Came back to early and aggravated the hamstring injury. Ameobi and Coppy on the bench on Sat then.

I'm not going to say it but you can imagine what player I'm hoping doesn't pick up an injury on Sat.

-- Anonymous, November 09, 2000

Answers

Or, more to the point, today or tomorrow...

-- Anonymous, November 09, 2000

Or the week up to the Mackem game, I'd tell him to stay at home, sleep downstairs and get the missus to open any salad cream jars, so as not to repeat any Bizzarre Tony Adams or Dave Beasant type injuries!

-- Anonymous, November 09, 2000

I see what you are saying, but to be fair to them, they have been saying for a couple of days that CC would be doubtful for the match on Saturday.

The Ronnie yesterday and tuesday was saying that even through he is training with the first team again as from Monday, even if he was match fit for Saturday he would be considered unlikely due to the slippy surface and the potential for aggravating the hamstring again.

I know we could do with him in the side, but personally I'd rather give him another week to strengthen the muscle a bit more and then launch him back as a second half substitution against the tiring Makems.

-- Anonymous, November 09, 2000

But Cort's injured again and will definately miss the Mackem game so their strategy has hardly paid off. I was talking about our other main striker and the idea of wrapping him in cotton wool, know what I mean.

-- Anonymous, November 09, 2000

It seems like CC is being a bit more realistic this time. He says he came back too early after the first hamstring pull (a bit like WB did after his groin injury) but realises he will have to take advice on his return date this time round.

He's off to see a specialist in Bradford. So what does that say about the club? CC comes back from a hamstring too early and causes more trouble. WB des exactly the same with his groin. Are the club simply leaving it to the players to decide?

Now, I'm no expert in this field, but I'd have thought that even tho sometimes you must take a player's word that he's OK, there must be some other mediacl advice which cana lso be taken into account - otherwise why is CC going to ask a specialist when he can return?

-- Anonymous, November 09, 2000

I agree Screacher. The whole fitness setup seems a bit amateur sometimes. Maybe it is bad luck, but the amount of injuries and the nature of a good percentage of them seem to be down to general fitness attributes of the players. Why do we need to send him to Bradford, surely with the amount of injuries in the game now we should be investing in this side of things to give us and edge.

-- Anonymous, November 09, 2000

We don't need a trophy cabinet. We've got so many crocks, we need a welsh dresser. :-))

-- Anonymous, November 09, 2000

I suppose the closest we have is Speed, perhaps, a Welsh cross dresser?

-- Anonymous, November 09, 2000

Just read the Ronnie article. I had that same injury(hamstring tendon)! It would not clear up for weeks despite going to physio etc.. No response to the usual RICE treatment. In the end it turned out that the correct treatment was not rest and ice but exercise and local heat!

I'm sure the NUFC medical team know that though :-(

-- Anonymous, November 09, 2000

exercise and local heat!

Precious little chance of seeing him ever play for us again then, never get any heat in Newcastle.....why can't it be exercise and local rain. ;0(

-- Anonymous, November 09, 2000

This has had me wondering for a while. There never seemed to be so many players suffering long term injuries as there are now. And from what often look like quite innoccuous incidents - AS' looked like nowt, but look what he had to go through - so what's the common factor ?

How about the ponsy boots they all seem to wear these days ? Seems to me, you might as well play in flip flops. Might not be the whole reason, but it wouldn't surprise me if the boots are a contributory factor.

-- Anonymous, November 09, 2000

Long-legged players (Howey, Cort, Dunc) seem prone to hamstring and groin injuries. Bones too long for their muscles I reckon!

Bring on the short-arses...

-- Anonymous, November 09, 2000

Have them out in pit boots would ya ; - )

-- Anonymous, November 09, 2000

I believe what the Ronnie article is saying that CC has been back in training, and is OK doing most things but is still suffering significant pain from the h/s tendon behind the knee when he puts any real stress on it - ie sprinting, jumping etc. I don't believe he has aggravated the injury by coming back too soon this time - the injury is simply preventing him from coming back.

I've felt for some time that there is something wrong with the medical support to the Toon, and CC's situation could be another demonstration of this.

-- Anonymous, November 09, 2000

and following Clarky's comments....when 6 mil worth of talent, not utilised to the full at Newcastle, is sitting doing nowt then the medical side of NUFC needs to get is arse in gear IMO IF they can tell Marcelino he has nowt the matter, then they should be able to diagnose what's the matter with Cort.Or send him to someone who can. This scenario has always p*ssed me off. Two months down the line after rest and yet another aborted attempt to get get back into training Cort finds the rest has not worked. Surley to god the club get afford an immediate diagnosis - scans and the rest. Smacks of me 'telling granny how to suck eggs' but too often this happens. Pile of crap. BUT one assumes with YBR in charge he has the whole house in order I was getting excited about Flo.......

