FOREST GREEN boss Mark Cooper is giving midfielder Drissa Traore all the time he needs following the loss of his mother.

The Ivorian travelled back to France to comfort his family and missed the 3-0 pre-season victory over Hellenic Premier Division Brimscombe and Thrupp on Saturday.

“Drissa (Traore) lost his mum the other night and he is back in France, so our thoughts are with him,” said Cooper. “We have left him to do what he has to do with the rest of his family and have no time frame on his return.”

Cooper is also sweating on the fitness of captain Liam Noble (hamstring), who missed the matches at Shortwood and Brimscombe. Noble signed a three-year contract extension last week – finally ending the protracted interest of his former club Notts County.

“Pre-season is all about trying to get through it - I don’t like it,” he admitted. “It’s about trying to get the boys through and getting as much fitness as we can into them without getting them injured, but we have obviously lost Liam Noble with a little bit of an injury.”

With Traore absent and captain Liam Noble nursing a knee injury, Cooper took a second look at former Fulham midfielder Josh Smile and West Brom defender Jack Fitzwater. The pair are set to spend another week at The New Lawn.

Ahead of their debut season in Skybet League Two, Rovers continue pre-season preparations by travelling to Conference South Weston this evening. Cooper's side welcome Bristol Rovers on Saturday before jetting off to Portugal for a five-day training camp, including a match against SC Farense.