‘Not good' - Paul Heckingbottom issues injury update after Preston North End man forced off at Coventry City
Ali McCann came off at half time after going down twice in the first 45.
Preston North End manager Paul Heckingbottom is waiting nervously for injury news on Ali McCann.
The Northern Irishman was forced off during the break at Coventry City, after two crunching tackles on him in the first half. He was replaced by Jordan Thompson at the interval.
McCann was absent for two months earlier this season with a broken arm and a potential new injury comes as a big worry to Heckingbottom, who admitted the club had made precautions to try and prevent the midfielder from getting injured.
“He had two horrendous tackles on him,” Heckingbottom told BBC Radio Lancashire, “We’re sending him in for a scan tomorrow. I think really highly of him, he’s important. The last few seasons, he’s tended [to have] a calf injury this time of the year.
“We made provisions for that. We changed his routine in the summer, we changed some moments in training. Especially when he’s come back from international breaks, to try and get him to break that cycle of what happens this stage of the season. It’s looking like it’s contact that’s injured him at this moment.”
Heckingbottom went on to reveal that Robbie Brady, who has missed the vast majority of the season after calf surgery, suffered another setback last week. However, the Irishman has been given the all clear to return to the fold swiftly.
“Robbie felt something last week,” Heckingbottom told the Lancashire Post, “But we’ve had a scan, he’s seen the surgeon who’s happy for him to progress. Maybe just that little warning sign. We’ve been steady with him, but we’ll continue to be steady. He’s fine, he’ll be training tomorrow.”
The PNE chief also confirmed that Odel Offiah had ‘cramp’ when he looked slightly uncomfortable during the latter stages of the game.
“Yeah, put a shift in,” said Heckingbottom. “This is thing we were prepared for. We knew Coventry, especially when Simms plays... when you go and press and jump, they will turn that ball in behind and make you defend.
“Our centre-backs, in particular in a game like this, do a lot of running. It was only really at 3-0 where they might start keeping the ball a little bit in the back, but they do use that outlet and I thought their attacking players were good.”