Saxon Earley, Plymouth Argyle’s left-sided defender, is expected to be fully fit for the start of the club’s 2024/25 Championship season next month. The 21-year-old endured a challenging period last season, having missed nearly the entire campaign due to two separate ankle ligament injuries. Despite a loan stint at Wycombe Wanderers towards the end of the winter transfer window in hopes of returning to action, he ultimately returned to Home Park without making any appearances for the League One side.
Nevertheless, last week when the Argyle squad commenced pre-season training under the guidance of new head coach Wayne Rooney, Saxon Earley was among the players actively participating.
Director of football Neil Dewsnip expressed to Plymouth Live: “He will be ready by the end of pre-season. We are very excited about his return. It feels like a new signing, which is fantastic. He has been training really well so far, he looks great, and we hope everything continues smoothly.”
Injuries have heavily limited Saxon Earley’s appearances for Argyle since joining from Norwich City in January 2023, with only 11 games played, including six starts.
Rooney and his coaching staff will intensify training for Earley and the rest of the Pilgrims’ squad at a camp in Marbella this week, following their arrival on Spain’s Costa del Sol yesterday. Argyle is also scheduled to face top South African side Orlando Pirates on Friday.
The upcoming training camp in Marbella presents an excellent opportunity for Wayne Rooney to familiarize himself with the squad at Home Park, and vice versa. It’s also a crucial time for new summer signings Nathanael Ogbeta, Darko Gyabi, and Muhamed Tijani to settle into the team dynamics.
Neil Dewsnip highlighted the significance of the camp, stating, “It’s one of the main reasons we go away—to integrate the squad and face different opposition like Orlando Pirates, which will be a special experience. The players will likely get about 45 minutes of game time, and we might also arrange an in-house match.”
Additionally, striker Ben Waine has joined the Argyle squad following his participation with New Zealand in the OFC Nations Cup, where he emerged as the tournament’s second-highest scorer with four goals.
However, Ben Waine is expected to be called up by New Zealand for the men’s football tournament at the Olympics in France, which begins later this month. This means he will miss additional time with Argyle during their pre-season preparations.
Neil Dewsnip acknowledged this situation, stating, “That will be the downside for us, but Wayne [Rooney], having played 120 times for England, and myself, having managed junior national teams, we don’t stand in the way of players representing their countries. If Ben is called up, we would fully support that.”
Despite the potential lack of downtime this summer for the 21-year-old striker, Argyle is not concerned. Dewsnip added, “We closely monitor his physical workload, and Wayne, along with our team of sports scientists, will discuss whether he needs rest. Ben is young and incredibly enthusiastic.”
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