Eyre: Wes Hoolahan is exploring options outside of Fleetwood Town

Fleetwood first team coach Steve Eyre says ex-Blackpool favourite Wes Hoolahan did not train with Town on Monday and is exploring other options.
Wes HoolahanWes Hoolahan
Wes Hoolahan

Hoolahan, 36, left Norwich in the summer and trained with Fleetwood last week.

But as Town prepared for their League Cup second round clash at Premier League Leicester City on Tuesday, Hoolahan was not at Poolfoot Farm.

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Eyre revealed on Monday morning: “At this point I’m not sure he is coming in. I think he is exploring other options, which is to his credit because he is a talented footballer who has earned the right to have choices.

“We pitched in early and suggested, ‘Would you like to train with us?’ Nothing further than that.

“He trained well, fitted in well. At his age, I presume it will be his last club and it will be a move he needs to get correct for his family, so we have given him that personal respect of coming back to us.

“But in the meantime, while we really respect him as a player there are 30 more players that will be gearing up for Leicester who we will be getting stuck into instead.”

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There may be no Hoolahan for Town but Eyre says everyone is fit and available ahead of the trip to the King Power after a tough week that saw Fleetwood beat Scunthorpe 5-0 and draw 0-0 at Charlton on the road.

And now Town are aiming to keep their unbeaten away streak going.

Eyre added: “We had a roll call with Liam (McGarry) the physio. It was a tough week for us.

“At Scunthorpe we put a hell of a lot in. There was no circling of the wagons with 20 minutes to go. We were hellbent on keeping that clean sheet and adding to the scoreline.

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“We went all the way through to 95 minutes. It was a tough week of travel, a tough week of fitness and no injuries to report so we are pleased about that.

“There is a hell of a lot of good work that goes on behind the scenes that possibly goes unnoticed but is respected by the staff.

“When the lads come out on the training ground, they have been kept in good order in the gym by Youl, Jimmy and the medical team.”

Barton named an unchanged side for the first time in his reign at Charlton.

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But Town are expected to make changes at Leciester and Eyre says competition for places is fierce.

He said: “We have got 20-plus players in our squad, and if the manager was to roll out a training game XI v XI, there would not be much difference between team A and team B, given how well we have recruited and developed.

“Whoever plays on Tuesday we feel well equipped. The training levels are phenomenal.

“The recovery that the players get and the personal treatment from the staff has really helped.

“We have looked fitter than any side we have played. We are OK physically and on the fitness side of things.

“If anyone comes into the side it will be a good player replacing a good player.”