-- Anonymous, November 09, 2000

Yes CLarky, that's the way I read it too. However, it begs the question as to why he came back so prematurely the first time. I realise a young star may well want to prove himself by getting in on the action, and with Don Cordeone having hit a bit of form early on, you can understand why CC might have wanted to jump right in. But isn't that why we have medical advisors - to advise on when is appropriate and when is not?

It would be interesting (honest) to analyse the medium/long-term and persistent injuries in other clubs. Spurs are the closest to NUFC that I can think of off the top of my head - Anderton, Sir Les to mention two. On the other side, ManUre never seem to have many long term niggling injuries - sure, a cruciate or a broken leg can put you out for a long time, but who else has the training ground or "minor" match injuries that we have had?

-- Anonymous, November 09, 2000

Poncy boots?aye mebbes, tall gangly players,Court/Dunc, I have had my say on this subject in the past,well documented, so whats the reason!! Clarky auld ex-birthday boy, the party is over,the buff takes you to task,for you to suggest that the medical back up at St James could be not up to it, This is one of the biggest clubs in the world,in the past I would agree with you, not having the complete facts at my disposal its difficult to give you a reasoned argument but sure to goodness,our club with all its past administrave cock-ups would have their house in order on this important aspect, more so considering the value of the merchandise they are dealing with. Cort has to go to Bradford, no big deal, ordinary folk from up in Scotland go to the Freemans for treatment where expert consultants are based, these people cannot be everywhere, if there is someone in Bradford with the expertise, well done the toon for shipping him there, Mention has been made of Cort wanting to come back early,this is tied in with high tech equipment which some say could make the choice, Nah ,footballers are like dogs, they want to play all the time,Ask Galaxy ,when she takes her dog to the vets, she will have to explain the problems/symptons pre examination, later after keeping a weather eye on the animal, the progress will be reported to the vet. So Cort has his rest,treatment(the best), Wadsworth monitors the progress and the last voice you hear will be YBR asking his player "Are you ready". At this stage the answer is usually "Yeah boss", so what`s the problem, no answers but suggestions-: 1..More injuries since the tackle from behind was introduced,got my thoughts on that, another day perhaps. 2..Squad System, is there the urgency to get back quick these day`s? no Joe Harvey saying "Doon to ten not counting Pegswood Coll band 3..If a player is brought back to early against his wishes and in doing so suffers further injury resulting in loss of earnings,can he or will he ba able in the future to sue the club,?I don`t know 4..Training at the Riverside on a cold Winter`s morn, 5,,Games quicker?, Giggs is the nearest Ive seen to an old fashioned winger,twisting, turning etc, always receiving treatment. 6..How is it the ones you would never mind getting injured never do. what a load of waffle-pick the bones out of it if you may, Buff

-- Anonymous, November 09, 2000

Buff, you doddering old slapper, more injuries since the tackle from behind was INTRODUCED, silly b----r, demand a recount, good enuff in Fla, if you are lurking Floridean come aboard and give us the noos.

-- Anonymous, November 09, 2000

Buff - it's a hoot. Two days now since the erection and they still divvent knaa. And it's not as if they've even gone to see the Queen for a constitutional review.

The folks I've talked to are pretty p1$$ed off with it all. The whole idea of a "popular vote" vs an "electoral college" is as farcical as the "first past the post" that we have. But at least ours works. And as for all the technology, these electronic ballot papers are simply too complicated for aged Floridians (wor's excepted). They had to prop an owd bugga up for an interview last night in case she keeled owa. SO how could she be expected to follow an arrow from a name to a button? Far better to scribble an "X" somewhere near a name on a ballot paper - assuming you can read, that is.

As an indictment of the regard that the two main candidates are held, the only reason that things are so close is that neither is inspiring enough to take a lead. So nowt will change for the next 4 years, no matter who gets in. If it was up to me, Monica Lewinsky would win the Presidential Erection, pants down.

-- Anonymous, November 09, 2000

Maybe the reason it looks like there are more long term crocks these days is because the guys who suffered things like cruciates would just quietly disappear from the game after the insurance had coughed up, Whereas now, the surgery skills can keep them playing.

It would be interesting to compare the figures from years ago with today's on the number of players who actually did and do come back from these ligament damage injuries.

