Wilshere insists Sandal is 'getting closer' to a first team shot with Luton
Midfielder was left out of the squad at the weekend
Hatters boss Jack Wilshere has insisted that midfielder Sverre Sandal is ‘getting closer’ to earning his chance in the first team this season.
The 23-year-old moved to Kenilworth Road from Norwegian top-flight club KFUM back in January, but signed when his former side were in their off season, which meant he hadn’t played any first team football since November. Sandal then picked up an injury at Kenilworth Road that curtailed his ability to have any real impact on the side as they hunted the League One play-offs, only featuring three times off the bench in brief cameos.
Having gone through an extensive pre-season at the Brache, Sandal featured in the majority of Luton’s warm-up matches, speaking about how he was looking to have a big role to play for the Hatters this term following the 2-2 draw against Barnet. However, after getting on for the 21 minutes at Gillingham in the Carabao Cup, he hasn’t played since, not even in the match-day squad against Notts County at the weekend.
Despite his absence, asked how near he was to being in his first team plans, Wilshere said: “Sverre, when he came in, it was difficult for him as he had an injury that lasted longer than anyone expected, which straight away put him on the back foot a little bit. Then he started to train and started to get fit and came into a period where there were a lot of games, so training time with the squad was reduced.
"Also within that time the team was doing really well, the midfield was working really well, there was a nice balance in there and we tried to fit him in where we could, bring him off the bench now and then and I felt at times he struggled a little bit to get up to the pace of League One. We always knew with Sverre that the pre-season was going to be really, really important for him, to be with the group, to find his rhythm at the same pace as everyone else, to get the game time he needs to get up speed and also to develop to what we want.
"He’s definitely getting close, he gives us something different. He’s probably different to every other midfielder we’ve got in terms of the strengths and what he can bring to the team, so he’s working and he’s working hard. It’s not always been easy for him and I respect that as well, so he’s getting closer."
With neither Sandal nor the experienced George Saville selected in the 18 that took on Notts County at the weekend, then when Jordan Clark went off with a broken jaw after 17 minutes, it meant Gideon Kodua was introduced to play in a midfield berth, having usually been deployed out wide or further forward in his time with the Hatters.
On whether his decision not to include an out-and-out midfielder amongst his replacements was due to an injury concern, Wilshere continued: “No, that was a selection thing because, one or two of the players, there was a slight risk going into the game, so I had to cover in different positions on the bench. Of course we always think about that scenario, if Walshy (Liam Walsh) or someone picks up an injury so we were covered, we were prepared for that, that was a selection thing.”
Discussing how he felt Kodua got on in his different position, the boss said: “I like Gids there, I really like Gids there. He gives us a different dynamic, a few times he pulled out and received, he has the ability to beat someone which as a midfielder, from my experience of playing against a midfielder who can do that, is good.
"Kasey (Palmer) can do that as well, but I think Gids has a way of drawing someone out and then dribbling past them. He probably looked a little bit tired as the game went on, there’s different demands in there. He’s played a lot on the left, but I like Gids there and there’s definitely some stuff we can work on and improve.”
Meanwhile with Chelsea expected to make a number of changes to their XI from the side that won 3-2 at Fulham in the Premier League on Monday night, it could be that Luton do as well, meaning the likes Sandal, Saville and summer signing Harrison Ashby could get their chance from the start. On whether that’s something that is in his mind, Wilshere added: “Competition for places, that’s difficult, that can be difficult for players and that’s the hardest part of my job.
"Sometimes the team picks itself, with one or two little tweaks, but actually picking a squad, in League One you can really only have six outfield players on the bench and one goalie. There’s a lot of decisions that come into my head, what if this happens, what if that happens and difficult conversations because there’s an argument at times that all of the players deserve to play.
"They definitely all deserve to be in the squad, so that makes it difficult at times, however, the best way is clarity, the best way is honesty. They know that there’s competition for places, these games throw up an opportunity to maybe give other players minutes, but they also need to be earned and we’ll see, they’re in my mind for sure.”