The Tigers boss has plenty to consider when he prepares his team for a crucial Good Friday
Liam Millar and Ivor Pandur are both set to be in Canada and the US, respectively, until late next week(Image: Anna Gowthorpe/Shutterstock)
Hull City head coach Sergej Jakirovic will be forced to assess Ivor Pandur and Liam Millar when they return from international duty late next week, barely 24 hours before the Tigers’ big Good Friday trip to Oxford United.
Ordinarily, it wouldn’t be such an issue if the game were on Saturday, but given the Tigers are in action 24 hours earlier, it could create something of an issue.
Pandur is away with Croatia in the USA, and will be part of the squad that takes on Brazil in Orlando in the early hours of Wednesday morning, and is not likely to return to the UK until Thursday.
It will be similar with Liam Millar, who will be playing for Canada in Toronto in the early hours of Wednesday morning, and like Pandur, isn’t likely to return to Cottingham until Thursday.
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Semi Ajayi is another who plays on Tuesday, but is only in Turkey, so should he return without any injury issues, he is expected to be fit and ready to play at the Kassam Stadium.
Ajayi had been due to play in the Middle East with Nigeria facing Iran and host nation Jordan, but given the conflict ongoing in that part of the world, the game have been moved to Antalya.
John Egan, Lewis Koumas, Paddy McNair and Amir Hadziahmetovic are in World Cup play-off action in Europe, and could face a play-off final next Tuesday night.
Should Wales get past Bosnia then the final would be held in Cardiff, though if Hadziahmetovic gets one over Koumas then the final would be in Zenica. For Northern Ireland, if they win in Bergamo against Italy, then they would play the winners of Wales and Bosnia. John Egan’s path would see him face one of Denmark or North Macedonia next Tuesday, should they win in Prague later this week.
Jakirovic will hope all his players are in good condition when they return, and then immediately head to Oxford late on Thursday afternoon to prepare for the clash against Matt Bloomfield’s side, but with Millar and Pandur facing long trips, coupled with the time difference, it could pose a potential issue in the build-up to the game at the Kassam Stadium.
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