Football Pearson not yet back in charge of training at City

BRISTOL City CEO Richard Gould has confirmed Robins manager Nigel Pearson has not returned to training this week, with the 58-yearold still recovering at home due to a Covid-19 related condition.

Pearson, pictured, didn’t travel with the Robins squad to Coventry City on November 5, with assistant Curtis Fleming managing the team, and Gould previously stated there was no timeframe as to when he would be back in charge.

Pearson was given last week off during the international break with the club monitoring the situation, but as the first team returned to training at the Robins High Performance Centre yesterday, they were not accompanied by their manager. Fleming took the session in Failand and, as it stands, will be leading the team for a fourth match this season with Blackburn Rovers the visitors to Ashton Gate on Saturday.

“Nigel wants to come back as quickly as possible and is making good progress,” said Gould. “He and Curtis are in regular contact and we are looking forward to welcoming him back.”

Pearson took his first leave of absence in October after contracting Covid-19 for a second time, causing him to miss games against Millwall and Peterborough United.

After returning to training he complained of not being in the best of health in the week leading up to the Coventry fixture but still undertook pre-match media duties before his absence was confirmed 24 hours later.

Gould said last week: “There is no defined timeframe (as to when he’s expected to return), it’s all going to be born by our judgement and the context of where we are.”

The international break has allowed the situation to be assessed without the pressures of Championship football forcing anyone into an immediate decision.

But with the game against Blackburn swiftly followed by the visit of Stoke City and then a trip to Sheffield United and City struggling towards the foot of the Championship, having lost five of their last six games, the Robins may soon no longer have the benefit of time.

There is growing concern within the fanbase over the decline in performances and the lack of leadership on and off the field, with Gould indicating last week the poor displays and Pearson’s inability to commit 100 per cent to his role were linked.