Jet-setter Aaron Mooy can cope - says Town chief Wagner
HUDDERSFIELD TOWN head coach David Wagner says he has no plans to contact Australia counterpart Ange Postecoglou about managing Aaron Mooy's workload after his call-up for the Socceroos.
The key midfield talisman has been included in Australia’s 23-man squad for the key 2018 World Cup Qualifiers against Iraq and the United Arab Emirates.
The Socceroos visit Tehran to face Iraq on March 23 and host the UAE in Sydney five days later.
Earlier this season, Wagner left out Mooy for Town’s home game with Derby County on October 22 after believing he showed signs of fatigue in the previous games - both defeats - against both Sheffield Wednesday and Preston North End.
But he believes that, with Mooy’s game-time recently lessened by his inavailability in two FA Cup games with Manchester City, tiredness should not be a forthcoming issue.
Wagner, who expressed concerns to Postecoglou about Mooy’s workload in the autumn, said: “I have not spoken with them in this case. The last international break was a long time ago and Aaron and we are used to handling these situations.
“Aaron, in the last weeks because he was not able to play in the FA Cup games with Manchester City, was not able to have so many minutes in his legs as he usually has.
“But this will be another big distance he will travel with time and temperature changes and we will see how he looks like after the international break. But at the minute, this is far away from my head.”
Harry Bunn and Kasey Palmer remain sidelined for Town’s televised game at Bristol City on Friday evening and while Sean Scannell has been back in training for nearly a week, he is likely to step up his comeback plans with the under-23s this weekend.
Tareiq Holmes-Dennis is likely to be back in training tomorrow ‘without any issues’ according to Wagner.