International omission puts fresh query on Sheffield Wednesday v Plymouth Argyle fate
Sheffield Wednesday are approaching a possible international break.
The fate of Sheffield Wednesday’s next League One home match could rest on any further injuries after one international was omitted from his nation’s squad for an upcoming tournament.
On-loan forward Ali Al-Hamadi has been struggling with an injury that kept him out of the weekend’s draw with Blackpool, though he is mobile and has been doing individual running exercises at Middlewood Road. Iraq are celebrating the return of international football to the country with a four-nation tournament in Basra in the November round of FIFA fixtures, which clashes with the visit of the Pilgrims on November 14.
Recovering Al-Hamadi has not been included in Graham Arnold’s squad for that tournament. Posting to social media this week he said: “Frustratingly it has been stop-start the last few weeks for me personally. Working as hard as ever to stay on that pitch, help the team and reach our goals for this season.”
The fate of the Plymouth match could ultimately rest on the avoidance of injury to three Wednesday players; Yan Valery (Tunisia), Harry Gray (England u19s) and Kieran Morrison (Northern Ireland). EFL clubs can choose to postpone matches that clash with the international break if three or more of their senior players are called away to their nations. International players with lesser involvement in the season, in Wednesday’s case the likes of Zimbabwe’s Sean Fusire and Wales youth international Will Grainger, do not count towards the tally.
Liverpool loan figure Morrison has already been called up to the Northern Ireland squad, though the wait is on for confirmation of Gray’s involvement in the England youth ranks and Valery’s call-up to Tunisia. All are expected to be selected as things stand - though an injury or two between now and then could see the Owls drop beneath the three-man threshold and have to play regardless.
The game could also be postponed on Plymouth’s end, though the Pilgrims were one of three teams to play both matches in the last break that saw two rounds of League One matches impacted and are not expected to have a raft of call-ups this time around.
Speaking at the time, boss Tom Cleverly said: “We want to play. We want to stay in the rhythm. We want to get points on the board. We are desperate to play. I see that every day in training. We have got 18-20 guys who are desperate to be in the team, to have an impact if they come off the bench, to make sure that standards are high on and off the pitch.”