Huddersfield Town interim head coach Jon Worthington. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe.Huddersfield Town interim head coach Jon Worthington. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe.
Huddersfield Town interim head coach Jon Worthington. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe.
HUDDERSFIELD Town interim head coach Jon Worthington is confident that Northern Ireland duo Brodie Spencer and Callum Marshall will have taken plenty from their latest international window with their country – even if they and their team-mates were on the end of a heavy loss earlier this week.
A youthful Northern Ireland side were on the receiving end of a 5-1 reverse against Alexander Isak-inspired Sweden in a friendly in Stockholm on Tuesday night.
Despite the margin of defeat, Michael O’Neill’s line-up – the average starting age of the team at just 22.6 years old was the joint-second youngest for the country since 1946 - acquitted themselves well and drew praise from Swedish international and Nottingham Forest winger Anthony Elanga afterwards.
Spencer started the game – as he did in the friendly against Switzerland four nights earlier at Windsor Park – while Marshall came on as a replacement in Scandinavia. The latter was an unused substitute against the Swiss.
Huddersfield Town's Brodie Spencer (left) tackles Barnsley rival Davis Keillor-Dunn in last month's League One derby. Picture: Jonathan GawthorpeHuddersfield Town's Brodie Spencer (left) tackles Barnsley rival Davis Keillor-Dunn in last month's League One derby. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe
Huddersfield Town's Brodie Spencer (left) tackles Barnsley rival Davis Keillor-Dunn in last month's League One derby. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe
The pair were due to return to Town’s Canalside training base on Wednesday afternoon ahead of preparations for Saturday’s League One fixture at Charlton Athletic.
A third Town player busy on the international front was loan winger Tawanda Chirewa, who netted in Zimbabwe’s shock late draw in their World Cup qualifier in Nigeria.
Worthington said: "We are in constant touch with the international teams and squad to make sure the players are getting everything that they need and we are keeping a close eye on them.
"The Irish boys will be back in this afternoon to catch up on some recovery and we will sit down with them as well, so they can join up with the rest of the squad, leading into the weekend.
"It’s massive (experience) and the three boys are all young players and getting exposure at international football, especially with the challenges and game that Brodie and Callum played against top, top quality opposition in Sweden the other night is great experience and learning for them. I am really happy to see them get those opportunities."
Worthington is hopeful that some unnamed players will return to the fray at The Valley this weekend, although he was loath to go into further details.
Among the players unavailable for action ahead of the last international break were David Kasumu, Radinio Balker and Josh Koroma, among others.
Worthington, who takes charge of his first away fixture as Town chief in his second interim spell in charge, added: "The break has come at a good time for us and we are hopeful, at the weekend, that there will be a few more additional bodies available.
"We have still got a few more days training to get to, but the signs are positive.
“The contact time has been great and it has been a great opportunity for us to get more ideas across to the players (in the break). It always helps off the back of a win when you go into a period like this.
"The mentality and positivity of the players has been really good this week and over the past couple of weeks. We are raring to go and itching to get to this game on Saturday."
Related topics:Northern Ireland
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