21-02-2025, 13:50
HECK
Paul Heckingbottom confirmed Mads Frøkjær is a doubt for PNE’s upcoming Sky Bet Championship clash against Coventry City.
The midfielder finished the midweek draw against Millwall struggling with an injury and he might not make Saturday’s trip to the CBS Arena.
Lewis Gibson was also limping against the Lions, although the gaffer expects he’ll be fine, while long-term absentee and skipper Ben Whiteman has stepped up his recovery.
Hecky said: “Ben's been running on the grass today. I think the medical team are sort of holding him back because symptom-wise he feels great, but obviously there's a healing timeframe which you can't beat.
“The medical team are really keen to make sure that his ankle is strong enough before he comes back into football. So he’s still a little bit away but he's really happy where he is.
“You can always see a difference in a player when they're coming back in each of those stages when they start. They get a boot off and then they get bored of the gym and then when they start going outside, they're buzzing, and then they get bored of running, then they need the ball, and then they’re bored of that, then they want to be back in training. So, yeah, he’s still got a bit to go, but he's happy where he is and so are the medical team.”
North End go to Coventry looking to extend an impressive 22-game unbeaten run against the Sky Blues, and an upturn in form away from home in recent weeks.
PNE have won two of the last three on the road, with the most recent being a victory against Norwich City.
On the away performances, Hecky said: “I've very rarely been critical of us. When I have, it's been the same sort of feeling I've had about what’s been wrong. I’ve been a lot more focused on that, and I've been really pleased with the performances away from home.
“Not only in terms of how we've made it difficult for the opposition, but then how we’ve performed with the ball as well and been the better team. So, yeah, we want more of the same.
“We're playing against a team with good energy and good hunger. They'll feel like they're right in with a shout now of the Play-Offs, so we're playing against a team who are playing for things, but I generally like them games. We’ll prepare ourselves properly to make it a really, really good game.”
SKECHERS MAN
Frank Lampard is looking for his side to build on recent results when they take on Preston North End this weekend.
City take on PNE having come off the back of a run of six wins in their last league outings, a run which has seen them rise up the Championship table.
Lampard has a enjoyed a week’s training leading up to the clash this weekend and ahead of the meeting, City’s Head Coach previewed the fixture, whilst providing a fitness update on Haji Wright and Ben Sheaf.
Looking back at the week building up to facing Preston North End…
“It’s been nice to have a solid week of training. It’s been a busy schedule, and I know it is for everyone, but it affects your training time.
“We’ve also got players coming back from injury, so it’s been good to be altogether and have a bit of a breather, in terms of, we’ve had a run of very good results, but there’s still a lot of work to do.
“Training groundwork is the best way to tackle some of those things and the squad is getting a bit stronger in the sense of players coming back, so it’s been a positive week, but it needs to lead into a positive weekend.”
Update on Haji Wright and Ben Sheaf…
“He’s going well, he’s turned a corner and is training with us, now it’s about getting his match fitness up to be ready to be able to contribute on the pitch.
“I know he is an important player. I haven’t seen him for us, but I know what he is, so he’s very close.
“Ben is probably a little bit ahead of Haji, purely because of less time out and match fitness, so he could be in the squad this week or next.”
Continuing to build on recent results and not getting complacent…
“At the moment we’re getting good results, but there is a long way to go and a lot of weeks and games to go, so momentum is a great word when you’re in it but just as dangerous of a word to get complacent about.
“People talk about momentum, yes, we’ve moved up the table a lot, but when people talk about historical momentum that gets you into the play-offs, sometimes that’s a late run and we can’t consider we’re near that.
“We have to continue with where we’re at and there will be difficult moments in the next games.
“We’re in a good place, but we need to continue with it, which comes from work and focus, as a group.”
Coming up against Preston North End…
“Preston is going to be a really difficult game in many ways and they’re not to be underestimated. They’re an aggressive team, man-to-man marking at times in high pressure and they’re physical.
“Very difficult to play against for different reasons, so I’m considering nothing about momentum and all these things in this moment in time, I’m thinking about Preston because it’s going to be a difficult game.”
Coventry’s record against PNE…
“I’m aware of the record, because there are a lot of Coventry people that work here so they feel more emotionally attached to it than others.
“It’s not my record, it’s Coventry’s but now I’m a big part of Coventry so I understand it, but I focus on the game as what it is, so for me it’s not that much of a thing, other than preparing the team well and getting three points.
“So, it would be nice to win the game, which is so important to us now and break that record that hangs over us slightly.”
Player’s returning from injury and competition for places in the squad…
“We’re getting back to a place where we have that. We haven’t had it at times if I’m honest, especially when Ephron got injured as well, Haji was already out.
“You need in this physical league, in-game chances to impact games. We did it last week against Sheffield Wednesday, we could make three subs in one go that bring energy and quality into the team.
“I’m not going to complain about having it, it’s a really positive thing and it gives me options in different ways because of the adaptability of Haji, Ephron and Pato.”
