Michael Skubala has revealed that Adam Jackson is back in training and available for selection against Peterborough this weekend.
The Imps travel to London Road looking for only their second win there since 1986, a run of almost 40 years that has seen us often return home up the A1 (or A15, depending on your preferred route) with our tails between our legs.
This season has the potential to be different, and we’ll go to face Darren Ferguson’s side with a virtually clean bill of health. That’s because Adam Jackson is back in training, as revealed by Michael in his Imps+ press conference today.
“Yeah, he’s okay,” said our head coach. “He’s back into training today, so that’s good news. We’ve got to see how it reacts after today. I think resting him, or taking him out of the Chelsea fixture, will hopefully help to get him available for Saturday, which is really important for selection.”
On the subject of injuries, they have scuppered our chances in many recent seasons. Losing Jorge Grant, Liam Bridcutt, and Tom Hopper derailed our promotion push in 2020/21, and a season or two later, we lost Tyler Walker and Ben House at the same time, with Jack Vale also injured. Even in 2021/22, we went to Oxford United with no strikers, playing Ted Bishop up top.
Those moments have underlined the importance of fitness, which Michael reiterated.
“I think it’s key to any season that you don’t have too many injuries. We have a great medical team here, with Snowy in the physical department and Kieran, Elliot, and Tom in the medical team, who work really hard to help us with that.
“Not just for recovery players like Moylo and Dom Jefferies, but also with the little things that crop up all the time. We’ll always get knocks and minor injuries, and sometimes they come one or two days later than you think.
:We’ve got a really good team here that helps keep everyone robust and ready to go.”
Two players who have not been injured, but who are waiting for a chance are Jamaican international Dexter Lembikisa and Ipswich Town loanee Fin Barbrook. They’ve both here for a temporary spell, and as yet, neither has seen action.
Michael explained that they’re very much part of the group, even if fans don’t get to see them.
“They’ve been great,” he added. “They’ve trained really well. They are part of the group massively. They’ve not got on the bench or into starts, but Dexter has come in and looks great. Finley, as we saw against Notts County, was great in the second half. It just shows the competition in the group and how well the team is going.
“It’s hard to get those individuals into the side, but they’re a bit like Lewis Montsma—he was ready to go, and we’ve had behind-closed-doors games where they’ve had minutes. We’ve got to make sure we keep everybody ready, because throughout a season you’re going to need those players.
“They’re chomping at the bit and waiting for their opportunity. In training, their attitude has been great and they’re part of the group. Fans haven’t seen them, but in the building, they are definitely part of us.”