SWANSEA CITY have lost the services of promising young winger Ryan Casey for three games due to international duty.
While Swansea face three games in six days against Notts County, Mansfield and Doncaster, Casey will be representing the Republic of Ireland in a 10-day under-18 tournament in Moldova.
"It's a big honour representing your country and I'm delighted for him," explained Swansea manager Micky Adams.
"Obviously it's also disappointing from a club point of view because we lose him for three important games. He has shown a lot of promise and was one of the few plus points from the game at Exeter, but I won't stand in his way."
Adams will also be without Kwame Ampadu for Saturday's clash with Notts County at Vetch Field. Despite completing a three-match ban, the midfielder is still five days away from recovering from a groin injury.
Richie Appleby has an ankle injury, but resumed training today after an injection while left-back Paul Agnew, whose one-month non-contract spell ended at Exeter, will continue on a weekly contract.
"I'm still trying to bring players in and I've got a list as long as my arm," added Adams.
Swansea, who host Mansfield on Tuesday night, have agreed to bring their fixture at Doncaster forward to Friday night.
SWANSEA City manager Micky Adams took another look at his new squad last night as St Mirren midfielder Stuart Taylor made a goalscoring start to a week's trial.
Taylor, 23, scored the only goal in a 1-0 friendly win at Afan Lido where Adams ran the rule over the squad members who did not figure in Saturday's defeat at Exeter.
"To be honest, I didn't learn a lot," admitted Adams, "apart from the fact that they showed a good attitude".
Meanwhile, former manager Jan Molby was back at Vetch Field yesterday offering his services to the club as a player.
"As we still hold his player's registration, for legal reasons he has to make himself available to play," added Adams. "But it is highly unlikely that he will play for Swansea again."
Chief executive Peter Day added: "We've given Jan permission to train with any club he likes."
Former Swansea target Barry Horne has joined Huddersfield on a free transfer.
Swansea City boss Micky Adams has doubled his players work schedule as he attempts to make them the fittest in the Third Division.
Swansea's squad were left in no doubt yesterday that Adams and his assistant Alan Cork mean business at Vetch Field as they were put through a gruelling new training programme.
Gone was the one-hour ball session introduced by Jan Molby. In its place were two gruelling sessions in the morning and afternoon.
"To gain promotion we have to play high-tempo football," explained Adams. "That demands a high amount of physical endeavour and stamina.
"I need them to be physically fitter. I'm not saying they were unfit under the last regime, but the way I want them to play demands a different level of fitness.
"In the Third Division the ball changes hands more times between the opposition than the top leagues. Therefore you have to be fitter to get the ball back and fitter to keep it."
Adams was due to take his squad back to the pre-season routine of dune running at Three Cliffs today, but fixed up a friendly at Afan Lido instead in a bid to assess the players who did not figure in the defeat at Exeter on Saturday.
"I like my teams to be fit, organised and competitive," added Adams. "They must listen to us and try to do what we want. If they don't, then they will have to come and see us and we'll do our best to let them leave Swansea City.
"But the question they must ask themselves is where do they go? They are fifth from bottom of the Third Division, after all."
SWANSEA City chairman Steve Hamer confirmed today that one of the last acts manager Jan Molby wanted to perform before he was sacked was sell goalkeeper Roger Freestone to Bradford City.
Hamer, who watched Freestone pull off two outstanding saves in the 1-0 defeat at Exeter, confirmed the Evening Post's findings.
"Yes, Jan did want to sell Roger to Bradford," confirmed Hamer. "But we were not prepared to sell the backbone of our team.
"Jan was prepared to let him go for £250,000. We intentionally pushed the price up to £450,000 to frighten off Bradford."
Hamer also revealed that Molby wanted to bring in 32-year old Chester keeper Ronnie Sinclair in his place.
The Swansea chairman remained adamant the board made the right decision to sack Molby and assistant Billy Ayre and bring in former Fulham boss Micky Adams and Alan Cork in their place.
"I'm not exactly the most popular man in Swansea," admitted Hamer. "But the board has made the right decision.
"Micky is the final brick in the rebuilding of Swansea City Football club."
Having watched his squad in action for the first time in the 1-0 defeat at Exeter on Saturday, Adams set about the task of rebuilding confidence and a team lacking "hardened campaigners."
Adams, while pleased with the fighting spirit displayed by his young side, was clearly concerned about the lack of experience and physical presence in a side that was often bullied out of the game.
"Generally I was pleased with the spirit of the side," explained Adams. "They obviously lack confidence, and that was plain to see.
"They also lack experience in vital areas and we need players to come into the club to solve it. I've got a nucleus of a very good side. But I've learnt from my experience at Fulham that you don't get promoted with a young side.
"The choice is we either bring these players on and suffer the consequences, or we buy some experience and become better."
With Swansea chairman Steve Hamer going on record again and confirming funds for team strengthening, Adams is set to use his vast knowledge of the lower divisions to bring in experienced and hardened campaigners.
Fulham could be his first stop with hardened campaigners in 38-year-old midfielder Glenn Cockerill and 31-year-old striker Mike Conroy fitting the bill.
But, while there is likely to be plenty of movement in and out of Vetch Field over the next month, Adams won't make any rash decisions until he fully assesses his current squad.
"I've only had one training session with them," explained Adams.
"Although they adapted well against Exeter to the things we did work on, such as stopping teams from playing, I still haven't seen what's at my disposal. I need to see the whole staff.
"I'm not daunted by the task. If that's the squad I've got at my disposal until the end of the season, I'll work with them and see what I can do. But Rome wasn't built in a day."
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