Bluebirds waiting on Zohore fitness after ace sits out Denmark game
CARDIFF City striker Kenneth Zohore didn’t report for international duty with Denmark — with claims in his homeland that the Bluebirds insisted he wasn’t fit to join up.
The Cardiff talisman was due to link up with Denmark’s Under-21s squad for friendly matches against Spain and England.
But the 23-year-old pulled out of the squad and didn’t travel after the injury was reported.
Sources in Denmark say it was agreed Zohore would stay in Cardiff after Bluebirds medical staff reported the results of a scan to the Danish Football Association.
The extent of the injury isn’t known, but Neil Warnock will give an update on his squad on Friday morning, ahead of Cardiff’s trip to Molineux to take on Wolves this weekend.
The veteran manager had previously admitted he’d not known Zohore was eligible for the Under21s and had earmarked his first choice frontman for a long rest.
Zohore, who was 21 when the most recent qualifying campaign began, earned the call-up on the back of his terrific Bluebirds displays of late. Mikael Uhre and Kasper Junker were the strikers picked in his stead for the Under-21 side.
The big Dane has struck nine goals in his last 10 games for Warnock’s men. He’s started 17 of Cardiff’s 18 games since coming into the team on December 17.
Wales Online have contacted Cardiff City for comment.
Meanwhile Cardiff City have been fortunate to keep the bulk of their squad together during the international break.
Neil Warnock revealed before the interlude that many of his players would jet off on holiday for a wellearned rest after their hard graft in the Championship. Others, he said, went to Butlin’s.
The Bluebirds boss was, however, keeping a keen eye on a group of players who were called away for international duty.
And with the exception of Anthony Pilkington — who was initially named in the Republic of Ireland squad but shorn from Martin O’Neill’s final selections; and Kenneth Zohore who was injured — the following four players went away with their international sides...
This is the report card Warnock will be reading to find out how his players fared. Junior Hoilett and Allan McGregor The Canadian winger played the full 90 minutes in his country’s 1-1 draw with Scotland at Easter Road Stadium, with Warnock a keen observer from the stands.
The Bluebirds boss revealed he made the trip to Edinburgh as part of a holiday north of the border.
In the match itself, Hoilett’s teammate Fraser Aird put the ball beyond McGregor in the 11th minute to clinch a shock lead for The Canucks, before Steven Naismith equalised 24 minutes later.
McGregor would play no part four days later when Scotland entertained Slovenia in a qualifier. Chris Martin’s late goal sealed the points for Gordon Strachan’s men, with Craig Gordon preferred in goal. Aron Gunnarsson The Iceland and Bluebirds stalwart has become an integral part of central midfield for club and country, playing alongside club rival Gylfi Sigurdsson in a 2-1 win over Kosovo to aid Iceland’s qualifying bid, and then 90 minutes in the friendly win over Ireland.
Sigurdsson scored the winner against the minnows to ensure Iceland remain three points off Croatia in Group I.
Gunnarsson’s homeland, who stunned everybody with their performances at Euro 2016, are aiming to reach the World Cup for the first time in their history. The Bluebirds linchpin gave two assured displays and Warnock will be relieved to have him back in the ranks. Jazz Richards It was hardly the ideal circumstances in which to make your international return after six months, but Richards entered the fray in Wales’ tempestuous World Cup qualifier against Ireland following Neil Taylor’s controversial dismissal.
Despite being used largely at right back by Warnock this season, Richards was deployed as a left wing-back in Taylor’s absence, as Chris Coleman’s men saw out a scoreless draw in Dublin.
It was just reward for Richards’ improving form this season , which has seen the former Swansea City man nail down a regular first team spot at Cardiff City Stadium.
Richards will most likely deputise for Taylor in Wales’ next qualifier against Serbia in June, providing he can remain free of injury for the rest of the season.