Post by Neko Bazu on Feb 17, 2007 8:43:10 GMT -1
From the Luton Town site:
Alright! Onwards and upwards, lads! ;D
Hatters boss Mike Newell had some encouraging news for Luton fans at Thursday's pre-match press conference at Kenilworth Road.
In a hectic period of fixture congestion which saw his side play eleven games in just six weeks, the Manager was in the unfamiliar position of having an enforced two week break without a match following the postponement of last Saturday's home game against Norwich.
Although Newell indicated that he would rather have played the Canaries last Saturday, he did highlight the obvious advantages of his squad having the extra time off to prepare for this week's Championship clash at Stoke City.
Newell said: "It was disappointing but it might have been a blessing in disguise with the injuries that we currently have, and another week off will allow us to get those players closer to fitness."
Finland international defender Markus Heikkinen looks set to make a long-awaited return to the starting line-up, while Dean Morgan and Lewis Emanuel have both overcome the injuries that would have forced them to miss the Norwich game, had it not been postponed.
Newell added: "They were both very doubtful. Well, Lewis wouldn't have played and I don't think Dean would have, either.
"Markus is available for Saturday, which is a big bonus for us."
Despite the injury boost, there is still some way to go for some of the other key Hatters players as Warren Feeney, Leon Barnett and Ahmet Brkovic are all still struggling with injuries.
"I think it's come too soon for Leon and Warren. Although, maybe next week we'll have those two available again.
"Brko's struggling a little bit. It's a ligament injury to both sides of the ankle and he's not back with us (training) yet. We can't really put a time on it at the moment."
Club skipper Chris Coyne is also on the mend after hobbling off the pitch with a knee injury in last month's FA Cup defeat to Blackburn, and will be looking to step up his training schedule next week.
"Coyney's back running again and doing bits and pieces."
After a bright start to last season, Luton suffered their first defeat of the 2005/06 campaign at the Britannia Stadium when Steve Howard was controversially sent off early in the match.
The Hatters were 1-0 up at the time, but were eventually pegged back to 1-1 before a stunning injury time strike from Dave Brammer robbed them of a point.
Newell recalled: "Certainly last season's game was a massive disappointment because we played very well there, and for a large part of it we played with ten men, after Howard was sent off in the first 20 minutes.
"Then we conceded a late goal which was a bit of a worldy in the top corner."
However, the Luton boss was quick to point out that Saturday's trip to Staffordshire is not a revenge mission, adding that his team are already highly motivated enough to take on Tony Pulis's side.
"It hit us hard that day but we'll go there the same as we go anywhere - aiming to beat them. You need to win games in this league, but points will add up eventually if we don't get beat."
In a hectic period of fixture congestion which saw his side play eleven games in just six weeks, the Manager was in the unfamiliar position of having an enforced two week break without a match following the postponement of last Saturday's home game against Norwich.
Although Newell indicated that he would rather have played the Canaries last Saturday, he did highlight the obvious advantages of his squad having the extra time off to prepare for this week's Championship clash at Stoke City.
Newell said: "It was disappointing but it might have been a blessing in disguise with the injuries that we currently have, and another week off will allow us to get those players closer to fitness."
Finland international defender Markus Heikkinen looks set to make a long-awaited return to the starting line-up, while Dean Morgan and Lewis Emanuel have both overcome the injuries that would have forced them to miss the Norwich game, had it not been postponed.
Newell added: "They were both very doubtful. Well, Lewis wouldn't have played and I don't think Dean would have, either.
"Markus is available for Saturday, which is a big bonus for us."
Despite the injury boost, there is still some way to go for some of the other key Hatters players as Warren Feeney, Leon Barnett and Ahmet Brkovic are all still struggling with injuries.
"I think it's come too soon for Leon and Warren. Although, maybe next week we'll have those two available again.
"Brko's struggling a little bit. It's a ligament injury to both sides of the ankle and he's not back with us (training) yet. We can't really put a time on it at the moment."
Club skipper Chris Coyne is also on the mend after hobbling off the pitch with a knee injury in last month's FA Cup defeat to Blackburn, and will be looking to step up his training schedule next week.
"Coyney's back running again and doing bits and pieces."
After a bright start to last season, Luton suffered their first defeat of the 2005/06 campaign at the Britannia Stadium when Steve Howard was controversially sent off early in the match.
The Hatters were 1-0 up at the time, but were eventually pegged back to 1-1 before a stunning injury time strike from Dave Brammer robbed them of a point.
Newell recalled: "Certainly last season's game was a massive disappointment because we played very well there, and for a large part of it we played with ten men, after Howard was sent off in the first 20 minutes.
"Then we conceded a late goal which was a bit of a worldy in the top corner."
However, the Luton boss was quick to point out that Saturday's trip to Staffordshire is not a revenge mission, adding that his team are already highly motivated enough to take on Tony Pulis's side.
"It hit us hard that day but we'll go there the same as we go anywhere - aiming to beat them. You need to win games in this league, but points will add up eventually if we don't get beat."
Alright! Onwards and upwards, lads! ;D
