Frustrated boss unsure when Derby County striker Jamie Ward will be back
NIGEL Clough says Jamie Ward's lengthy absence with hamstring trouble is frustrating and the Derby County manager admits he is not sure when the striker will return to action.
Ward has been out for 10 weeks since he limped off during the victory over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on September 30.
He will miss a 13th consecutive Championship match when Leeds United visit Pride Park Stadium on Saturday.
Ward's damaged hamstring is being scanned regularly, said Clough.
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"Until the scans are clear we cannot proceed and step up Jamie's work," added the Rams boss.
"The hamstring has got to be 100% right before we can get him going again.
"It is just time and patience with him.
"Of course it is a concern the length of time he has been out, because we initially thought it was a strain and it would be four to six weeks.
"It is going to be something like three months in the end.
"That might probably be down to his history of hamstring problems.
"Have we any idea when he will be back? No, not yet."
Clough admits Ward's injury is frustrating for everybody.
"It is a huge frustration for him – and for us," said Clough.
"Jamie is the sort of player who can get you a goal when you need one most, like at Leicester last Saturday.
"We controlled the game for periods at 2-1 down. In those situations, you look at who can get you a goal – and he is one who can.
"Yes, his injury gets him down but all he has to do is glance at who is on the next bed in the treatment room, Shaun Barker, and there are always people worse off."
Barker suffered a knee injury playing against Nottingham Forest nine months ago and he has been ruled out for the whole of this season.
Comments
by ibelieveido
Friday, December 07 2012, 5:47PM
“Dont sucked in by another red so easily will you.
DOH........”
by Tadley-Rams
Thursday, December 06 2012, 10:03PM
“We have missed him, he gets under the skin of the opposition, just misses so many games.
What is annoying, Theo and Tyson have had a great opportunity to nail down a spot in the team, far from it, come Saturday you don't know who will be playing, Theo does score goals, misses plenty and offers nothing else to the team, Tyson seems more hungry and aggressive than Theo so I would play him.”
by PeteDerby1
Thursday, December 06 2012, 9:24PM
“Bodmin - go for a walk on the moors will you? That kind of rubbish is the most infuriating kind of tittle tattle on the net.”
by TheOakwoodRam
Thursday, December 06 2012, 9:06PM
“Come on Bodminram let's not turn a simple injury into a problem between a player and the manager, let's look on the positve side! Although when I saw him at Morley Hayes the other weekend he was walking fine! ;-) lol No seriously just because two people shout at one another it does not mean that they hate one another and it is sometimes the case that injuries take longer than anticipated to clear up.”
by dcfcm
Thursday, December 06 2012, 1:32PM
“Bodminram: Oh what complete nonsense. "Player is injured" turns in to "player has big argument with manager who then takes advantage of his very public injury in a local Derby to pretend that he cannot be selected". Are you David Icke in disguise?”
by Bodminram
Thursday, December 06 2012, 11:47AM
“MMmm Not sure what to make of this, I hope its not another player fallen out with the boss, they were seen shouting at each other at one match.....”