Tag Futebol

Wilfried Zaha has appeared to be a ray of sunshine among what has been largely been a bleak pre-season for Manchester United. The importance of results in the lead up to the league season shouldn’t be overstated, but it is clear in any case that David Moyes’ start for the Premier League giants has been far from easy. Zaha’s early promise could well prompt a temptation to fast track the youngster into the Premier League side, but would such a move be too much too soon for Zaha?

The Ivory Coast born winger joined United as part of a £15m deal from Crystal Palace in January this year. The young Englishman joined on a five and a half year deal having spent the majority of his youth based in South London. However, when Sir Alex spoke of the deal, the onus was very much on potential.

“We like to sign players with potential. We develop players and that’s been proven many times. Hopefully the boy enjoys it here,” Ferguson said.

The Football League Championship PFA player of the season spent the back end of the last year spearheading Palace’s successful assault back towards the Premier League. A player who shows on-field maturity beyond his years and footballing talent to be marvelled at; is he ready for the first team?

[cat_link cat=”manchester-united” type=”list”]

The 20-year-old has so far coped with every challenge that the game has thrown at him. Impressing at both club and international level, he appears a young man to approach everything with a degree of calm and ease. With Manchester United going through something of a transitional phase post Ferguson perhaps this is the kind of player to really forge out Moyes’ new era at the club.

Suggestions are that Moyes will indeed persevere with the youngster in the first team, with early indications that a loan move remains unlikely at the moment. Keen to develop the player with the experience of a Ryan Giggs still in an around the squad, remaining at United for the mean time could be the best bet.

The risk with any young talent is that they are involved too much too soon. While Zaha may be ready mentally for the Premier League, he is not at a stage physically to cope with the rigorous demands week in week out. Yes United could well do with his talents at the moment; Nani appears close to the exit door, Giggs is in the twilight of his career and Valencia’s form has taken a dive of late. However, excessive exposure now could hinder Zaha in the long term and this is a risk United must weigh up carefully.

There has been a long line of players whose careers have suffered burnout as a result of heightened expectations at such young ages.  Players such as Raheem Sterling have been rushed in to cover for first-team inadequacies in the short term but forced to suffer longer-term injury and burnout in the process. Michael Owen is another example of a player who was accelerated into the first team fold, and yes he was extremely successful. The long-term costs of his early successes were only really felt during the back-end of a career that never saw his early promise truly materialise. So will United learn from the lessons of the past?

I believe they will. David Moyes is an experienced manager who knows how to get the very best out of his resources. If he wants to create a dynasty at the club it is important that he shows a degree of patience regarding the development of Wilfried Zaha. Similarly Manchester United are a club that has great experience and success in respect of developing young stars and I believe that their approach will be just as restrained and cautious. United are hardly a club without the squad to alleviate pressure from its youngest assets, and I believe that additions will be made to bolster what they already possess.

Smaller clubs with a greater reliance on one man may well be tempted to drive a player like Zaha into the ground and whilst United appear to be desperate for some attacking quality at the moment I don’t believe they will be reckless enough to run the risk of burning out a future star.

So yes Zaha represents one of the most exciting talents that United have captured in recent times. Whilst United face one of the toughest seasons in memory I do not believe it is the time to panic and throw a player like Zaha into the firing line. In the short term this could be a hindrance to the club, but patience in the long run could see the development of a future star for both club and country.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Should Zaha be fast-tracked into the first team?

Join the debate below

[ad_pod id=’sky-1′ align=’center’]

When the first international break of the season comes around it gives a club time to reflect on a their start to the domestic campaign and assess how their new faces have settled in to their new environment. For the Gunners they can look back on the first two weeks of the new term with a broad smile on their face. Three games in, no goals conceded and five points from a possible nine on the board. Not bad after a summer that saw Arsene Wenger wave goodbye to his two most influential players. A 2-0 victory at Anfield last Sunday certainly laid bare a slight modification in philosophy at the Emirates Stadium with many attributing the North Londoners’ promising start to the influence of Steve Bould following his promotion to assistant manager in place of recently retired Pat Rice. It may only be early doors but Bould’s influence has already shone through with the Gunners back four visibly brimming with confidence, structure and discipline Wengers’ new number two is rightly taking the plaudits for that. With an attack bristling with new blood, fresh energy and bags of creativity  there is a sense that the club, having removed any remnants of past glories, are now ready to move forward and finally end its seven year trophy drought.

