'We don't have many options' - manager's blunt reason for Leeds United call-up despite lengthy injury absence
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Austria national team manager Ralf Rangnick is short on defensive options for the upcoming international break and so had no issue calling up Max Wober - despite the centre-back only just returning to training after a serious knee injury.
Wober has not played for Leeds United since the 3-0 Carabao Cup defeat against Middlesbrough in August, with a series of fitness issues culminating in a more long-term problem picked up in September. The 26-year-old suffered a knee injury while representing his country and was forced to undergo surgery, with a lengthy spell of absence to follow.
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Hide AdA return to training last week was labelled ‘good news’ by manager Daniel Farke but despite being named on the substitutes bench for Saturday’s comfortable 3-0 win over Plymouth Argyle, Wober is yet to get a taste of Championship football and is being carefully managed.
Wober’s inclusion in the Austria squad for the upcoming international break might have frustrated those involved at Leeds, then, given the severity of his injury and absence of club-level minutes. Rangnick’s side face Kazakhstan and Slovenia later this month and it seems the national team head coach will have little issue reintegrating his defender.
“Max started training again at Leeds a week ago,” Rangnick told Austrian newspaper Kronen Zeitung (via Sport Witness). “We don’t have many options in his position.” That somewhat blunt explanation might even suggest Wober is in line for significant minutes during the break, having played the full 90 against Slovenia in September before suffering that knee injury.
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Hide AdFarke will have the chance to reintroduce Wober twice before he jets off on international duty, with the defender available for this evening’s trip to Millwall. Leeds then host Queens Park Rangers at Elland Road on Saturday and any involvement for the centre-back will likely come from the bench.
Wober’s Leeds teammate Dan James is another who has been called up for international duty, following a spell of absence with a persistent hamstring issue. The Welsh winger came through 70 minutes of action against Plymouth unscathed but will also need to see minutes managed ahead of a busy festive fixture schedule.
“Of course I would prefer if he was perhaps not given, each and every game, 90 minutes but at the moment we just have to focus to get him through these two games [vs Millwall and QPR]," Farke said of James’ Wales call-up. "I also totally understand Daniel James would like to represent his country and for that we totally accept this but we would also be happy if he didn't have to play each and every game 90 minutes."
James will be joined in the Wales squad by Joe Rodon and Karl Darlow, while Mateo Joseph and Wilfried Gnonto will feature for Spain Under-21s and Italy Under-21s respectively. Ao Tanaka is also expected to join up with his Japan teammates, with Manor Solomon set for Israel duty and Brenden Aaronson off with the USA.
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Hide AdThe most notable Leeds representation will come via Junior Firpo, who could make history with the Dominican Republic by qualifying for the Gold Cup, having never featured in a major international tournament. In an exclusive interview with the YEP’s chief football writer Graham Smyth, which forms this week’s Inside Elland Road newsletter, the left-back discusses his international commitment among a wide range of topics.