Just reading the Sporting Life's preview of tomorrow's match. They're saying Bellamy's tendonitis flared up again after the Blackburn match so he will take no further part this season. Good that he is being rested, if this is true. Maybe lessons were learned after all Shearer went through.

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2002

Answers

Same story in the Chronic early edition, Ciara.

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2002

Sorry to say I can't look at this as lessons being learned. In fact it's exactly what I was afraid of when I posted that stuff about tendinitis a few weeks ago.

Resting means just that - no training, no run outs off the bench. For a period of months not weeks, which is why clubs including ours are not keen, especially when you add the time required to get fit again after the full rest period. So we get exactly what seems to have happened: they have not rested him, but kept him training as much as possible, and brought him back as soon as the initial flare up subsided. Inevitably, because this is a repetitive strain injury, it just breaks down again.

As it will keep doing until we treat it properly. Hopefully, the summer break might allow this to happen by default.

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2002

Lucky we've got that 4th position secured. He should be packed off on hols early if complete rest is needed.

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2002

Good job he won't be playing any internationals this summer!

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2002

Total agreement with Dr Bill - NUFC never seem to learn anything. The truth is that CB has been training on and off for weeks when he should really have resting the injury - and no PhD is required to figure that one out!

Further, if Lx3 hadn't come good just in time, and our CL qualification had been at risk, there is not the slightest doubt in my mind that CB would have thrown back into action - irrespective of the harm that may have caused to his long- term fitness.

This is all gross stupidity of a kind that beggars belief, and you really do have to wonder who is calling the medical shots at SJP.

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2002

Damn, I was hoping it wasn't that bad. :-(

Send him to Colorado for the summer. Fresh air and Doc Steadman. What's good enough for Shearer is good enough for Bellamy. Maybe we should just put Steadman on teh payroll.

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2002

Yep, Clarky, it's the prospect for long term damage that is really worrying. Btw it's just as well it doesn't require a PhD to work out as I don't have one! Just a BM BCh, so like most medics, it's an informal title with no academic standing at all. As in the scene of the person collapsing during a university event: "are you a proper doctor?"... "no, but I think there's a Doctor of Divinity over there"...

And in response to Ciara, I was going to say we couldn't afford Steadman on the payroll. Execpt that's bliddy daft isn't it, even he wouldn't take home more than one of our top earning players. Which really underlines for me the folly of pratting about with semi- trained physios and part time medics as we seem to at present.

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2002

Just as you were telling me in the pub Doc (thanks for the consultation - usual fee, payable in liquid assests). I'll take your good advice and not go to the gym. Good job I was offered the job as the coach of the Minnesota Fatties (who, in case you haven't noticed) are doing alright thank you).

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2002

Dr Bill - I hope you don't think I was trying to be smart @rse over the PhD comment - I'm just bloody irritated by the entirely predictable outcome of NUFC's folly, yet again.

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2002

I hope he's there tomorrow mind - I have to present him with an award!

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2002

Who gets the award Lynda? Dr. Bill?

I just hope that the summer break is long enough and Bellers doesn't take it into his head to do extra training to make sure he gets his place back from LuaLua.

But here is a charitable thought towards NUFC:

Bellers is not actually playing. But he definitely wants to if his shirty behavior the other week when he was not a sub is anything to go by. Perhaps he IS being "managed"? From comments Mr. Robson has made about other situations he has to steer a careful line, particularly with players who are keys to the sides success.

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2002

For a period of months not weeks, which is why clubs including ours are not keen

From Dr Bill's words here it seems that this is a universal problem and not one specific to NUFC. Have you any evidence Dr Bill that we are any better or worse than anyone in this respect (and if worse, when are you going to get that CV brushed up?)

I remember an interesting post not so long back from someone who had read a study of sports medicine at all Premier clubs and the study was quite critical of all of them. (I think either Stevo or Kiwi Toon was the author of the post?)

-- Anonymous, April 27, 2002