This week on FFC is Abou Diaby the man to the hole left by Alex Song in midfield and why is Bacary Sagna criticising the Gunners current transfer policy?

[divider]

Best of FFC

Will new rulings see many look to Arsenal as the ideal blueprint

What state do Arsenal currently find themselves in…

What is going on with Cesc Fabregas?

Are we looking too much into his influence at the Emirates?

This Diaby fever can last all season…

A genuine upgrade at Arsenal?

What does Wenger do with this embarrasment of riches?

Arsenal star hails Bould’s influence at the Emirates

Kouyate confirms Arsenal transfer talks

Arsenal hopeful of securing a new deal

[divider]


Best of WEB

[divider]

When Does A Stadium Become Home? – A Cultured Left Foot

Could he be on his way back to Arsenal? – Gunnersphere

The Other Man That Makes Arsenal Money – Online Gooner

Can he really be Arsenal’s new Song? – Gunnersphere

Don’t tell me that you think it’s green … – Arseblog

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Peter Hill-Wood defends Arsene and Arsenal – shock / horror | Steve Bould fan club grows and grows… – Le Grove

So we didn’t play that well then, the opposition were just poor! What Rubbish! – Highbury House

Jack Wilshere Will Surely Be Key To Arsenal’s Season – Transfer Tavern

[divider]

Quote of the Week

[divider]

“I expected the departure of Robin van Persie. We all expected it. It was ‘obvious’. But the Alex one, it was a surprise! He is 24 years old, he has three years remaining on his contract. I still do not understand. It is huge loss for the club. When you see the two best players of last season leave, you have a lot of questions. Sometimes in the street the fans talk to me. I can understand they are upset. I am just like them, I don’t understand everything. At Arsenal you come back after holidays, you make preparations, and you see two players leave and the season resumes – it has been like that since I have been at the club. I am used to it now” Bacary Sagna criticises Arsenal summer transfer policy

[divider]

Featured Video

A section of Leeds fans are mercilessly bashing Pontus Jansson, after the defender was selected in Sweden’s World Cup squad.

When Pontus Jansson joined Leeds permanently last summer, fans were delighted to have the towering defender back at Elland Road.

Jansson had been a huge success during his loan stay from Torino, and the move to make him a permanent addition was a huge show of ambition from the club.

[ad_pod ]

As has so often been the case at Elland Road in recent years though, things didn’t quite go to plan, and the 27 year-old has quickly gone from fan favourite to scapegoat.

Jansson scored three times this season, and averaged an impressive 9.3 clearances per game, but fans were less than impressed by his attitude, as the defender seemed to completely give up when the going got tough.

Some fans even felt Jansson faked an injury against Preston North End, and they’re now bashing Sweden’s decision to take him to the World Cup.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Of course, the majority of fans are wishing all the best to their big Swede, but plenty have expressed their concerns over the selection, with some even suggesting he’ll be playing for a move.

some of the best Twitter reactions can be found below…

If there is one thing Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers deserves praise for it is the impressive role he plays in developing many of England’s most talented youngsters.

The Northern Irish manager has been responsible in showcasing the talents of the likes of Raheem Sterling, Jordan Henderson, Jordon Ibe and Emre Can. He has integrated them all into the first team and helped them become vital for their club and, in some cases, country.

And another youngster with a bright future at Anfield is defender Andre Wisdom.

The young talent signed a new four-year deal in May and is expected to play an important role in the future for the Reds.

Rodgers gave Wisdom his big break back in 2012 when he made his debut in a Europa League clash against Young Boys and due to a number of defensive injuries, the player became a regular member of the squad that season.

Since then the player has been sent on a number of loan spells to further his development, with time spent at Derby County and then West Brom last season.

Unfortunately, during his time at West Brom the youngster’s development was halted following the arrival of manager Tony Pulis in December. The Welshman didn’t regard Wisdom as part of his plans and the defender was limited to just six appearances in the second half of the campaign.

This means the player isn’t where Rodgers wants him to be experience wise and now Wisdom is being sent on another season long loan, this time to Norwich City.