Cloughy is the most obvious one who would have benefitted from the current medical skills.

-- Anonymous, November 10, 2000

Buff - I stand suitably chastised, not to mention and one year older, but unbowed (as I'm sure you'd expect!).
Just because the Toon is a big Club doesn't guarantee their professionalism at
anythingI'd also invite you to explain why Nic Dabizas got so brassed off with the lack of medical attention to his serious knee injury that he took himself off to Greece to have it operated on - btw, that's spelt G-r-e-e-c-e!

-- Anonymous, November 10, 2000

So is Dabs another one on his way then ?

-- Anonymous, November 10, 2000

Friday's Chron says Cort had an operation last night and will not be back until the New Year.

-- Anonymous, November 10, 2000

I think that's actually relatively good news Cliff. At least they finally seem to have got to the bottom of the problem, and hopefully it's now down to rehabilitation. However, a good question might be - how come its taken almost 3 months to diagnose a tendon problem requiring surgery?

-- Anonymous, November 10, 2000

And how come they don't check stuff like that as a matter of routine before forking out vast amounts of cash we can ill afford ?

-- Anonymous, November 10, 2000

Clarky wrote: At least they finally seem to have got to the bottom of the problem

And there was me thinking it was a hamstring problem.

-- Anonymous, November 10, 2000

You've been eating too many waffles 'n maple syrup Screacher!

Whats gannin on ower there anyway - other than the everlasting election?

-- Anonymous, November 10, 2000

Absolutely no waffles and maple syrup. In fact, I've been the model of good behaviour. I only get drunk in my own room (well, apat from last night when I met Herman and his Dutch mate in the bar).

It's so bliddy cold that I haven't ventured out, apart from to/from the car. We never see daylight, apart from that short trip so this BBS is my only link with reality (?). The election is turning into a total farce - but I guess it keeps the bliddy lawyers in business.

BTW - I see you haven't cut'n'pasted my TeamPick yet ;-)

-- Anonymous, November 10, 2000

Yup, just done it Screach!
Thought I better change the formation so you wouldn't cotton on.
Unusual for you not to be checking everyone else's selection before posting your own.;-{)

-- Anonymous, November 10, 2000

Yeah Mr C. I always find that changing the formation is a subtle way of hinding the fact that I've knicked it from somewhere else. What format does Russell usually use?

-- Anonymous, November 10, 2000

Mr Clark sah, As I am sure you will remember from the auld days,if a player was injured at the Toon his treatment consisted of gannin to the Central, rattler at own expense doon to Whitley Bay to dook his plates of meat in the cauld watters of the North Sea,no surgeon in attendance, just Norman Smith and the duty lifeguard. Two days of this followed by two days of running up and doon the terraces at the Gallowgate neatly sidestepping the puddles left there by the previous incumbents of the last home match. Ah the magic of those healing watters, pronounced fit in the Ronnie, the full backs were a rule to this, groundhog day every week, Cowell and Corbett, ? and Batty, Keith and McMichael, Craig and Clark. Joking aside it would be of interest to see a study carried out on this topic and I am surprised that as far as I am aware none has, In answer to "Dabs to Greece in frustration", did he go to Greece for R and R after his op, or was it carried out in Greece?

-- Anonymous, November 10, 2000

Buff, I'm pretty sure I heard that he went there for treatment. Mind you, they do say the sun has healing properties, hence the trips to Whitley Bay I guess ;-)

-- Anonymous, November 10, 2000

Buff,

"...groundhog day every week.... Just love it!

You may well have hit on the missing ingredient - "dooking your plates of meat in the cauld watters of the North Sea, no surgeon in attendance, just Norman Smith and the duty lifeguard...". What memories you conjure up Buff.

Regarding Dabz, he allegedly got so brassed off with the medical inactivity over his condition here that he took himself off back to Greece to consult a surgeon he knew over there who operated on his ligament injury straight away.
Of course we don't know the accuracy of this story; however, it does concern me. If the Toon felt the medical advice they were getting - apparently, to wait to see if the injury 'settled down' before considering the need for surgery - then why did they allow on their star players to bog off to Greece, of all places, and undergo immediate surgery by a surgeon the Club presumably don't know?
Call me a cynic, but there seems something fundamentally flawed with this entire approach to me - either they have total confidence in the recommendations of own medical advisers, or they should find some others that they do have confidence in.
Incidentally, Dietmar Hamman did something very similar after he suffered a knee injury early in his Toon career.

-- Anonymous, November 11, 2000