Lord of the Dance
Doyle and Ward not in Wolves' pre-season plans
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Doyle and Ward not in Wolves' pre-season plans

IRELAND internationals Kevin Doyle and Stephen Ward are “not in the present plans” of their club manager Kenny Jackett.

The Wolves boss is preparing to take 24 players to Ireland this week for their pre-season tour, but the Irish pair – who both have a year left on their contracts – will be forced to train at the club's training ground in Compton.

“Nothing has happened on either of them – there has been no contact from any club to us,” said Jackett.

“We’re in a situation where both of them are just coming back and working hard at pre-season and no loan moves are imminent and nothing is on the horizon.

"I would never close the door on them completely because you never know what is around the corner," said Jackett. "Players could get injured. Anything could happen.

“For the lads on the outside of that, I wouldn’t say I’d never use them again but at present they’re not in my plans.”

Doyle enjoyed a successful loan spell at QPR last season, but is yet to receive any indication that the club want him to return to Loftus Road. Ward’s future also remains uncertain as Brighton and Wolves have not reached an agreed transfer fee.

QPR man Richard Dunne’s plans for the coming season also remain uncertain after manager Harry Redknapp yesterday praised the imminent arrival of centre-half Rio Ferdinand and said that he would “lift the club.”

Following a difficult year at Norwich City and no solid offers, Wes Hoolahan has been included into the team by new boss Neil Adam for the pre-season friendly against Braintree Town.

Meanwhile, former Ireland international Leon Best was yesterday excluded from Blackburn Rovers’ 27-man squad that travelled to Portugal for a pre-season training camp.