Following the arrival of Nathaniel Clyne at Anfield, there is no gap to give Wisdom the necessary time in the first team.

In what will prove a massive season for the under pressure Liverpool boss, he needs his players to perform and will not want to take many risks with selection looking to the established members of his squad to lead his side’s rejuvenation.

And Norwich provide the perfect opportunity for the player. He moves to the side as one of their best defenders and will most likely feature heavily for the Canaries this season.

The newly promoted side gain a talented young defender who is comfortable on the ball. The 22-year-old is also extremely versatile. Although prominently played at right-back, he is comfortable playing anywhere along the back line.

After his troubled spell at West Brom, Wisdom will have a point to prove to his former boss Pulis and will be determined to showcase the talents that the Baggies missed out on, which will great news for Norwich.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Alex Neil is a great motivator and he will play an integral role in developing his new addition further. Similarly to Brendan Rodgers, he looks to get the best out of his players and motivates them to go that extra mile and to push themselves to a higher level of performance.

Wisdom himself knows how important this year is for his future. The defender is at that crucial stage of his Liverpool career where he has to make an impression on Rodgers, otherwise he could find himself at the bottom of the pecking order on his return to Anfield.

The youngster has all the talent needed to succeed at the top level, it’s just a case of taking every opportunity he gets.

The message from the ownership of Manchester City has reverberated loud and clear in recent weeks, second best simply will not do. The modern era of the Premier League has seen a far more ruthless approach from all football clubs as managers are judged purely on results. The Blues chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak has insisted that his side must win all the competitions they enter as they prepare for another wave of spending when they appoint their new manager within the next few weeks. Is a large transfer kitty really enough to ensure success? or has the focus on the money spent meant that ensuring the club’s mission to become the world’s best is always destined to fail?

The Man City official club website emblazoned the message of the chairman stating “The target now is to win every competition that we play in. It is a high ambition, but we have the organisation and the squad to get us there”. It was made abundantly clear to Roberto Mancini that he had the funds there to improve his squad at the end of last campaign and because he had this resource available he was expected to succeed. The signings of Aguero, Silva and Yaya Toure who had already proven their world class pedigree was enough to convince Al Mubarak and co that Man City should have been competing with the elite clubs. The prize assets all remained at The Etihad, so there was no reason why there should have been a decrease in form, in theory.

It was clear at the beginning of last season Manchester City had a squad of individual players that were capable of winning back to back titles, but no cohesion is guaranteed in a side. There may be players who are superstars on their own but Manchester United proved that determination and team spirit are critical in securing the Premier League’s top prize. The margins within the two sides were narrow going into what proved to be both Manchester managers final seasons. Robin Van Persie has since been pointed to as the difference between winning and losing the title. He picked the red half of Manchester because of the chance to work with one of the finest managers the game has even seen and a football club which has always prided itself on stability. The stellar players that are the only ones which can truly improve this current Manchester City team this summer could now shun the Citizens for similar reasons Van Persie did last summer.

[post_link url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/premiership/manchester-city/new-boss-set-for-manchester-city-spending-spree,https://www.footballfancast.com/football-blogs/samuels-wrong-to-question-man-citys-decision-to-persue-pellegrini,https://www.footballfancast.com/premiership/manchester-city/spanish-winger-set-for-man-city-move,https://www.footballfancast.com/premiership/manchester-city/baster-confirms-manchester-city-interest,https://www.footballfancast.com/premiership/manchester-city/manchester-city-job-an-option-pellegrini” target=_blank” type=”list”]

The insistence that what Mancini delivered was not good enough, may be all well and good, but sacking a manager on the exact day he won them their first title in 40 years that delivered the supporters the prize they craved the most is hardly suggesting the commitment to building a long term legacy is it? What will world class players believe they are signing into when they scribble across the dotted line at Eastlands? It hardly will fill the new manager, which is widely expected to be Manuel Pellegrini, with any confidence that he will have any opportunity to stick around and win trophies spanning across many years like Sir Alex Ferguson did at Manchester United. The Man City board have set an extremely dangerous precedent in so much as, if Pellegrini delivers the Premier League this year but then failed to again the following year, would he immediately have to be sacked then too?

