Ipswich Town are scheduled to take on automatic promotion rivals Barnsley, at Oakwell, in a League One clash on Saturday, March 25. But will the game go ahead? STUART WATSON takes a look.

 

THE SITUATION

You should know the score by now but, as a reminder, League One sides do not automatically get international weekends off.

Clubs can, however, request for their games to be postponed if they have three or more first-teamers called up by their countries.

Barnsley played on the last international weekend and aren't in danger of having three players called up.

Ipswich also played on the last international weekend, losing 2-1 at Plymouth, after only Wes Burns (Wales) and Greg Leigh (Jamaica) were called up. There may be more this time around though.

East Anglian Daily Times: Wes Burns has scored six goals and provided nine assists this season.Wes Burns has scored six goals and provided nine assists this season. (Image: Ross Halls)

BURNS AND BROADHEAD

The Wales squad will be announced tomorrow afternoon and it's the start of a new era following the post-World Cup retirements of Gareth Bale and Joe Allen.

Will Town duo Wes Burns and Nathan Broadhead be part of that?

Broadhead, a regular for Wales at U21 level, was called up to the senior squad last summer after helping Sunderland get promoted to the Championship. He was forced to withdraw from the squad due to injury though.

East Anglian Daily Times: Injury prevented Nathan Broadhead making is Wales debut last summer.Injury prevented Nathan Broadhead making is Wales debut last summer. (Image: Steve Waller)

It was Burns who profited. He made his international debut at the age of 27, subsequently earned two more caps, but went on to miss the cut for the winter World Cup in Qatar.

Broadhead has made a flying start to life at Town since making a £1.5m move from Everton in January. Playing as an inside left forward, he's already got four goals and two assists to his name.

Right-winger Burns, meanwhile, has six goals and nine assists to his name this League One campaign.

Wales are due to face Croatia (a) and Latvia (h) in Euro 2024 qualifiers on March 25 and 28 respectively.

East Anglian Daily Times: Ipswich Town captain Sam Morsy.Ipswich Town captain Sam Morsy. (Image: Pagepix Ltd)

SAM MORSY

The last of Sam Morsy's seven caps for Egypt came at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Is a recall coming? The Blues skipper has been included in the preliminary squad for upcoming African Cup of Nations qualifiers against Malawi (home on March 24 and away March 28).

You can't read too much into that given he's been included in the last 10 premlim squads and not made the final cut.

It wouldn't be a shock if his outstanding displays at the heart of Town's midfield were rewarded with a call-up by manager Rui Vitória though.

It's not clear when this squad will be announced.

East Anglian Daily Times: Greg Leigh is an eight-cap Jamaica international. Greg Leigh is an eight-cap Jamaica international. (Image: Steve Waller)

GREG LEIGH

Greg Leigh made his debut for Jamaica in 2020 and has eight caps to his name.

The 28-year-old was called up for a friendly against Argentina last September, but had to withdraw after suffering a leg fracture in Town's 2-2 draw at Sheffield Wednesday just three days later.

He's fit again now and is likely to be in Heimir Hallgrimsson's plans for a CONCACAF Nations League game in Mexico on March 26.

This squad isn't likely to be announced until after the Reggae Boyz have played their friendly against Trinidad & Tobago in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

East Anglian Daily Times: Panutche Camara recently made his injury comeback for Ipswich Town's U21s.Panutche Camara recently made his injury comeback for Ipswich Town's U21s. (Image: Ross Halls)

PANUTCHE CAMARA

Panutche Camara has been capped four times by the small West African nation of Guinea-Bissau.

He's undergone three lots of groin surgery over the last year, but returned to action with some minutes for Town's Under-21s recently.

It doesn't look like he's been included in the 25-man squad for upcoming African Cup of Nations qualifying games against Nigeria though.

 

BARNSLEY GAME

If Barnsley v Ipswich is postponed, the first available midweek slot to rearrange it in would be Tuesday, April 25 (making it the third from last game of the campaign).

For Ipswich, that would come after a trip to Peterborough and before the visit of Exeter.

For Barnsley, it would come after a home game against Oxford and before a trip to MK Dons.