EASY DOES IT IN TYE’S POTTERS COMEBACK
O’neill insists City will tread carefully after Campbell makes return from lengthy spell out
TYRESE Campbell is primed for a super sub role as he builds up sharpness back in the Stoke City match day squad.
The 21-year-old striker, main, made an encouraging cameo in midweek with his first senior appearance after 10 months out with a major knee injury.
He got into good positions in the penalty area through the closing stages and that is likely to be his task again over the next few weeks as he builds up sharpness.
Stoke are continuing to manage him and his fitness, aware that players – like Joe Allen and Ryan Shawcross in the past two seasons – have picked up smaller niggling injuries after coming back from long-term problems.
Michael O’neill, inset, said: “We’ve got to be realistic with Tye. We can’t play him 20 minutes against Bournemouth and then think he’s ready to start every game.
“The minutes will have to be managed and will have to be drip fed off the bench a little bit as well I think.
“I think also we’ll get the best out of Tye in the latter stages of games when he’s fresh and maybe the opposition are not. That’s when he’ll get his confidence and his sharpness in those situations as well to start scoring again.
“He had two or three good chances against Bournemouth in the small period he was on the pitch and that in itself is a real positive.
“He’s got to be careful because any of these players coming back from a long-term injury, if they’re not managed properly are always susceptible to picking up something else.”
Steven Fletcher and Sam Surridge are hoping to get the nod to start today at Millwall (3pm) as O’neill shuffles his team in the absence of Nick Powell and Sam Clucas.
He is hoping for Stoke’s first league win in London since November 2014 – and a chance to improve the away form anywhere this season.
A win had seemed in their grasp at Sheffield United last weekend and O’neill was asked if the game management he spoke about needing after full-time at Bramall Lane was the kind of thing Bournemouth had shown on Tuesday to see out their 1-0 win at the bet365. “They probably did,” said O’neill. “They had a bit of experience to do that, they killed the game and got the physio and the doctor on and disrupted the game, particularly in the last 20 minutes.
“I suppose we were slightly different at Sheffield United because we were in control of the game and it didn’t feel like we were under any significant pressure.
“We felt that we were more likely to go and score the second goal, to be honest, then got scored against twice against the run of play.
“Bournemouth knew they were going to come under pressure in the second half, particularly in the last 20 minutes, and had the experience to manage it. I didn’t agree with all of the things that went on but ultimately it was enough to get themselves over the line.”
Former long-serving Stoke keeper coach Andy Quy is leaving Burton to take up a job at new MLS franchise Charlotte FC.
He said: “The opportunity to have a hand in building the culture of a new club is incredibly exciting to me.”