More senior players out as Lee Clark goes hunting for extra Rotherham United kids
FRUSTRATED Lee Clark has removed three more players from his first-team thinking as he prepares for the final two matches of Rotherham United's injury-blighted League One campaign.
The manager's short-term reign is due to come to an end after tomorrow's home match with Reading and the trip to Wycombe Wanderers the following weekend.
A raft of senior pros have already been ruled out for the remainder of the run-in and Clark this week added three more to that list.
Centre-half Lenny Agbaire is a definite absentee and the boss has little hope of left-back Reece James and midfielder Josh Benson featuring again.
”Lenny has a hamstring issue,” Clark said. ”He'll not be seen for the rest of the season. I'm not expecting any players to come back between now and the end of the season. If they do, it'll be a bonus.”
The Geordie says that in his long career as a player and a manager he has never know an injury situation as severe as the one that has played a major part in Rotherham's relegation this term.
James (hamstring and groin) and Benson (quad) haven't played since the derby loss against Barnsley on April 11.
“They've worked with the physio today, but they're not with the group,” Clark told the Advertiser yesterday. “With the timescale we have, it would be a bit of a surprise - a pleasant surprise - if they came back. I'm not banking on that.”
The boss had only 20 fit players for Tuesday's defeat to Luton Town and is hoping all of them are still in the frame for the Reading clash.
“I've got the same 20, but, remember, it's only Thursday afternoon!” he said. “With our injury problems, every time someone knocks on my door, I just get that sinking feeling.”
He has given teenagers Cohen Lee, James Clarke and Harrison Duncan game time in recent matches and may hand a chance to more youngsters.
“Myself and Peter (number two Leven) are continually on to the academy coaches and Richard Wood (first-team and development coach), who's a little bit of a go-between between the academy and us, to see what we've got and if there are any others who could potentially have that opportunity.
“Unfortunately, I've never had a chance to watch them in live games. That's something I like to do to get a feel for the young players, but their games have been at the same time as ours.
“I've got to say, the lads who've come up have done terrifically well. I've been delighted with their response. Sometimes you forget how young they are. They've come into this scenario and they've done themselves no harm.”