Al Mubarak finished his most recent statement by saying “ we all felt it was time for a change”, but it has led many to wonder whether this is the first transition of many. In the chase for perfection on all fronts, there could be a losing of what the long terms aim were in the first place.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Fulham manager Martin Jol has expressed little worry over losing Moussa Dembele over the next few days, as he insists it would take a large sum for Fulham to part with the Belgian international.

Dembele has reportedly attracted attention from other clubs after a series of impressive performances for the Cottagers over the past couple of years. He has started the new season in fine style, posing plenty of problems for Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday in a 3-2 defeat. The way he played could lead to some late interest in the transfer market, but Jol doubts whether anyone will lodge a bid that would tempt Fulham to sell.

Dembele has always stressed that he is happy at Craven Cottage and remains a key part of Jol’s plans, unlike somebody such as Clint Dempsey who has been left out so far this term after declaring a wish to move on. Asked about Dembele, Jol told Sky Sports: “He plays and he likes the club, so there’s no problem. You have to pay a lot of money to get Dembele. There won’t be a lot of clubs putting that sort of money on the table, so I think we are fine.”

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

[ad_pod id=’dfp-mpu’ align=’right’]

Chelsea’s season, which has played out against a backdrop of managerial unrest and fan discontent, was in danger of petering out when Tottenham put themselves eight points clear of the Blues in the race for the Champions League back in March.

However, under-fire Antonio Conte has guided his side into the final of the FA Cup and there is a smidgen of hope that they can sneak their way into the Champions League places.

If they do, it will be due to the sloppiness of this Sunday’s visitors to Stamford Bridge, Liverpool, who have taken their eye off the ball domestically in order to ensure qualification for the final of Europe’s elite competition this season.

A victory over the Reds would put the two sides level on points and while Liverpool would still be in the box seat with the far superior goal difference, they would need to get all three points against Brighton on the final day of the season to make the top four place safe, which is less than ideal with the Champions League final in Kiev looming.

So this is a huge match for Conte and that brings about no shortage of key questions for the Italian to answer and we’ve taken a look a look at some of the most pressing…

Which Liverpool will turn up?

Liverpool’s rampage to the final of the Champions League has been spearheaded by the frightening front three of former Chelsea man Mo Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane but Klopp might wish to wrap them in cotton wool ahead of the encounter with Real Madrid later this month.

None of the Reds’ potential replacements are in the same league and if Klopp does choose to rest any or all of them, it should substantially ease the pressure on the home backline and embolden them to hold a higher line.

Liverpool’s recent Premier League performances have lacked the focus and intensity of their Champions League displays and if that continues here, it could hand Chelsea the initiative.

Should Conte recall Willian?

Chelsea edged past a timid Swansea side last weekend by matching the Welsh side’s conservative 3-5-2 system by clogging the midfield with Tiemoue Bakayoko alongside N’Golo Kante and goalscorer Cesc Fabregas.

Here, Conte may be tempted to recall Willian in anticipation of a more end-to-end encounter. That would resemble more of a 3-4-2-1 with the Brazilian and Eden Hazard given licence to roam in between the visiting defence and midfield.

Alternatively, matching Liverpool up three against three in the centre of the park might stem the Red tide and allow Hazard free reign to cause havoc solo, popping up wherever he wants. It’s a big call that could shape the match.

How do you stop Mo Salah?

In pursuit of Ian Rush’s Anfield goalscoring record goal haul in the space of a season, Salah has stumbled slightly in his last two games, drawing blanks against Stoke and former club Roma.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Nevertheless, it is still one of the toughest tasks in world football to stop Salah and Roma found out to their peril in the first leg of their encounter with the Reds how hard it is to prevent the Egyptian, who has 57 caps for his country, from wreaking havoc by using a three-man defence.

Chelsea cannot afford to leave space on the outside of their full-backs for Salah – and Sadio Mane – to run into but playing with a back five against such a relentless pressing outfit could make for a long afternoon.

[ad_pod ]

Breaking into a PSG team filled with high profile names and world renowned stars wouldn’t be an easy task for any player currently plying their trade in the modern game, let alone a home-grown star who is seemingly forced to operate within the shadows of his more commercially viable, poster-friendly counterparts.

