CREWE manager Dario Gradi has welcomed the chance for extra training sessions as Alex fans face a football-free fortnight.

This weekend's fixture against West Bromwich Albion has been called off through international call-ups, leaving Gradi two free weeks to work on his team.

"It will be good because we are able to do some proper football work. So instead of tactics and set plays we will be doing skills work," he said.

"I think it's what everybody needs, but you don't have the time to practice because once the players reach a certain level they are playing all the time- so they can't improve.

"The ideal thing would be to only play one game a week, but that's never going to happen because of the money. So when we get a fortnight we take advantage of it."

Gradi said he had no major injury problems and would be close to having a full compliment of players when fixtures re-start at Birmingham City on October 19.

"We are alright for injuries. Colin Little is fit again after his calf injury and there's only James Collins having treatment for his groin," he said.

"Chris Lightfoot is back in training after hamstring problems. Mark Foran isn't back yet but he's bombing along and it's only a matter of weeks before he's fit again."

One player who won't be able to take advantage of extra training is Seth Johnson, who has been called up for the England Under-21 squad to play against Bulgaria on Saturday and Luxembourg next Wednesday.

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