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Dougie Freedman remains convinced that sending Joe Riley out to Oxford United on loan was the correct decision – despite the club’s right-back problems this season.
The academy graduate was farmed out to League Two at the start of the season to prove his fitness after nearly two years out through injury.
He has now played 10 consecutive games for Michael Appleton’s side, albeit at the wrong end of the table.
Wanderers’ full-back problems have continued in his absence, with Hayden White and Oscar Threlkeld forced to fill-in for the injured Kevin McNaughton for the last few weeks, though the Scot is expected to return to the side at Wolves today.
Riley, pictured, has no recall clause in his loan – but Freedman believes it was the right call to send him out.
“Joe Riley was at the stage of his career where he needed games to really get over the injuries that started before I even got here,” he said.
“Joe couldn’t have sat there in the Under-21s, he needed to get out there and play.
“Hayden and Oscar were fine to back it up but I had no clue that Kevin would be injured so soon. I was hoping they would get another six months to develop.
“Since I came to the club the two full-back positions have been very difficult to fill.”
Riley has earned good reviews at the Kassam Stadium and Freedman believes he will return a better player for his first experience away from Bolton.
“In Joe’s head – and he was completely right to go for this – it was best to go from window to window with Oxford,” he said.
“He needed to know he was going to get 20-odd games. The uncertainty of coming and going wasn’t helping him at all.”
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The academy graduate was farmed out to League Two at the start of the season to prove his fitness after nearly two years out through injury.
He has now played 10 consecutive games for Michael Appleton’s side, albeit at the wrong end of the table.
Wanderers’ full-back problems have continued in his absence, with Hayden White and Oscar Threlkeld forced to fill-in for the injured Kevin McNaughton for the last few weeks, though the Scot is expected to return to the side at Wolves today.
Riley, pictured, has no recall clause in his loan – but Freedman believes it was the right call to send him out.
“Joe Riley was at the stage of his career where he needed games to really get over the injuries that started before I even got here,” he said.
“Joe couldn’t have sat there in the Under-21s, he needed to get out there and play.
“Hayden and Oscar were fine to back it up but I had no clue that Kevin would be injured so soon. I was hoping they would get another six months to develop.
“Since I came to the club the two full-back positions have been very difficult to fill.”
Riley has earned good reviews at the Kassam Stadium and Freedman believes he will return a better player for his first experience away from Bolton.
“In Joe’s head – and he was completely right to go for this – it was best to go from window to window with Oxford,” he said.
“He needed to know he was going to get 20-odd games. The uncertainty of coming and going wasn’t helping him at all.”
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