Oxford Coach Worried Ole Romeny Hasn't Recovered From Injury Ahead Of The New Season

JAKARTA - Oxford United coach Gary Rowett is worried about the condition of a number of players in the team who are not yet in prime condition.

Ole Romeny is one of the things that has not recovered ahead of the inaugural match of the second-class English league competition or Championship 2025/2026.

Oxford United will start a new season against Portsmouth on Saturday, August 9, 2025. However, ahead of the match, Rowett was worried that his mainstay players had problems during pre-season.

Apart from Romeny, other Oxford players who are known to be absent are Ciaron Brown, Luke Harris, and Nik Prelec. Meanwhile, Michal Helik, Hide ter Avest, Will Vaulks, and Przemyslaw Placheta are also still in poor condition.

This situation made Rowett hit by a dilemma. Like it or not, he had to think hard to determine the ideal composition at the beginning of the season for the excellent team's performance.

"I don't know for sure (about the composition of the team). I already have an idea. I know what I want, but of course there are players who come back and pull over (due to injury), who are present may start training."

"That (the remaining players available) will be a challenge. The challenge is who is the most prepared, who will be able to get through most of the games," said Rowett as quoted by the Oxford Mail on Friday, August 8, 2025.

Several Oxford players, such as Romeny, suffered injuries while appearing in the 2025 President's Cup pre-season tournament in Indonesia. Romeny was hit hard by Arema FC players.

Due to the injury, Romeny is said to be absent for a long time. In fact, he is predicted not to defend the Indonesian national team in a trial match in September 2025.