Three injury doubts for new Peterborough United boss Luke Williams as he prepares to take charge for the first time
Peterborough United boss Luke Williams has a number of injury concerns to contend with as he picks a side for his first match in charge on Saturday.
Ahead of Posh’s FA Cup First Round tie at home to League One high-flyers Cardiff City, Williams spoke to the media for the first time and named getting the whole squad fit as quickly as possible as one of his first priorities.
That comment likely stemmed from the fact that Posh have three key players all unlikely to feature. George Nevett, Matt Garbett and Jimmy-Jay Morgan all limped out of Darren Ferguson’s final game in charge at home to Blackpool with knocks.
While Williams only met the players for the first time on Wednesday, he was able to offer some insight into the three players. He did not believe the injuries to any of the three was too serious.
He said: “We’re are probably going right down to the wire on those and we’ll see if its sensible or not for them to train or play.
"I don’t think anything is so serious that those guys are going to be sidelined for a long period of time but it’s going to be touch and go whether we can get the ready for the next game. I certainly don’t think it will be too long for any of them though.”
By the time Saturday comes, Williams will have had just two days with his new players before he leads them out of face Cardiff, the arch-rivals of his previous club Swansea City. Williams managed in three South Wales derbies, managing one win, one draw and one defeat.
Speaking on the challenges of picking a side with so little time with his new players, Williams added: “
“It will be difficult because the more you know about your own group, the easier it is to set up a gameplan but we will do everything we can to prepare the group as well as we can.
“It’s a huge challenge and it’s impossible to know exactly everyone’s strengths and weaknesses and the best position for each player but I will try to use the time as best I can and watch the previous matches as well as taking some advice from the staff and chairman to come up with a team selection.
“We just want the guys to show the best side of themselves and then we can possibly get a good result.
“Cardiff are doing fantastically well this season. They have a brilliant manager who plays a really good brand of football so it will be so tough. Victory for me will be sweeter because of my connection with the Swans fans. We will see but we know it will be a very tough game.”
Posh have not lost an FA Cup First Round tie since being beaten by non-league Burton Albion in 2005 but did lose 2-1 away at Cardiff on the opening day of the season.