x

McKenna: Evans Surgery a Success - Ipswich Town News

Town boss Kieran McKenna says midfielder Lee Evans successfully underwent his knee operation on Wednesday and is broadly facing around six months on the sidelines, while forward Nathan Broadhead has continued his recovering from his thigh problem and no one has picked up any new knocks.

Evans suffered an MCL (medial collateral ligament) injury at Huddersfield last week and subsequently went under the knife.

"He had his operation on Wednesday, it was successful, they were happy with the outcome, so that’s good news and he’s resting at home for a few days but from next week we’ll start on the steps to recover with all our support and wishes,” McKenna said.

Quizzed on how long the Welshman might be out for, he added: "With the surgery that he’s had, it’s maybe a six-month injury but with these things you can add or take away or month or two months on either side of it and then how it all goes.

"It’s not a two-to-three-month injury and it’s not a year, it can be anything around that timescale.

"Let’s see, I think the most important thing is that he takes whatever time he needs to get it right now.

"He’s got some good years ahead of him as a player, we think, and he’s had a lot of experience up to this point in his career and hopefully this is a pause point to get it really right and then push on for the next few seasons.

"We won’t rush him but at the same time, we’ll help him get back as fast as possible and whichever timescale is suitable.”

Broadhead missed the trip to Huddersfield having felt some tightness in his thigh but was considered fit enough for the bench for the 3-0 home victory over Hull and has continued to make progress this week.

"Tuesday came around a little bit too quick for him,” McKenna said. "He was medically clear but hadn’t trained too much. He was available for the bench but it was always going to be the case that we’d use him if we felt like we needed to.

"He trained yesterday and today, so he’s a little bit further down the line than he was before Tuesday.”

Asked whether anyone else had suffered a knock, McKenna added: "No, we’re in a good spot, we’ve had, apart from Lee, the whole group training today, so we’re in a really healthy position.”

What to read next:

Evening With Wark at Stowmarket
Blues legend John Wark is staging an ‘Evening With’ event at Stowmarket Town on Friday 7th November.
U21s Host Brighton, U18s Face Birmingham
Town’s U21s host Brighton and Hove Albion at the JobServe Community Stadium this evening (KO 7pm), while the U18s are in action against Birmingham City at Playford Road on Saturday (KO 11am).
Negri and Wearing Win U23s Caps
Ipswich Town Women’s duo Natalia Negri and Megan Wearing picked up international U23s caps for England and Scotland this evening, both falling to defeat.
[Podcast] Life's a Pitch TV - New Podcast Now Online
A new podcast from the Life's a Pitch TV team is now available.
[Podcast] Blue Monday - New Podcast Now Online
A new podcast from the Blue Monday team is now available.
McKenna Opens New Stand at Needham Market
Town boss Kieran McKenna officially opened Needham Market’s new main stand last night ahead of the Marketmen’s 4-2 Southern League Premier Central victory over Bury Town at Bloomfields.
Former Blues Full-Back McNeil Dies
Former Town left-back Mick McNeil has died, aged 85.
[Podcast] The Naked Football Show - Listen Again
This week's Naked Football Show is now available online.
Luongo Out For Season With Ruptured ACL
Former Town midfielder Massimo Luongo, now with Millwall, has been ruled out for the rest of the season having ruptured the ACL in his right knee.
On-Loan Boatswain Red-Carded
On-loan Town striker Ashley Boatswain was sent off as Woking beat Fulham’s U21s 2-0 in the National League Cup last night.