it is going to have to be for a couple of weeks, as some of them have missed severe chunks of pre-season.” He added that he might start Hungbo for 60 minutes against Cheltenham, but would not play him for the full 90 if he “is slaughtering people.”
Looking ahead to Cheltenham
Swindon hope that Joe Snowdon and Paul Glatzel will return for the Cheltenham Town fixture. Glatzel was a surprise absence at Northampton, having seized up the previous day, and Snowdon has had multiple hamstring problems but is expected back in training this week. Even if they return, Snowdon will be eased in after weeks without play, and Glatzel will be monitored after recovering from the injury that kept him out of the second half of last season.
