Robins fears Fanky’s season could be over
FANKATY Dabo’s stop-start season with Coventry City seems set to be finished after a new injury blow.
Dabo and fellow key man Liam Kelly both limped off in last week’s disappointing goalless draw with Wycombe Wanderers to add to a season of horrendous injuries for the club desperately trying to stay in the second tier.
While Sky Blues boss Mark Robins gave a more positive fitness update on skipper Kelly, he fears wing-back Dabo will be ruled out for the last nine make-or-break games of the Championship season.
Dabo, one of City’s best attacking outlets, pulled up with a hamstring strain just before the break last weekend.
“Unfortunately Fanky has suffered a tear to his hamstring which is a blow to him and us,” said Robins, confirming the worst.
“He’ll be out for a month which is near as damn it the end of the season for him.”
Influential midfielder Kelly had to go off when he ‘popped his knee’ just after the hour mark at St Andrew’s.
“He feared the worst but he’s due to train on Monday,” said Robins. “He said he heard something pop in his knee when he did it but it turns out that was a cyst which burst, so that’s good news.
“It’s certainly not all bad news and he’s really upbeat.” Julien Dacosta is Dabo’s readymade replacement but continues to struggle with niggling injury problems. He made his comeback on the bench against Luton Town the game before last, having suffered a stomach muscle issue and going off at half-time at Swansea. He replaced Dabo when the latter limped off against Wycombe and played and scored in the Under-23s this week, only to report another fresh issue.
“His groin tightened up during the game but hopefully that was just fatigue,” said Robins.
The Sky Blues boss is still without Ben Sheaf and Jodi Jones.
Holding midfielder Sheaf faces time out after suffering a hip injury and fans’ favourite Jones continues to recover from a third serious knee injury.
He was back on the grass at the Ryton training ground last month, however, and Robins revealed he hopes the player could be available before the end of the season.
Fanky has suffered a tear to his hamstring... He’ll be out for a month which is near as damn it the end of the season Mark Robins