West Ham United’s medical team has been forced to concede they got Andy Carroll’s injury prognosis wrong after Slaven Bilic was bombarded with questions.
West Ham’s Andy Carroll reacts
Simone Zaza worked tirelessly leading the line for West Ham in recent months, with scant reward.
It is no coincidence that West Ham’s early season struggles came as a result of a lack of striking options with Carroll, Diafra Sakho and new signing Andre Ayew all out for the first third of the season.
The club’s supporters are accustomed to seeing Carroll out injured, the former Liverpool and Newcastle United man having played just 81 games in 4 and a half years in East London.
Carroll during training
Supporters were initially told Carroll’s latest injury – suffered in the Europa League qualifying game at Astra in July – would keep him out for between four to six weeks.
So fans were left bemused when an update on his recovery on the club’s official website conceded he was still some way off a return, over three months on.
And after Slaven Bilic was bombarded with questions pre-Sunderland in a bid to clear up the confusion over the big Geordie’s latest comeback, the club’s head of medical and sports science Stijn Vandenbroucke was forced to clarify the situation of the club’s official website.
Bilic with West Ham’s head of medical and sports science Stijn Vandenbroucke
“Carroll has been out since suffering a knee injury at Astra Giurgiu in August,” Vandenbroucke told whufc.com.
“The rehabilitation is taking longer than our initial prognosis.
“However, I would reiterate that he is making steady progress and continues his rehab.”
Carroll’s persistent injury problems have already left supporters divided over the striker’s future.
Carroll’s career has been blighted by injuries
But since a video emerged of Carroll reportedly enjoying a pint of beer in a London bar while his side were playing Crystal Palace – as reported by the likes of the Mirror – many fans have grown fed up.
That followed a club investigation into his behaviour following the team’s much-publicised night out earlier this month.
Some fans are of the opinion Carroll is entitled to do what he wants in his free time.
Others feel a player picking up a reported £90,000 per week in wages should show more dedication to recovering from injury and helping his side.
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