Whitehead boosts for Black Cats
Sunderland captain Dean Whitehead is back on the training pitch as he steps up his bid for a swift return from a knee injury.
The 25-year-old has has only just begun his comeback after almost two months on the sidelines, and still has a great deal of work to do before he can start ball work and the process of trying to force his way back into Roy Keane’s side.
But after initially fearing his season might be over, he can at least look forward to a return before Christmas, and that will come as a huge boost to both player and manager alike.
Keane said: “Dean is ready for a bit of light jogging. But I have to emphasise it’s only light jogging – don’t be thinking he’s ready for anything just yet.
“I have to make sure he doesn’t push himself in any way, shape or form because that’s half the battle when players are so eager to return, stopping them from straining themselves by trying to do too much.
“But it’s a psychological thing, the fact that he’s on the training ground and moving again.
“He saw the surgeon the other week and has been told that, at this moment in time, he is on course.
“There’s still no need for any surgery and the surgeon is delighted with how Dean’s gone along, which is great news for Dean because I keep saying, he is a very important player to us.”
Whitehead damaged his anterior cruciate ligament in training just two games into the new season and looked to be facing at least six months on the sidelines.
However, scans later showed there was no need for surgery with the healing process already well under way, slashing his recovery period.
He has set his sights on a return to action next month, although he will not be rushed back.
Whitehead, like Carlos Edwards and Kieran Richardson, has been a major miss for Keane as his side has endured a tough start to life back in the Barclays Premier League.
The Irishman is hoping the international break will give some of his troops time to recover from niggles, and new signing Andy Cole a chance to shake off the calf injury which has so far prevented him from making a senior debut for the club.
He told the Sunderland Echo: “Several of the lads are carrying niggles and knocks and it’s a chance to help them recover.
“It also allows us to get a couple of weeks extra with Carlos Edwards and Andy Cole in their rehabilitation, so that will be a good thing.
“There are other benefits too, though – it’s also a good opportunity for us to try different things in training and to work on the progress of the young players, maybe looking at a couple of practice matches.
“We have a full reserve team now and we will bring in some of the younger lads to specifically have a look at them, and it’s a good opportunity for us to see them in XI versus XI.
“Usually those games are quite intense, let me tell you, and that’s what I like to see.”
