Holloway explains Cox and Freckleton absences

Ian Holloway confirmed that Miguel Freckleton and George Cox were both left out of the Swindon Town squad for tactical reasons against Milton Keynes Dons.

Holloway said before Swindon visited Stadium MK on Saturday that he had his whole squad at his disposal, aside from the suspended Grant Hall, meaning that several players were going to have to miss out on the squad.

The return of Ryan Delaney and Rosaire Longelo at the back meant that players had to make way and Cox and Freckleton were two of the unlucky ones.

The centre-back on loan from Sheffield United played 90 minutes of every League Two game under Mark Kennedy and also started each cup game, but was excluded from the squad entirely against Tottenham Hotspur Under-21s and then MK Dons.

Cox has also been an ever-present since his Deadline Day arrival, the 26-year-old has been in from the start every week since being used as a half-time substitute against Barrow AFC immediately after his arrival.

With a larger group at his disposal, Holloway said that their exclusions were not related to injuries but what he believed was best for the team.

He said: “[They were] totally tactical decisions. If I was going to make those decisions right now then I would probably still do the same thing from what I saw the week before.

“Will I still do that next week? Who knows? I have got to look at it and I have got to learn and I have to see who I have truly got.

“We have got another game on Tuesday [behind closed doors against Bristol Rovers], so I will get a chance to see all of the others.”

Holloway also said that he believed that he needed Delaney and Longelo involved despite them not being at full fitness following lengthy absences.

Walking out at Stadium MK was the first time Delaney had started a League Two match since February 13 when he was at Newport County and Longelo hadn’t started since Crewe Alexandra in August.

He said: “I was forced to make certain changes because Ryan still isn’t fit and Rosaire still isn’t fully fit. I felt that from what I have seen I needed them in there.

“Maybe I am wrong and maybe Coxy will think I am wrong and maybe I was, who knows?

“What we have to do is go back and do it again, take it on the chin, and keep learning.”