Hatters chief hopeful Odoffin can face Magpies after head injury

Hatters boss Jack Wilshere is remaining hopeful that defender Hakeem Odoffin can play a part against Notts County on Saturday after going off with a head injury at Reading on the opening day of the season.

The 28-year-old was able to equal Robbie Wilmot’s club record of remaining unbeaten during his first 17 starts for the club when Town hit back from 3-1 down to triumph 4-3 at the Madejski Stadium last weekend. However, the visitors had to see the final stages out without Odoffin in their back-line, as in the closing stages, he received a sickening blow to the head after colliding with team-mate Harrison Ashby, which saw the pair both require treatment.

Although Ashby could pick himself up to play on, Odoffin was taken off with his head bandaged up, which saw Mads Andersen come on for the last few minutes and help Town hold on to a precious three points. Asked whether it was a concussion injury which would see him out for 10 days, or not, Wilshere said: “Haks picked up a blow to the head. It was a really, really bad cut and we had to go through all the protocols with the EFL, and they did that.

"I’ll leave that to those guys, the experts. They’re really good at that, but this week we’ve been managing his cut as it was quite a bad one and we also know the kind of game we’re going into against a team who can play, but they also play long balls and are a threat from the. He’s still got a wound, it's healed pretty well, but we have to see how the cut is, as it’s still there on his head.

If Odoffin was to miss out, then it would be a blow for a player who had a season blighted by injury last term, as arriving on a free transfer following his departure from Rotherham United, he had to have surgery on a non-musculoskeletal medical issue that kept him out until Wilshere took over in October.

He went on to play 21 times in total, with 15 starts afterwards, showing just how much his absence hurt the Hatters, quickly becoming a crowd favourite due to his all-action defending. This term he appears to already have forged a good partnership in the centre of Luton’s defence with summer signing George Johnston, and on having the benefit of a full pre-season behind him this time, Wilshere continued: “Personally for Haks, but I think collectively for the team and for me too.

"Everyone saw how important he was to the group and the influence he has on the group with his leadership skills, but also with his performances on the pitch, and how he defends, that’s infectious. It’s important for him, but it’s also on us to work with him. He did everything in pre-season, he looks fit, he looks strong, I always think that’s the case for any player that it’s really important in pre-season that you get that base, that foundation, but probably a little bit more important for him.”

Meanwhile. Another player who did appear to be struggling at times in Berkshire last weekend was two-goal hero Kasey Palmer. Following his excellent double strike to draw the Hatters level at 3-3, he looked to be holding his leg gingerly at times and not moving too smoothly, although was able to carry on until being replaced by match-winner Gideon Kodua with nine minutes to go.

Wilshere doesn’t think there will be any problem with the Jamaican international, adding: “Kasey was tired. He did get a kick, but he was fine. At this stage of the season and probably throughout the whole season, I want us to be really fit, I want us to be the fittest team in the league. I’ve said that a lot, I want us to be really intense and I have absolutely no problem with 60 minutes. Players are tired, they’ve given everything, then that’s when we need the bench. We saw that on Saturday, so I think Kasey’s fine.”