Socceroos striker Mo Touré sent a scare through camp days before the team’s World Cup opener after he missed training on Wednesday (Thursday AEST), highlighting the vulnerability of a squad thin on forward options.
Touré was at the team’s training base in Oakland for the team photo, but he did not take part in training. Media were told the striker – who has a history of muscle injuries – is expected to train on Thursday (Friday AEST).
Fullback Jordy Bos said he didn’t initially realise Touré was absent until midway through the session, but emphasised how important the Norwich forward is to the team.
“We have other players as well that can also play striker, but to have Mo is really nice for us,” he said.
Defender Milos Degenek said he did not notice Touré’s absence at all, explaining the session was split between defenders and forwards.
When told by Socceroos staff that Touré was expected to train on Friday, Degenek brushed off any concerns about the striker’s welfare.
“You’ll see him tomorrow,” he said. “I’m sure he’ll be more than happy to speak to you guys.”
The 22-year-old is tipped to start for the Socceroos in the crucial lone striker role in Tony Popovic’s favoured system.
Touré won his place after a strong season in England’s Championship where he scored nine goals in 11 league appearances.
Despite his promising beginning to his career in England, he also missed more than a month due a groin injury suffered in February. He said on Wednesday that he has recently adopted a training regimen based around injury prevention.
“When I went to Europe, some of those injuries followed along and I re-injured them and re-injured them,” he said. “I feel like I had to do something, and I had to change something or they would have [kept] occurring, recurring.”
Touré’s performances in England this year have increased optimism around his potential impact at this World Cup. If he is unable to play, however, it would leave the Socceroos short in an area the squad is already thin.
The only other specialist striker in the squad, Tete Yengi, scored on the weekend against Switzerland but it was his first appearance for the national team.
Mat Leckie spent much of his career as a forward, but has played more in midfield in recent years. Nishan Velupillay and Nestory Irankunda – both normally wingers or creative midfielders – could also be called upon to play up front.
The Socceroos can still bring in an injury replacement for Touré if a serious injury is suffered no less than 24 hours before the team’s first match on Saturday against Turkey.