Paul Heckingbottom confirmed Mads Frøkjær is a doubt for PNE’s upcoming Sky Bet Championship clash against Coventry City.
The midfielder finished the midweek draw against Millwall struggling with an injury and he might not make Saturday’s trip to the CBS Arena.
Lewis Gibson was also limping against the Lions, although the gaffer expects he’ll be fine, while long-term absentee and skipper Ben Whiteman has stepped up his recovery.
Hecky said: “Ben's been running on the grass today. I think the medical team are sort of holding him back because symptom-wise he feels great, but obviously there's a healing timeframe which you can't beat.
“The medical team are really keen to make sure that his ankle is strong enough before he comes back into football. So he’s still a little bit away but he's really happy where he is.
“You can always see a difference in a player when they're coming back in each of those stages when they start. They get a boot off and then they get bored of the gym and then when they start going outside, they're buzzing, and then they get bored of running, then they need the ball, and then they’re bored of that, then they want to be back in training. So, yeah, he’s still got a bit to go, but he's happy where he is and so are the medical team.”
North End go to Coventry looking to extend an impressive 22-game unbeaten run against the Sky Blues, and an upturn in form away from home in recent weeks.
PNE have won two of the last three on the road, with the most recent being a victory against Norwich City.
On the away performances, Hecky said: “I've very rarely been critical of us. When I have, it's been the same sort of feeling I've had about what’s been wrong. I’ve been a lot more focused on that, and I've been really pleased with the performances away from home.
“Not only in terms of how we've made it difficult for the opposition, but then how we’ve performed with the ball as well and been the better team. So, yeah, we want more of the same.
“We're playing against a team with good energy and good hunger. They'll feel like they're right in with a shout now of the Play-Offs, so we're playing against a team who are playing for things, but I generally like them games. We’ll prepare ourselves properly to make it a really, really good game.”
SKECHERS MAN
Frank Lampard is looking for his side to build on recent results when they take on Preston North End this weekend.
City take on PNE having come off the back of a run of six wins in their last league outings, a run which has seen them rise up the Championship table.
Lampard has a enjoyed a week’s training leading up to the clash this weekend and ahead of the meeting, City’s Head Coach previewed the fixture, whilst providing a fitness update on Haji Wright and Ben Sheaf.
Looking back at the week building up to facing Preston North End…
“It’s been nice to have a solid week of training. It’s been a busy schedule, and I know it is for everyone, but it affects your training time.
“We’ve also got players coming back from injury, so it’s been good to be altogether and have a bit of a breather, in terms of, we’ve had a run of very good results, but there’s still a lot of work to do.
“Training groundwork is the best way to tackle some of those things and the squad is getting a bit stronger in the sense of players coming back, so it’s been a positive week, but it needs to lead into a positive weekend.”
Update on Haji Wright and Ben Sheaf…
“He’s going well, he’s turned a corner and is training with us, now it’s about getting his match fitness up to be ready to be able to contribute on the pitch.
“I know he is an important player. I haven’t seen him for us, but I know what he is, so he’s very close.
“Ben is probably a little bit ahead of Haji, purely because of less time out and match fitness, so he could be in the squad this week or next.”
Continuing to build on recent results and not getting complacent…
“At the moment we’re getting good results, but there is a long way to go and a lot of weeks and games to go, so momentum is a great word when you’re in it but just as dangerous of a word to get complacent about.
“People talk about momentum, yes, we’ve moved up the table a lot, but when people talk about historical momentum that gets you into the play-offs, sometimes that’s a late run and we can’t consider we’re near that.
“We have to continue with where we’re at and there will be difficult moments in the next games.
“We’re in a good place, but we need to continue with it, which comes from work and focus, as a group.”
Coming up against Preston North End…
“Preston is going to be a really difficult game in many ways and they’re not to be underestimated. They’re an aggressive team, man-to-man marking at times in high pressure and they’re physical.
“Very difficult to play against for different reasons, so I’m considering nothing about momentum and all these things in this moment in time, I’m thinking about Preston because it’s going to be a difficult game.”
Coventry’s record against PNE…
“I’m aware of the record, because there are a lot of Coventry people that work here so they feel more emotionally attached to it than others.
“It’s not my record, it’s Coventry’s but now I’m a big part of Coventry so I understand it, but I focus on the game as what it is, so for me it’s not that much of a thing, other than preparing the team well and getting three points.
“So, it would be nice to win the game, which is so important to us now and break that record that hangs over us slightly.”
Player’s returning from injury and competition for places in the squad…
“We’re getting back to a place where we have that. We haven’t had it at times if I’m honest, especially when Ephron got injured as well, Haji was already out.
“You need in this physical league, in-game chances to impact games. We did it last week against Sheffield Wednesday, we could make three subs in one go that bring energy and quality into the team.
“I’m not going to complain about having it, it’s a really positive thing and it gives me options in different ways because of the adaptability of Haji, Ephron and Pato.”
Why should a man go to work, if he has the health and strength to stay in bed?