[h=3]Bridcutt's hopes of a return are dashed[/h] 5:00am Wednesday 6th November 2013 in Albion By Andy Naylor
Liam Bridcutt could be in contention to face Wigan on November 23
Albion's hopes of Liam Bridcutt making a comeback against Blackburn Rovers at The Amex on Saturday have been dashed on doctor’s orders.
Helge Riepenhof has warned it will be weeks before Bridcutt and the Seagulls’ other long-term injury victims are ready to start a game.
But the club’s German head of sports medicine and science expects the picture to look a lot brighter after the international break.
Bridcutt is edging closer to his return from a long-standing pubic bone injury, aggravated after hernia surgery, but Rovers’ visit has come too soon for the influential defensive midfielder to be risked.
Riepenhof told The Argus: “It’s definitely too early. I know everyone is desperate to have him back and, believe me, Liam really wants to play. He does everything he can but with an injury like this you have to be very careful at the end of the rehabilitation, because you can easily overload and then he would lose a couple of weeks again.
“It’s like a ten thousand metre run and he has done nine thousand eight hundred. Let’s not break down in the last 200 metres.”
Riepenhof expects Bridcutt and fellow midfielders Andrea Orlandi (knee) and Kemy Agustien (calf) to be back in squad contention for Albion’s next game after Blackburn at Wigan on November 23.
He said: “The international break is brilliant for us. Liam is back in training and Andrea is also joining in parts of the training.
“Kemy is not injured any more. It’s just general strengthening for him and like another pre-season.
“To be in the squad (at Wigan) they definitely all have a chance. Starting? I don’t think so. I think in the first game it’s always important to play minutes but not a full game.
“I think this will happen. They will all be part of the game and the others are also not too far away.
“Leo (Ulloa) is now five weeks since his (foot) fracture and after six weeks he can start more intense training. I think lots of them will come back hopefully soon enough to make a big difference this year, not only next year.”
Original article
Albion's hopes of Liam Bridcutt making a comeback against Blackburn Rovers at The Amex on Saturday have been dashed on doctor’s orders.
Helge Riepenhof has warned it will be weeks before Bridcutt and the Seagulls’ other long-term injury victims are ready to start a game.
But the club’s German head of sports medicine and science expects the picture to look a lot brighter after the international break.
Bridcutt is edging closer to his return from a long-standing pubic bone injury, aggravated after hernia surgery, but Rovers’ visit has come too soon for the influential defensive midfielder to be risked.
Riepenhof told The Argus: “It’s definitely too early. I know everyone is desperate to have him back and, believe me, Liam really wants to play. He does everything he can but with an injury like this you have to be very careful at the end of the rehabilitation, because you can easily overload and then he would lose a couple of weeks again.
“It’s like a ten thousand metre run and he has done nine thousand eight hundred. Let’s not break down in the last 200 metres.”
Riepenhof expects Bridcutt and fellow midfielders Andrea Orlandi (knee) and Kemy Agustien (calf) to be back in squad contention for Albion’s next game after Blackburn at Wigan on November 23.
He said: “The international break is brilliant for us. Liam is back in training and Andrea is also joining in parts of the training.
“Kemy is not injured any more. It’s just general strengthening for him and like another pre-season.
“To be in the squad (at Wigan) they definitely all have a chance. Starting? I don’t think so. I think in the first game it’s always important to play minutes but not a full game.
“I think this will happen. They will all be part of the game and the others are also not too far away.
“Leo (Ulloa) is now five weeks since his (foot) fracture and after six weeks he can start more intense training. I think lots of them will come back hopefully soon enough to make a big difference this year, not only next year.”
Original article