Cardiff wait on injuries as Robertson pulls out of Brazil game

[Huw Evans Picture Agency]Alex Robertson will remain at Cardiff City over the international break after withdrawing from Australia's squad to face Brazil.

>Robertson, 23, pulled out for medical reasons after being called up for the Socceroos for the first time since missing out on selection for the summer's World Cup.

>No details have been given on the injury, but the midfielder is set to stay in south Wales during a key period that Cardiff boss Brian Barry-Murphy hopes will be "very beneficial" for the Bluebirds as they aim to edge key men closer to fitness.

>That includes Dylan Lawlor, the Wales centre-back not involved in Wales' Nations League games having returned for his first minutes of the season as a late substitute in the 3-1 win over Charlton Athletic.

>Fellow centre-back Will Fish will also return to training, but Barry-Murphy warned there is no planned return date as yet for Callum Chambers, who is yet to kick a ball this season.

>"This break will be very beneficial for us, we'll train a lot and improve a lot, particularly with a focus Dylan and Will Fish," said Barry-Murphy, who added he hoped Fish would be in contention to return when Cardiff take on Blackburn Rovers on 10 October.

>"He did his first day last week, it's not full training, but he's making good progress but if we can use this break as we hope he should be in a much better place come the next game.

>"Callum Chambers is not straightforward because he's looking longer term. It's not as imminent; he's happy his neck and back are in a good place, but he still has some issue with his knee with swelling and he's not been able to get rid of that."

>Issak Davies and Rubin Colwill will also remain at the club's Vale of Glamorgan training base having missed out on the chance of Wales selection because of injury.

>Five senior players will be on international duty, including Joel Colwill and Cian Ashford with Wales – the latter hoping to win his first cap after being drafted into Craig Bellamy's squad for Nations League games against Portugal, Denmark and Norway.

>Joel Bagan is also hoping for a debut after being named in the Republic of Ireland squad for fixtures against Israel, Kosovo and Austria alongside midfielder Jack Moylan.

>Summer signing Moylan made his Irieland bow in May after his impressive season with Lincoln, the Dubliner scoring a hat-trick in the 5-0 win over Grenada while Bagan had to withdraw from his first call-up trough injury.

>Meanwhile full-back Ronan Kpakio is expected to feature for Matty Jones' Wales Under-21s, who take on Belgium and Austria, with five other young Bluebirds in the squad including the 15-year-old Noah Anyadike.