Andrew Omobamidele injury update.
Norwich City manager Dean Smith has confirmed that Andrew Omobamidele is back in training after the defender missed Ireland’s recent Nations League games with injury.
Omobamidele was initially named in Kenny’s squad for the meetings with Scotland and Armenia, only for him to withdraw four days later due to a groin injury.
Talks with Kenny.
The 20-year-old hasn’t appeared for Ireland since a late cameo against Luxembourg in November of last year but all going well over the next few weeks, he could be back in the fold for the November friendlies against Norway and Malta.
On Thursday, Smith gave an update on Omobamidele’s condition, as well as that of Grant Hanley, who missed Scotland’s recent internationals.
The manager also spoke positively of the lines of communication on the issues with Ireland manager Stephen Kenny and Scotland boss Steve Clarke.
Dean Smith on Andrew Omobamidele.
“They’re both training today,” he said. “They haven’t trained obviously up until then. Grant had an injection after the game against West Brom in his shoulder. And he feels a lot better after he’s done some non contact training. But that’s as much as you could do.
“Andrew needed to recover with a slight groin. And it was too risky to go and play games. Both managers and countries were understanding of that. In those situations it is about good communication. Grant got through a game against West Brom but he certainly needed some intervention to enable him to be ready to play now.”
Defenders thrive in Omobamidele’s absence.
During Omobamidele’s prolonged absence from the Ireland squad, Kenny appears to have settled on a central-defensive trio of Nathan Collins, John Egan and Dara O’Shea.
It is a combination that has largely performed well, notwithstanding the concession of late goals against both Scotland and Armenia in recent days.
The Norwich defender looks to have a job on his hands to get back into the Ireland side, but he has shown in his past appearances in a green jersey that he is well up to the task.
On Saturday, the Canaries will host a Preston side that features Robbie Brady, Troy Parrott and Alan Browne.
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