Daniel Sturridge’s comeback has been left in tatters after his Perth Glory coach revealed that he cannot beat his injury problems.
It is another knock back for the striker that once lit the Premier League up with his fantastic displays.
After falling out of favour at Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp, Sturridge has struggled for game-time while he has spent a number of years in and out of the physio room.
Last year in October, the forward signed for Perth Glory after more than a year out of football in a bid to kickstart his career.
But it has not gone to plan on the pitch, where he has made just five appearances - all from the bench - and has yet to score.
And his comeback continues to get worse after another injury that threatens to further curtail his football career.
Sturridge was hauled off while clutching his groin after Glory’s defeat to Macarthur, just moments before he had a brilliant chance to open his account for his new club.
While the problem was blamed on a rushed warm-up, Perth boss Richard Garcia admitted he is running out of chances for the former England international.
“I keep trying to bring him back and he keeps breaking down,” he said.
“We’ve got to get to grips with it and find out where he’s at. He keeps getting to certain stages ... we’ll have to wait and see how this one turns up. Hopefully it’s nothing.”
Back in October, Glory owner Tony Sage hailed Sturridge’s arrival as one of the biggest transfers in A-League history.
But the 32-year-old has struggled for game-time for a number of reasons, including three separate stints in quarantine following his move to Australia.
Injuries have played their part, too, and the latest blow saw him come off just 18 minutes into his own cameo appearance on Wednesday.
With Glory losing 1-0 after ex- Chelsea ace Ulises Davila’s earlier strike, Sturridge had a brilliant chance to bring his club level.
In front of goal, though, his shot was pulled wide and he departed the pitch soon after with Garcia blaming a rushed warm-up at half-time for his injury.
“We had him in at half-time, and then he did it so quickly that maybe he didn’t have enough time to warm up,” Garcia said.
“He’s disappointed. We’ve got to take a look at it. Hopefully, it’s not as bad as it felt. He’s a pretty strong guy.
“He’s had these injuries before. It’s just about him coming back from it.”
It remains to be seen how long the former Liverpool star will be out for but it does not look for a player that has toiled with these problems for years now.
