Home
Wanderers have shelved plans to give Max Clayton his comeback game at Motherwell on Saturday.
The highly-rated striker has been out of action for nine months with a ruptured cruciate ligament and had been pencilled-in to feature at Fir Park when Neil Lennon takes his side their for Keith Lasley’s testimonial game.
But the Whites are treading carefully, and Clayton is now expected to play in at least three development squad games before being considered for first-team action.
The 21-year-old was initially expected to miss six months of football after falling awkwardly against Ipswich Town in December.
Lennon is keen to get Clayton involved again, particularly in light of his team’s goal problems this season, but insists that no risks will be taken.
“It has been frustrating for him because he’s done all the hard work. He went out on the grass a couple of weeks ago and felt his knee a little bit but it’s quite solid now,” he said.
“You don’t want to rush a player after a serious injury like that so we’re giving him as much time as he needs to train and come back strong.”
Lennon will also give a first outing at Motherwell to two recent signings, Francesco Pisano and Jose Manuel Casado, and also bring Liam Trotter back for his first football since the opening day of the season.
While the game itself will not be a competitive affair, Lennon believes it comes at a good time for him to be able to keep his players sharp for their return to Championship duties a week later.
“The plan is to give the players a few days off in the early part of the week then come in to train, travel, play the game,” he told The Bolton News. “It’ll be a testimonial so it won’t be too stressful for them, it will just keep them ticking over. Then we’ll give them a few more days off and then prepare for Wolves.”
The game will be played as a benefit for Motherwell’s long-serving midfielder Keith Lasley, who has played more than 400 times for the SPL club, either side of brief spells in English football with Plymouth Argyle and Blackpool.
And Lennon hopes some of the Celtic fans who stood behind him for many years at Parkhead might be convinced to support the cause.
“I hope he gets a good crowd because he’s had 14 years of service to the club, on and off, and it’s nice to have been asked to play,” he added. “It’s also nice to give something back.”
Source
The highly-rated striker has been out of action for nine months with a ruptured cruciate ligament and had been pencilled-in to feature at Fir Park when Neil Lennon takes his side their for Keith Lasley’s testimonial game.
But the Whites are treading carefully, and Clayton is now expected to play in at least three development squad games before being considered for first-team action.
The 21-year-old was initially expected to miss six months of football after falling awkwardly against Ipswich Town in December.
Lennon is keen to get Clayton involved again, particularly in light of his team’s goal problems this season, but insists that no risks will be taken.
“It has been frustrating for him because he’s done all the hard work. He went out on the grass a couple of weeks ago and felt his knee a little bit but it’s quite solid now,” he said.
“You don’t want to rush a player after a serious injury like that so we’re giving him as much time as he needs to train and come back strong.”
Lennon will also give a first outing at Motherwell to two recent signings, Francesco Pisano and Jose Manuel Casado, and also bring Liam Trotter back for his first football since the opening day of the season.
While the game itself will not be a competitive affair, Lennon believes it comes at a good time for him to be able to keep his players sharp for their return to Championship duties a week later.
“The plan is to give the players a few days off in the early part of the week then come in to train, travel, play the game,” he told The Bolton News. “It’ll be a testimonial so it won’t be too stressful for them, it will just keep them ticking over. Then we’ll give them a few more days off and then prepare for Wolves.”
The game will be played as a benefit for Motherwell’s long-serving midfielder Keith Lasley, who has played more than 400 times for the SPL club, either side of brief spells in English football with Plymouth Argyle and Blackpool.
And Lennon hopes some of the Celtic fans who stood behind him for many years at Parkhead might be convinced to support the cause.
“I hope he gets a good crowd because he’s had 14 years of service to the club, on and off, and it’s nice to have been asked to play,” he added. “It’s also nice to give something back.”
Source