Concussion protocols rule out Wilson for long trip to Lincoln
PLYMOUTH Argyle defender James Wilson has been told he cannot play for Argyle in their League One game against Lincoln tomorrow.
That is because of concussion protocols after he was hit on the head by a ball inadvertently blasted at him from close range at the very end of the first half in the 1-1 draw with Crewe Alexandra on Tuesday night.
Wilson was down on the ground for a lengthy period of time as he was attended to by Argyle physio Nick Fulton and other medical staff before making his way slowly off the pitch.
Read more: Argyle pair to miss Burton Albion game after international call-ups
Brendan Galloway replaced Wilson for the start of the second period as a concussion substitution and is set to continue in the side against Michael Appleton’s Lincoln.
Wilson, who had to serve a threematch suspension earlier in the season after a FA misconduct charge, should be fine to return to action when Argyle host Burton Albion next Saturday, October 9.
Manager Ryan Lowe said: “Willo didn’t actually go to hospital but I think it’s five days from the concussion so he will definitely be out (against Lincoln) because of that.
“He phoned me up (on Wednesday) asking me could he play. I told him it was out of my hands, it was down to the doctors.
“Our doctors said ‘No, not a chance, we have to follow the guidelines’ and we will certainly do that because we don’t want anyone being in danger of any stuff like that.
“Willo is fine in himself, he’s right as rain. We have had to give him a couple of days rest because of the bang to his head.
“He will join up with the group next Thursday to train and then he will be available for Burton, but he will miss the Lincoln game.”
Meanwhile, Argyle’s League One game against Burton Albion at Home Park a week on Saturday is set to go ahead as scheduled despite international call-ups for defender Brendan Galloway and striker Luke Jephcott.
The Pilgrims would have the option to ask for a postponement of the October 9 fixture if they had three players on international duty.
However, in-form midfielder Panutche Camara has surprisingly not been selected by Guinea Bissau for their next two 2022 World Cup qualifiers.
Camara was picked by GuineaBissau for their opening two games, which took place earlier this month, but did not join up with the squad and missed out on a chance to make his debut.
That was because one of the matches was away to Sudan, which is on the UK Government’s red list of countries during the continuing Covid-19 pandemic.
EFL clubs have decided collectively not to release their players to take part in games in those countries.
Guinea-Bissau will play Morocco in back-to-back World Cup qualifiers, the first one on October 6 and the return match three days later.
Galloway is set to make his international debut for Zimbabwe, who are away to Ghana in Cape Coast on October 9 and will then host the same opposition in their capital city of Harare the following Tuesday.
As it stands, Zimbabwe is a red list country but their football authorities are hoping an agreement can be reached for their English-based players to travel to the country as talks take place between FIFA and the UK Government.
Wigan Athletic’s Tendayi Darikwa and Marvelous Nakamba, the Aston Villa midfielder, are also in the Warriors’ squad, along with former Argyle player-of-the-year Onismor Bhasera.
Jephcott, meanwhile, has been named in the Wales under-21s squad for two away games in 2023 European Championship qualification.
Paul Bodin’s Welsh squad will play Moldova in Orhei on Friday, October 8 and the Netherlands in Nijmegen on October 12.
Jephcott had to withdraw from the Welsh squad for their 4-0 win away to Bulgaria in Sofia at the start of this month, because he was deemed a close contact of a Covid-19 case prior to the arriving at their camp.
Wales are currently second in Group B with four points from two games, following a 0-0 draw at home to Moldova and then the victory over Bulgaria.
Argyle manager Ryan Lowe admitted he was surprised that Camara had not been called up by Guinea Bissau and is currently working on the assumption that the game against Burton will go ahead as scheduled.
Lowe said: “He hasn’t been called up this time, for whatever reason. There was some discussions last time because he was allowed to go to one (game) but not the other because it was in a red list country.
“I think he’s probably one of the better players for them. Maybe they were a bit disappointed because he couldn’t go to the two last time, so I don’t know really.
“Jephs and Brendan deserve to go away (on international duty). Panutche deserves to go as well, but it’s a bonus for us that he will stay.
“At least he’s not travelling miles and miles, and hours and hours on a plane to play some football. As the manager I’m quite content with it.
“Panutche is in a good place and I’m sure he has got plenty of time to make his international debut.”
Lowe added: “We will be playing the Burton game unless anything changes. Ryan Hardie could get a call-up for Scotland..
“We just don’t know. When they meet up there could be injuries, they could have standby lists.
“We haven’t got anyone else as of yet who has been called. If they (Guinea-Bissau) decide to call Panutche up because they have got injuries then that might change.”