Tomlin, Morrison, Vassell etc the six injured Cardiff City
Mon Apr 12, 2021 3:01 pm
Tomlin, Morrison, Vassell - the six injured Cardiff City stars and whether they'll play again this season
Monday 12th April 2021
Here's the latest on each of Cardiff's injured stars - and when they might be back in action
Lee Tomlin of Cardiff City is finally edging closer to a first-team return after being out since October.
Cardiff City's play-off hopes are all but over.
It's not, mathematically at least, an impossible task, but with just five games left, it seems highly unlikely that Cardiff will be in the mix come the end of the season.
Boss Mick McCarthy has already turned his attention towards next term, and the coming weeks could well be a chance for some to play their way into his plans.
That could well include some of Cardiff's injured stars, some of whom will be hoping to get some game-time under their belt before the close of the season.
Here's where they all stand:
' Sean Morrison '
Cardiff have desperately missed their skipper, who hasn't played since putting in a heroic performance in the South Wales derby win over Swansea City before the recent international break.
As well as picking up a nasty-looking heel problem, Morrison admitted after the match that he was carrying a calf injury for much of that game, and has been struggling for full fitness since.
There is a hope that he could be back in contention for Friday's clash with Reading, but with the Bluebirds earning just one point from a possible nine in his absence, it's likely that his return will come too late in terms of reviving City's play-off hopes.
' Joe Bennett '
The full-back has been keeping fans updated on his recovery from an ACL injury through his social media channels in recent weeks and, while positive in that he's off the crutches, it seems he still faces a substantial period on the sidelines.
McCarthy has recently said that he hopes to have the former Aston Villa man back for October, adding that initial discussions over his contract situation have already begun.
"I’ve spoken to Joe about his situation," he said.
"Seven months, he will be back, please God willing, he will be paid until the end of July, I think he will be fit come October, so there is a discussion to be had with him and his agent in terms of what he wants to do and what the club wants to do."
' Lee Tomlin '
Out of first-team action since October,since going under the knife to try to solve an ongoing groin issue.
Came back to training in January, but has struggling to get himself fully fit.
One start all season and only 50 appearances (many as sub) in three & a half years for the Bluebirds.
There were high hopes that he may well be able to make a return to help his team towards the end of the season, but he has since suffered a couple of setbacks on his road back to full fitness.
The playmaker lasted the full 90 minutes of a recent friendly with Exeter City, although McCarthy has since said he was carrying a "sore thigh".
Whether we will see him pull on a Cardiff shirt again before the end of the season remains to be seen, but he seems closer than ever to a return.
' Joel Bagan '
The youngster looked reasonably impressive filling in for Bennett at left-back before unfortunately suffering a dislocated shoulder in the drab 0-0 draw with Huddersfield Town.
McCarthy had briefly considered simply rehabbing the shoulder in order to get the youngster back into contention before the end of the season, but now seems willing to take his time with the 19-year-old, who won't play again this term after undergoing surgery.
"The temptation was to rehab him and get him back," McCarthy said. "But once you've done it once you're more than likely to do it again and that would be completely unfair for him, a 19-year-old kid to do that.
"He needs to be rehabbed properly so when he comes back he has got no fears of doing it again."
' Isaac Vassell '
The striker has struggled with injury problems in south Wales, but now finally appears to be edging closer to a first-team return.
A recurring quad injury has kept him sidelined since August 2019, but he has recently returned to training, and has seemingly already left a positive impression on McCarthy.
However, the City boss appears in no mood to rush the forward back, and has hinted he could well be back in the fold this summer for pre-season.
"Because of the amount of injuries he has had, we will take it very, very slowly with him," he said.
"If it ended up being that he was back for pre-season fully fit, I'd take that."
' Sol Bamba '
The sight of Sol Bamba back in training will have surely brought a smile to the face of every Cardiff fan.
The centre-back has been out of action since December after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, but has started light training once again.
