Motherwell boss Steven Hammell says injuries are mounting up to the extent that he has nearly an entire team in the physio’s room.
Hammell is trying to add to his squad with at least one more player ahead of tomorrow’s Premiership clash against Aberdeen at Pittodrie, but says striker Mikael Mandron’s injury isn’t long-term.
An already extensive list was added to on Wednesday when Shane Blaney hobbled off after just 27 minutes of the 2-0 defeat against St Johnstone, and he’s added to Mandron and young midfielder Lennon Miller as recent casualties.
Former St Mirren striker Jon Obika was brought in following Mandron’s injury, and Hammell says the need for a defender has intensified due to Blaney’s injury.
He said: “Shane is struggling. We don’t know exactly yet, but he’s struggling, which is another frustration.
“He’s a player we’ve had to build up to get to there, he’s come in, he’s done well, he has been a starter for us and that highlights are piling up, and being a real concern for us.
“Mandron isn’t a long-term one, but it’s a position we needed to fill.
“Jon will come in and he will be a good player for us between now and the end of the season.”
Mandron, Blaney and young midfielder Lennon Miller join an extensive casualty list that features long-term crocks such as Bevis Mugabi, Jake Carroll and Joe Efford.
Hammell said: “The injuries that we’re picking up isn’t helping us at all. We’ve almost got a full starting 11 up in the gym or the physio room and there’s no getting away from that – that has been something that has been a real hindrance for us this season.
“It’s not an excuse, but we’ve got almost a starting 11 in the physio room, which has been a big reason of why we are where we are.
“I don’t think it’s something I’ve ever seen before. Not at this volume and the importance of the players.
“It’s not a couple here, a couple of the younger ones – we’ve even had to cancel some reserve games and 18s games because of it.
“We never had that pre-season to work with the players, but the individual programmes the players were given, it’s very tailored, to make sure the players have the fitness and they’re progressing.
“Anybody who has had any injury histories, we’re very careful with that.
“But some of the stuff we’ve seen this season has been frustrating, because it’s not a consistent pattern.
“Mika, for instance, Joe Efford, Bevis, Jake Carroll... really innocuous injuries with no contact, no players near them and it’s just unfortunate that’s the way it has been going just now.
“These are players that are big for this club and we need them back soon.”
Blaney was followed in the door by Mandron, Riku Danzaki, Olly Crankshaw, Jack Aitchison, James Furlong and Obika in a busy January.
Hammell hopes for more, and said: “There are a couple that we’ve looked at, and we were hopeful of getting done before the window, so it’s not a case that we’ve panicked.
“Shane getting injured has not been ideal, but we’ve not panicked. We have been quite robust in our process of identifying players that we think can come in and improve us.
“They have been part of a long process and they’ve been on a target list for us for a long time.
“If we do it, then great, it’s important that it happens. But also with the timing of it, whether they’re going to be involved tomorrow, that’s going to be a difficult one.
“When the window started, we needed to come out the other side of it with more options, strength and competition within the squad, and I feel like we’ve done that.
“We need players to stand up and compete, be strong personalities, and bring their personality to the game, now more than ever.”
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