Huddersfield Town boss Martin Drury provides update on ex-Colchester United forward Samson Tovide
HUDDERSFIELD Town head coach Martin Drury says he is currently erring on the side of caution regarding recent signing Samson Tovide – with the forward not involved in Tuesday night’s EFL Trophy victory at Yorkshire rivals Doncaster Rovers.
The former Colchester United player, a free agent after leaving the U’s at the end of last season when his contract expired, penned a three-year deal with the Terriers last week.
Town beat off plenty of rival competition to land the 22-year-old, who provides flexibility across the frontline due to his ability to play on both flanks and down the centre.
He scored five goals in all competitions for the Essex outfit last term.
Tovide – who did spend some time training with National League outfit Southend United in the summer - is currently getting fully up to speed from a fitness perspective at Town, while assimilating with his team-mates following his switch to Yorkshire.
Town’s strong start to the campaign has precluded the need to rush him into matchday contention as well, but Drury does expect Tovide to be in the reckoning in the not too distant future.
On London-born Tovide, Drury, whose side triumphed 3-1 at the Club Doncaster Sports Village with goals from Jamie Spencer, Joe Low and Lasse Sorensen turning the tables after hosts had led 1-0 at the interval, said: "He's not ready.
"He's not ready to play. As much as I want him to play and as much as he wants to play, I'm led by professionals who I'm working with in the physical department and we need to get him up to speed.
"Otherwise, we put him at risk. We throw him in and he gets injured and then suddenly we lose him for a long period of time.
"So, again, it’s being cautious with it, but we'll push on that.
"And the other players that are injured are really pushing and they're very close to coming back.
"So we'll get numbers back over the next week or two. And Samson will keep working with and he'll be not far away at all.”