Youngsters Idris El Mizouni, Armando Dobra, Brett McGavin, Corrie Ndaba and Aaron Drinan were left out of the first-team photo call held at Portman Road yesterday afternoon.

We understand the quintet were told at the training ground earlier in the day that they wouldn’t be included in the group shots or have individual photos taken.

Of the five, only Dobra, 19, and El Mizouni, 19, were given squad numbers when they were released earlier in the summer, while Drinan, 22, and McGavin, 20, started pre-season training with the senior players and have featured throughout the first-team friendlies so far.

Ndaba, 20, the only one of the five not to have made a competitive first-team appearance up to now, has impressed with his displays during pre-season.

The five are set to be the U23s squad for tonight’s friendly against Norwich and we understand some or all of them will also make the trip with the first team for Saturday’s final pre-season game at Cambridge.

Twenty-four players were included in the annual photo call, which due to coronavirus restrictions didn’t include the regular group shot with the players forming the letters NHS in the centre circle instead in tribute to health service workers.

Photo: Matchday Images

LonE17Blue added 17:40 - Aug 28 Lets hope all you journalists out there give Lambert a hard time over this, and find out why he has just disrespected our youngsters. And, let him know that supporters are outraged by this! He is on borrowed time now!
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blueboy1981 added 17:40 - Aug 28 Rank Bad Management in my opinion - Lambert you have much to prove, lets hope results are much more impressive than your words and deed to date. Not impressed at all - so far.
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armchaircritic59 added 17:41 - Aug 28 Simply terrible man management. The lads must think they've been kicked in the "cojones".
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Bert added 18:18 - Aug 28 At first reading this does not read well but let's hear the reasons from the club before sounding off.
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Wickets added 18:29 - Aug 28 So at the Morning training the 24 players needed for the Afternoon photo shoot were told . No players that were not in the shoot turned up at the shoot expecting to be in it . Dont think their is a big story here just Wilson stirring it up !!
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Skip73 added 19:12 - Aug 28 What a joke!!! Drinan is our top scorer in pre season isn't he? Correct me if I'm wrong. I'd have him, Dobra and El Mizouni in the squad for definite. They are promising and can't be worse than some of the so called senior footballers on the books.
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blues1 added 19:26 - Aug 28 What the hell are some of you on about? So 5 players were left out of a photoshoot, in which only 30 people are allowed. So what? And that meansxtheyre not gonna be involved in the team this year? Really? Even tho theyve all been involved in 1st team friendlies up till now. And will be again tomorrow? Grow up people and stop reading stuff into things, that simply aren't there.

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Bluearmy71 added 19:28 - Aug 28 Why is everyone loosing their sh1t over a team photo ffs, if we were to sign a player on a deal next week he wouldn't have been in the photo does that mean he wouldn't play?? Of course not!! And its absolutely no bloody different for the five young lads who aren't in the bloody photo, they will all be involved in games this season for our "first team" !! Some of you just use any excuse to have a go at the manager, and using a team photo isn't just scraping the barrel its poking a big hole through the bottom of it!!

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blues1 added 19:30 - Aug 28 Beattie backpocket. Where has anyone suggested they wont be involved in the 1st team this season? Nowhere. And no1 has said that. They were left out of a photoshoot, probably bcse of the number of players allowed in a group. And after playing for the u 24s tonight, will be with the 1st team again tomorrow. Stop making a mountain out of a mole hill. Theres nothing sinister in this

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Skip73 added 23:41 - Aug 28 We'll see, won't we.
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Essexipswichboy added 09:59 - Aug 29 It's just restrictions We had a funeral the other day... Only 30allowed In crem It's all a PR stunt We will win this league
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