NATHAN Jones admitted the international break had been a “welcome” one as he hopes Charlton Athletic will get players back from injury heading into a busy period.
The Addicks had up to ten players unavailable before the break and have gone four games without a win in League One.
However, they did have one game in the last two weeks, defeating Bromley 1-0 at The Valley in the EFL Trophy through Miles Leaburn’s fourth goal in his last four games.
Jones has been able to give a number of squad players action in that competition as Charlton reached the round of 32.
“We’ve been stretched with injuries, so it’s been a welcome break if you like,” Jones said on Charlton’s website. “We obviously had a cup game which gave a lot of people minutes in our last game. It’s given us a little bit of respite to try and get people back or to get some people who were injured to not miss the game.
“Our two Jamaican boys [Karoy Anderson and Kaheim Dixon] have been away and Thierry [Small] and Conor [Coventry] both went away. With Conor’s being more local, he’s been training with us all week, and Thierry came back in with us [Thursday].
“We’re very proud of our internationals. It’s good that they have got that experience and for Conor being involved at the game at Wembley [for Ireland] against England. They are all back and ready to go.”
Charlton are thirteenth in the table, four points behind eighth-place Huddersfield.
Jones added: “They will pose a very potent test. They are an ex-Championship club with Championship-level players. They are one of the teams that will be fancied for promotion and one of the ones that would expect to get promoted with everything they have, so it’s one of the sternest tests in the division.”