That however, is exactly what 28-year-old Blaise Matuidi has so far achieved during his time at the Parc des Princes stadium – and the combative Frenchman is simply thriving as a result. The central midfielder has not only managed to break into the star-studded squad currently on the books at PSG in recent years, but he has also successfully maintained his place in the first team and gone down as a solid starter for Laurent Blanc’s side so far this season.

Such an impressive record from the former Saint Etienne man has subsequently not gone unnoticed across the rest of Europe, as since the culmination of the January transfer window, Manchester United have reportedly been linked with brining the no. 14 to the Premier League next season for a hefty fee of around £25 million.

In light of such a potentially expensive investment from Louis van Gaal’s side, would Blaise Matuidi ultimately be suited to the English game throughout the 2015/16 campaign, and could the Red Devils actually aim higher than the supposedly in-demand Frenchman this summer?

[ad_pod id=’ffc-video-small’ align=’left’]

Well for one thing, to label Matuidi as ‘not good enough’ for the Premier League would only be doing a great disservice to the player’s overall game. The 28-year-old PSG favourite has not only been a big success in Ligue 1 throughout his time with the Parisian giants, but he has also been arguably one of the standout performers for PSG so far in the Champions League.

Some of Blanc’s perhaps more high profile names – such as Edinson Cavani and Ezequiel Lavezzi – simply haven’t stepped up to the plate for their team in Europe for one reason or another, yet Blaise Matuidi has certainly been a worthy servant for the club with his consistent level of performance in club football’s most illustrious tournament.

The midfield enforcer may not be gifted with a great amount of elegance on the ball when he plays it across the pitch, the determined Frenchman simply doesn’t operate with the technical brilliance and gifted control that many would have expected from someone in his position, and of course, no one will be comparing the PSG no. 14 to the likes of Andrea Pirlo or Xabi Alonso any time soon – but as Blaise Matuidi is more than capable of performing the ugly side of the modern game – he will seemingly always go down as a strong asset for his respective manager.

In putting in countless crunching tackles, several goal saving blocks, and breaking up moves from the opposition on an almost week-to-week basis, the 28-year-old midfielder has certainly done well to emulate the legendary Claude Makelele since his retirement, both for club and country.

Having made such a positive case for Matuidi’s skill-set and overall game however, Manchester United could still nonetheless aim higher than the tenacious Frenchman throughout the coming summer. He simply isn’t THE player Louis van Gaal needs right now, and although he could certainly do a good job down at Old Trafford across the course of next season, the Red Devils have to spend their money more wisely this time around if they want to avoid an embarrassing repeat of this season’s shortcomings.

Not only do Manchester United have to replace the increasingly ineffective Robin van Persie in the striking department for next season – not to mention needing to have a good look over the club’s somewhat frail looking back-four sooner or later – but as the ageing Michael Carrick will likely be on his way out of Old Trafford in the not too distant future, an elegant midfielder with a keen eye for a through-ball will be most required for the Red Devils next term.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Van Gaal already has Daley Blind to count upon to cover the gritty side of being a modern day Premier League midfielder after all, so spending close to £25 million on a player so similar to the Dutchman would simply have to go down as another huge waste of money at Old Trafford, should they follow through on their reported interest in Matuidi.

With all things considered, even though the current PSG man has certainly staked a worthy claim for himself in the past few seasons, Blaise Matuidi is just not the player Manchester United require going into the 2015/16 campaign.

[ad_pod id=’election’ align=’center’]

Wigan have doubts over the fitness of Antolin Alcaraz after the defender picked up a hamstring injury at the weekend.

Alcaraz has only just returned to the first team following a lengthy spell out with a groin injury and any more time on the sidelines will come as a huge blow to Latics.

The return of Alcaraz coincided with an upturn in results as Latics have won five out of the last nine games but there is still plenty of hard work to do if they are to beat the drop and they need the defender fit.

Roberto Martinez is now waiting to hear the full extent of the damage and will be hoping and praying that it is nothing serious, with just five games of the season remaining.

“The injury to Antolin made for a very difficult afternoon for us at West Ham,” he told the Wigan Evening Post. “He’s got a soft tissue injury to the back of his hamstring, and so we’ll assess him this week before discovering exactly how long he’ll be out for.

