Neil Redfearn's Sheffield Wednesday team news...
Neil Redfearn is pleased with how things are progressing on the injury front ahead of the visit of Sheffield Wednesday to AESSEAL New York Stadium on Friday.The Millers boss has had a number of players in the treatment room since his appointment to the Rotherham United hotseat but a number of names on the injury list are nearing a return following a hectic week in the Sky Bet Championship calendar.
Redfearn is yet to have midfielder Joe Newell available for selection but the former Peterborough United man has returned to training and the Millers’ boss is hopeful he will be involved on Friday.
“Joe has trained which is good and he doesn’t seem to have had any reaction. I think that hopefully if he comes in today and there’s no swelling then he can train again,” he told www.themillers.co.uk.
Both Joe Mattock and Danny Ward picked up injuries and Griffin Park while Lee Frecklington is nearing full fitness following time out with a calf injury and Redfearn is pleased with how the injury situation is improving.
“Joe Mattock is back light training which is a plus and obviously Lee Frecklington is still on with his rehab and he’s a fair way down the line with that.
“Danny Ward’s back is starting to free up a little bit, so things are starting to lighten up and if I look at the squad last night we were down to the bare bones a little bit but everybody had their hands to the pump and we made sure we got something out of the game."
Mattock scored the Millers’ goal in spectacular fashion before being withdrawn in the capital and Redfearn is pleased that his shoulder injury isn’t as bad as first feared following further medical examination.
“There’s nothing major there which is obviously the main thing,” he enthused.
“He’s got a little bit of a light strapping on to train with just to give him some support but the conversation I had with him he said it was feeling okay and the strapping was doing its job.
“We want to get him back out there and back playing and he’s obviously desperate to play because it’s Sheffield Wednesday and it adds competition.”
The Millers will have played three times since the trip to London when they take on Sheffield Wednesday on Sky on Friday evening but the Millers’ boss is pleased with the application of his players over the course of the last week.
“It’s a massive turnaround of games,” Redfearn explained.
“We’ve got to look at everything and how the lads have reacted and I have to say they put a real shift in against Reading and even against Brentford.
“They’ve come through it really well as regards fitness and the physical side of things. They’ve been in all week and we’ve had the head count and the lads have cooled down properly in the pool so we’re hoping that they’re okay legs-wise and they’re all going to want to play in this game which is a great game to play in."