Manager Keith Hill has revealed that Andy Cannon, Zach Clough, Matty Gillam and Kgosi Ntlhe are amongst those out injured.
But despite the growing injury list, Hill says, he’s just got to get on with it.
“Gilly has been a big miss because he was right up to where we wanted him in his development before we lost him to his injury against Bury in the Checkatrade Trophy, and he hasn’t featured or been on the training pitch since. We’re one down there, and we’re also without Zach Clough who keeps running into small injuries. Kgosi is also injured again, as is Andy Cannon,” said Hill.
“Everybody needs to get up to speed and match practice, and you probably need three or four or five games, but Zach has suffered as a consequence of three or four niggling injuries that seem to run into three or four weeks, so he has never been one-hundred percent fit, and he’s currently injured. It’s disappointing, but while it’s disappointing, it should create an opportunity and it’s up to players to take those opportunities.
“Getting players back onto the training pitch is totally different than getting back up to match speed and onto the matchday pitch. They need games, but we’re running into a period where we can’t have too many bounce games. But we are what we are - you’ve just got to get on with it. You’ve got to persevere and see the bigger picture.”
Sam Hart recently missed Dale’s League One fixture against Accrington Stanley due to suspension and Hill is wary that other players could soon miss out, too. He is also mindful of fatigue injuries due to a busy run of games.
“We’re going to be running into one or two suspensions because of discipline. The card count and the foul count is really up, so we’ve got make sure that we integrate the not fit players back into squad as quickly as we can with a purpose for them to perform.
“I’m also mindful of one or two of the players running into fatigue injuries and that’s where again some people don’t understand the decisions that I make. I’d rather make the right decision and get it wrong, than make a decision that seems pleasing on the eye but can run into injuries further down the line, a lack of form or fatigue, for example, and I’m mindful of that with one or two of the players.”
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