“It’s obviously a real negative note, and had an effect on how we wanted to play.”

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

[cat_link cat=”wigan-athletic” type=”grid”]

Marsh confirms he is not ready to play yet but should be right for Australia’s World Cup opener “barring any setbacks”

Alex Malcolm02-May-2024Australia’s new T20I captain Mitchell Marsh has confirmed his recovery from a hamstring “is on track” despite initially taking longer than expected, although he admits he can’t afford a setback in the build-up in Australia’s first World Cup match against Oman on June 6 in Barbados.Marsh has not played since his last appearance for Delhi Capitals in the IPL on April 3 due to a right hamstring strain. He was flown home from the IPL to Perth on April 12 to do his initial recovery with Australia team physiotherapist Nick Jones, who is also based in Perth.Two weeks later, Capitals confirmed he would miss the remainder of the IPL after Marsh’s initial recovery from the injury had taken longer than anticipated.Related

• McDonald confident Marsh will be fit to bowl for start of the World Cup

• 'Where do you fit him in?' – Hazlewood says Fraser-McGurk's time will come

• Mitchell Marsh to miss remainder of IPL 2024 with hamstring injury

• Takeaways: Why Fraser-McGurk and Smith missed out on T20 World Cup selection

• Fraser-McGurk and Smith left out of Australia's T20 World Cup squad

Speaking in Perth on Thursday after being confirmed as Australia’s captain for the World Cup, Marsh said he was still working back to full fitness but was confident he would be right for the World Cup.”The hammy is good, it’s coming along really well,” Marsh said. “It’s pretty much exactly where we want it to be. It’s one of those things. Just got to get it right over the next three weeks and get on the plane.”If we had to play tomorrow, I would be in a bit of trouble. Still a couple of weeks away, and the timing probably sits perfectly barring any setbacks.”Marsh’s hamstring concern is part of the reason why Cameron Green has been included in the 15-man squad ahead of the in-form Jake Fraser-McGurk. If Marsh needs to play as a batter only or needs to be managed early in the tournament and anything were to happen to the other injury-prone pace-bowling allrounder in Marcus Stoinis, Australia would not have had a pace-bowling option to bat in their top seven.”Anytime there’s a World Cup team picked, there’s only 15 and some guys have to miss out,” Marsh said. “But I think we’ve got a really great squad that we’ve picked, we’ve got a lot of versatility, a lot of experience. And that brings a lot of excitement.”Australia T20I captain Mitchell Marsh poses in their new jersey for the T20 World Cup•Cricket Australia

Australia are holding two separate training camps in Brisbane across each of the next two weeks for the players who aren’t playing in the IPL. Josh Hazlewood, Adam Zampa, Ashton Agar, Josh Inglis and Marsh will head there to get some nets and fitness preparation done before heading to the Caribbean. Marsh is a chance to be at both camps but would likely be on light duties for the first one. Others who missed out on the squad but could still be taken as a travelling reserve, including Xavier Bartlett, are also likely to be involved. Bartlett is set to head to England for the T20 Blast at the end of May.Australia’s other major fitness concern heading to the World Cup is David Warner, who is still recovering from some deep bone bruising in his finger after copping a blow on the hand while batting against Lucknow Super Giants on April 12. He missed a game and then returned to play against Sunrisers Hyderabad but was still experiencing soreness and hasn’t played since. It is understood he could return to batting later this week but Australia’s chairman of selectors George Bailey was unsure when he would be pain-free again.”It’s still causing him a fair bit of discomfort,” Bailey said on Wednesday. “So obviously we’ll monitor that. Hopefully, he can get back and play a couple more games in the IPL to finish off, but I think it’s just one of those ones, just some deep-seated bone bruising and is going to take a little bit of time.”But I don’t think anyone’s going to be able to give him a really definitive answer on how long that’ll be.”Marsh has backed Warner to be a vital cog in Australia’s campaign in what will be his swansong from international cricket after retiring from Test and ODI cricket earlier this year.”It’s been a long last hurrah, hasn’t it for Davey?” Marsh said. “We’re always really excited to have him in the team. Just the experience that he brings. I think if we look back at his career. There’s been so many big moments that you need your big experienced players to stand up and Davey has always been one of those. So we’re lucky to have him.”