Attitude of players praised as Morecambe issue injury update

Morecambe FC have given an update on the injury progress of several senior players, including captain Will Smith.

The Shrimps are without a number of other senior players at the moment as they prepare for the visit to AFC Rushden and Diamonds in the final qualifying round of the FA Cup on Saturday.

Among them is defender Will Smith, who has had surgery on a knee injury sustained last month.

First-Team Lead Sports Therapist Pete Bailey said: ‘’There’s a huge amount of work that goes into preparing players for the demands of first-team football, whether that’s returning from injury, maintaining fitness or adapting to the transition into a full-time training environment.

‘’A lot of this work goes unseen, but the commitment and attitude of the lads throughout has been fantastic.

‘’Unfortunately, our captain has suffered a significant knee injury, which required surgery and is expected to keep him sidelined for approximately five months.

‘’It’s a frustrating setback for Will and everyone at the Club, but our focus is now firmly on his rehabilitation and ensuring he returns in the best possible condition.

‘’There’s a long road ahead, but we’ll be supporting him every step of the way.

Midfielder Jake Cain was absent at the weekend, with a knock expected to keep him out until the end of the month, while striker Ronnie Blois should be back in training next week, following an absence firstly with concussion, and then with an ankle problem, as should midfielder Lennon Dobson following an ankle issue.

There was better news for two other players – as midfielder Taelor O'Kane got his first minutes of the season at Worksop on Saturday, and goalkeeper Joe Young also returned to the squad.

‘’Taelor settled in really well with us during the summer and had an excellent transitional pre-season,’’ said Pete.

‘’He improved with every game, and it was really encouraging to see his fitness, confidence and performances developing as the weeks progressed.

‘’Unfortunately, he suffered an injury against AFC Fylde during the final week of pre-season, which interrupted that momentum. Since then, he’s responded really well to his rehabilitation and has been putting in some excellent work in the gym.

He’s making good progress, and it was very pleasing to see him get some minutes back in the first-team environment at Worksop Town on Saturday.

‘’Joe has been recovering from a leg injury which has kept him away from first-team involvement. He’s been working through his rehabilitation programme, and we’re pleased with the progress he’s making.

‘’He is back in full training this week.’’

Striker Alex Cherera is another new player having to contend with making the transition from a part-time to full-time environment, following a move from Lower Breck. He has appeared just once, briefly from the bench to date.

Speaking of his progress, Pete said: ‘’In Alex’s case, he also missed out on our thorough pre-season work and so is currently undergoing additional medical testing and monitoring which has kept him away from full training.

‘’I am supervising this work in conjunction with the Club’s doctor and we are hopeful that he will be able to resume training in the next few weeks.

‘’One of the biggest things I’ve been pleased with since arriving at Morecambe is the attitude and commitment of the players. Whether they’re recovering from a long-term injury, working towards a return to training or adapting to the physical demands of full-time football, the lads have shown a real willingness to put the work in.

‘’Rehabilitation isn’t always a straightforward process. There are good days, difficult days and occasionally setbacks along the way.

‘’Our priority is always to make sure players return safely, physically prepared and in the best possible position to contribute to the team.

‘’We’re looking forward to welcoming more of the lads back onto the pitch over the coming weeks.’’