Jerome hopes for quick return
Birmingham striker Cameron Jerome is hopeful of being fit for when Steve Bruce’s side return to Barclays Premier League action after the international break despite being set to have a hernia operation tomorrow.
The England Under-21 striker has been playing with a hernia problem for several weeks and has often played as a lone striker but he hopes to return as the Blues play Portsmouth at home on November 24.
Jerome, who started the 2-1 home defeat to local rivals Aston Villa yesterday, has seen the problem worsen and realises the international break is the ideal time to have surgery.
The former Cardiff player said: “I am going in for a hernia operation on Tuesday. Hopefully I am just going to be out for the international period so it has come as a good time for me.
“It has been troubling me for a while so we are going to get it sorted. I’ve had a groin problem since pre-season but I’ve just been getting on with it but it has been getting worse and worse.
“The time has come with the international break to get it done. It is a quick procedure and hopefully I’ll be back soon for when Birmingham start playing again.”
Jerome’s optimism may be misplaced as fellow striker Mikael Forssell was sidelined with a similar problem for a month before returning to score as a second-half substitute against Villa.
His efforts proved in vain as a late goal from Birmingham-born Gabriel Agbonlahor earned Villa victory at St Andrews.
But the signs in the second half were encouraging that Jerome can be more effective when he has a second striker alongside him, particularly one of the class of Forssell.
Jerome added: “I believe myself and Mikael are a partnership that can work in the Premier League. Definitely. We linked up really well in pre-season and did well together.
“Of course, in some of the games you have to go with 4-5-1 formation to combat the top teams and sometimes it works. You understand playing 4-5-1 against the Manchester Uniteds and Arsenals.
“Sometimes the manager prefers to play with the two defensive midfielders and one in the ’hole’ and sometimes it works. You can get the person in the hole on the ball a lot and he can create opportunities for the wide men.
“But I am definitely more effective playing off a target man.
“As a lone striker you are asked to do a lot of running, holding the ball up and waiting for support, and that’s a job you have to do.
“You want to play every game and you do as you are told but as a striker you’d love to play with two up front. It gives defenders more to think about.
“I’ve always played with two up front but it is good for me to learn to play as the lone striker and it improves my all-round game and that is coming on more and more.”
Blues manager Steve Bruce admitted: “The introduction of Forssell gave us a bit of impetus up the pitch and we were much better the second half. You just hope Mikael can stay fit because he is a proven goalscorer.”
