GUERNSEY have major injury worries ahead of the Cimandis Muratti on 6 May. Boss Steve Ogier has named a preliminary 22-man squad for the game at Foote’s Lane and has vowed to give injured players Simon Tostevin, Kevin Graham, Tom Duff and Michael Wilson every chance to get fit and stake their claim for the biggest match in the Channel Islands sporting calendar.
‘In an ideal world I would like to choose from everyone. You have difficult decisions to make and being totally pessimistic, some decisions will be made for me, but you never know,’ said Ogier yesterday.
‘I know the side I would like to pick and I know how we want to play. Whether that is going to come to fruition I don’t know at this moment in time.’
‘Injury-wise I will give people as much time as possible to recover and see how we are. If it’s blatant they are not going to make it, the decision will be made for us. It’s all up in the air and we will see what the next seven to 10 days bring,’ he said.
‘There are still competitive games to play and anything can happen.’
St Martin’s centre back Graham, 28, turned his ankle after just 15 minutes of a Rawlinson Cup semi-final on Saturday and it swelled up like a balloon.
‘It’s on ice at the moment and the bruising is coming out. As soon as I took my socks off, it blew up. I think it looked worse than it is and I hope to kick a ball in a week,’ he said.
‘It’s touch and go whether I make the Muratti, if selected.’
He had only just returned to action after a knee injury.
‘I hope I will be in contention and will have to strap it up and play with painkillers. It’s definitely feeling better than on Saturday. It’s probably 50-50 at best but it does seem to be improving. I was a bit glum on Saturday night and I would be gutted to miss out,’ said Graham.
‘It’s the best you can do to play for your island and I would be very proud to do so in a Muratti.’
North striker Tostevin has not had a football-related injury for six years - but his knee problem could rule him out of the two biggest games of his career - the Upton and Muratti.
‘I have tweaked my cruciate ligament or have cartilage damage,’ he said.
Island physio Mike Thomas had advised him last week he was unlikely to make the Upton but believed he would be OK in time for the Muratti.
‘By Friday my knee felt better and I gave it a go in training trying to get fit for the Upton but I broke down during fitness tests. I have put myself back another week now,’ said Tostevin.
He will know better how he stands when he sees Thomas tonight.
‘I’m not too confident at the moment, which is frustrating. By trying to get fit for the Upton I’ve probably jeopardised my chances of being available for the Muratti.’
He ranked his chances as 40-60 against making it.
Ogier is indebted to St Martin’s AC for providing its Blanche Pierre Lane pitch and opposition for a friendly tonight.
‘It gives us an opportunity to try a slightly different system,’ he said.
Aside from the injury doubts the rest of the 22-man squad is: Jody Bisson, Paul de Garis, Sam Cochrane, Leighton Chainey, Darren Martin, Ollie McKenzie, Tom Strawbridge, Chris Mauger, Dominic Heaume, Matt Warren, Gavin Le Page, Alex Le Prevost, Piers Ockleford, Dave Rihoy, Jon Veron, Marc McGrath, Ryan Tippett and Ross Allen.
‘What I did not want to do was name 18 and then pull others in because of our injury worries and I have had to name a bigger squad,’ said Ogier.
‘It’s unfortunate some are going to miss out but that is the problem we have got. Until we meet [tonight] we will not be able to evaluate the extent of the injuries.’
Article posted on 24th April, 2007 - 12.00am
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