Reds Manager David Flitcroft met with the press ahead of his side’s Skybet Championship clash with Birmingham City at Oakwell on Saturday.
As far as injuries are concerned, striker Chris O’Grady looks set to spend the next week on the sidelines, as Flitcroft said “As of now he’s got a slight calf strain. If you asked Chris to patch himself up and play he probably would. But then it would be a six to eight-week injury if he played.
“As a Manager you’ve got to do right by the player. Hopefully he’ll just be out for ten days maximum. I want him back in that starting XI as soon as possible. We’ll possibly have him back for the Burnley game if it all goes to plan.”
Elsewhere in the squad, Saturday might just be too soon for Peter Ramage (thigh) but Kelvin Etuhu (hamstring) and David Fox (illness) are in contention for the weekend but number one Luke Steele is still out as he continues his rehabilitation with a back specialist.
“Kelvin came off at Millwall with a slight hamstring strain,” said Flitcroft. “He’s trained today and he’ll train tomorrow but we’ve had to be cautious. David Fox has come back and he’s picked his training load up. Steely (Luke Steele) is seeing a back specialist in Warwick and he’s trying some manipulation work.”
The Reds are looking to kick on in the league as Flitcroft stressed, “I want wins. I put a lot of pressure on myself to win football matches. I’m sick of going into manager’s rooms and them telling me how well we’ve played and us not getting what we deserve.
“We’re creating enough chances to win football matches. I’ve just asked the lads for that last little bit of quality. We’ve got to be more clinical. The lads are fighting and giving each other everything. We’re not far off but we have to convert our chances.”
Birmingham arrive at Oakwell sat four points in front of the Reds in what is a crucial Skybet Championship clash. “I want us to press Birmingham and give them problems,” added Flitcroft. “We’ve got to win that second ball because they’ve got some quality and a weapon in the big lad, Zigic.
“Like us, they’ve struggled for that consistency at home and away.”