It's not clear when we'll see Bamba back in action, particularly given that he still has one more chemo session ahead of him, but a run out before the end of the current campaign surely seems unlikely.
Monday 12th April 2021
Here's the latest on each of Cardiff's injured stars - and when they might be back in action
Lee Tomlin of Cardiff City is finally edging closer to a first-team return after being out since October.
Cardiff City's play-off hopes are all but over.
It's not, mathematically at least, an impossible task, but with just five games left, it seems highly unlikely that Cardiff will be in the mix come the end of the season.
Boss Mick McCarthy has already turned his attention towards next term, and the coming weeks could well be a chance for some to play their way into his plans.
That could well include some of Cardiff's injured stars, some of whom will be hoping to get some game-time under their belt before the close of the season.
Here's where they all stand:
' Sean Morrison '
Cardiff have desperately missed their skipper, who hasn't played since putting in a heroic performance in the South Wales derby win over Swansea City before the recent international break.
As well as picking up a nasty-looking heel problem, Morrison admitted after the match that he was carrying a calf injury for much of that game, and has been struggling for full fitness since.
There is a hope that he could be back in contention for Friday's clash with Reading, but with the Bluebirds earning just one point from a possible nine in his absence, it's likely that his return will come too late in terms of reviving City's play-off hopes.
' Joe Bennett '
The full-back has been keeping fans updated on his recovery from an ACL injury through his social media channels in recent weeks and, while positive in that he's off the crutches, it seems he still faces a substantial period on the sidelines.
McCarthy has recently said that he hopes to have the former Aston Villa man back for October, adding that initial discussions over his contract situation have already begun.
"I’ve spoken to Joe about his situation," he said.
"Seven months, he will be back, please God willing, he will be paid until the end of July, I think he will be fit come October, so there is a discussion to be had with him and his agent in terms of what he wants to do and what the club wants to do."
' Lee Tomlin '
Out of first-team action since October,since going under the knife to try to solve an ongoing groin issue.
Came back to training in January, but has struggling to get himself fully fit.
One start all season and only 50 appearances (many as sub) in three & a half years for the Bluebirds.
There were high hopes that he may well be able to make a return to help his team towards the end of the season, but he has since suffered a couple of setbacks on his road back to full fitness.
The playmaker lasted the full 90 minutes of a recent friendly with Exeter City, although McCarthy has since said he was carrying a "sore thigh".
Whether we will see him pull on a Cardiff shirt again before the end of the season remains to be seen, but he seems closer than ever to a return.
' Joel Bagan '
The youngster looked reasonably impressive filling in for Bennett at left-back before unfortunately suffering a dislocated shoulder in the drab 0-0 draw with Huddersfield Town.
McCarthy had briefly considered simply rehabbing the shoulder in order to get the youngster back into contention before the end of the season, but now seems willing to take his time with the 19-year-old, who won't play again this term after undergoing surgery.
"The temptation was to rehab him and get him back," McCarthy said. "But once you've done it once you're more than likely to do it again and that would be completely unfair for him, a 19-year-old kid to do that.
"He needs to be rehabbed properly so when he comes back he has got no fears of doing it again."
' Isaac Vassell '
The striker has struggled with injury problems in south Wales, but now finally appears to be edging closer to a first-team return.
A recurring quad injury has kept him sidelined since August 2019, but he has recently returned to training, and has seemingly already left a positive impression on McCarthy.
However, the City boss appears in no mood to rush the forward back, and has hinted he could well be back in the fold this summer for pre-season.
"Because of the amount of injuries he has had, we will take it very, very slowly with him," he said.
"If it ended up being that he was back for pre-season fully fit, I'd take that."
' Sol Bamba '
The sight of Sol Bamba back in training will have surely brought a smile to the face of every Cardiff fan.
The centre-back has been out of action since December after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, but has started light training once again.
It's not clear when we'll see Bamba back in action, particularly given that he still has one more chemo session ahead of him, but a run out before the end of the current campaign surely seems unlikely.
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