Rest and recovery for some... and make-or-break for others

HARD WORK CONTINUES FOR SKY BLUES IN INTERNATIONAL BREAK

- By ANDY TURNER Sky Blues Reporter

FRANK Lampard will strike a balance between rest, recovery and continued hard work for his top-of-the-table Coventry City squad in the third international break of the season.

Five of his senior Sky Blues players are away on duty with their respective countries, flying as far afield as Japan, South Korea, Trinidad, Liechtenstein and the USA to play both friendly and competitive matches.

Closer to home, it’s an opportunity for players like Jack Rudoni to get himself closer to full fitness after nine games out with a calf injury, and Ephron Mason-Clark to recover from a suspected concussion at Stoke at the weekend. Here we take a look at what's going on in and around the club over the international fortnight.

Frank sets out recharge plan

Asked what he’s got planned for his players over the two week pause in domestic fixtures, Lampard said: “Yeah, the usual. Some days of rest because they've worked hard. Even the ones that don’t play work hard, they train to try and stay in contention and they come on and impact. I thought Kaine Kesler-Hayden and Ellis Simms did that (against Stoke).

“Then the ones that have played a lot of games will rest as we normally do and then bits of work. Some will go away and then come back. But yeah, it’s a nice little recharge at this point in the season because it’s been a busy little time for us.”

City’s dedicated follower of fashion

One player who is “desperate” to deliver again for the Sky Blues is playmaker Jack Rudoni who hasn't kicked a ball in anger since September - a nine game run stretching back to the goalless draw at Leicester City.