Portsmouth manager Kenny Jackett has backed Rangers loanee Ross McCrorie to bounce back after another injury blow.
The 21-year-old was forced off on the stroke of half-time at the weekend in a 1-0 victory over Ipswich Town at Fratton Park and it has since transpired that the problem is another hamstring injury.
McCrorie had just settled back into the side at right-back after a small tear of the same muscle had sidelined him for around a month.
“He has felt his hamstring slightly, which is frustrating because he had a bright half-an-hour,” said Jacket, as quoted by The News, Portsmouth. “It seems to be the same hamstring he has done before, but wasn’t as bad, he was talking about carrying on, which isn’t the best thing to do. We took him off and are hoping it’s not too bad.”
“He is a very good lad in terms of his character, he won’t buckle, he won’t go under, that’s the good thing.
“It’s too early to tell, hamstrings are not good injuries. Well, Saturday to Thursdays they are not usually good, and that’s the case here. It’s a tough one to make the rest of the month.”
Verdict
This is the latest in a slew of blows McCrorie has endured this season.
The Scotland U21 skipper has dealt with suspension, being dropped, positional change and injuries in the space of just a few months with Pompey.
These words from his adopted manager should be encouraging, though.
Misfortune has ensured he hasn’t put together the sort of run of appearances he would have liked to by this stage of the campaign, but after impressing at right-back, he’ll hope the spot will still be open for him in 2020 when he recovers from this latest setback.
