Lok colt Sena’s in pole position to hit the top
POLLOK’S squad this season was always going to evoke plenty of talking points following the high-profile buys such as Bryan Young, Martin McGoldrick, Stefan McLuskey, Adam Forde and Ross Brash.
Yet the name to be heard coming from most lips in and around the Newlandsfield terracing slopes these days is that of Mouhamed Niang, better known as Sena.
The 17-year-old Senegaleseborn player has made the step up into the Junior ranks from captaining Pollok’s Under 19 nursery team.
And his contribution to the Southside club’s impressive earlyseason performances has been nothing short of outstanding.
Lok boss Tony McInally has undoubtedly “pulled a rabbit from the hat” through his deployment of the young centre-back in a holding midfielder role.
Sena has not looked out of place alongside more seasoned teammates and five-times Scottish Cup winner Young reckons the teenager is destined for greater things.
He said: “Sena has all the physical qualities, temperament and ability to go on and play at the top Senior level and I’d be willing to put money on seeing a lot of scouts at our games.”
Pollok gaffer McInally is delighted at the recognition for his young discovery, but is at the same time wary of him attracting too much hype at this early stage in his footballing development.
He said: “We have to remember Sena is just a kid, albeit one who is holding down a place in our team right now. He needs to fill out a bit more to deal with the physical side of playing at the back, however his height and agility make him ideal for operating in a midfield screening role.
“His emergence has helped to compensate for the absence of Colin Williamson, who carried a slight groin tear injury into this season and is still getting back to fitness, and Liam Rowan whose work commitments have stopped him kicking a ball for us up to now.
“And we expect them to be available soon and competing for jerseys but that’s not to say Sena will be dropping out of the picture.
“His development will only be enhanced by training and playing alongside the quality players we have in the side and taking on board the little nuggets of information they feed him.”
Meanwhile, neutral Junior fans are tipped to swell the Bellsdale Park crowd on Monday night for what is shaping as an intriguing Ardagh Glass Cup head-to-head between fierce rivals Beith and Kilbirnie Ladeside.
Postponed last midweek on due to a waterlogged pitch, the last remaining group stage contest has huge implications for the home team given that a derby win would enable them to leapfrog over Largs Thistle and into the Ardagh Section One runners-up spot to earn a quarter-final clash away to Hurlford United 48 hours later.
Kilbirnie are out of the qualification running however Blasties supporters will be desperately hoping Budgie McGhie’s men can avoid defeat and spike the Mighty guns by enabling Largs to claim a last-eight place.
Next Wednesday’s Ardagh quarter-final pairings are Hurlford United v Beith or Largs Thistle, Kilwinning Rangers v Irvine Vics, Girvan v Auchinleck Talbot, Glenafton v Craigmark.
WITH the hard work of pre-season training finished and the early league and European matches ongoing, it is a time for players, managers and supporters to enter the long haul of the season ahead.
The next nine months will bring its usual highs and lows with each team looking to get a good start to the league and to maintain an interest in the cup competitions over the winter months.
To do this, a full squad of fit players is essential so avoiding early-season injuries is vital. Injuries at this time can disrupt the best of plans, sidelines a key player for some weeks.
Knee ligament, hamstring tears and groin injuries are common early in the season. So why are groin injuries common in sport and how can we prevent and treat them? The groin is a complicated area of the body.
It is the junction between the lower abdomen, which requires to be relatively stable, and the lower limbs, which obviously need to have great mobility.
In addition, a complex pattern of vital muscles, ligaments and tendons cross through the groin. The exact diagnosis can be difficult as groin pain can result from a variety of other sources such as the hip joint, lower back and even bowel disease.
Between two to five per cent of all sports injuries occur in the groin area, with an even higher rate in football.
The most common cause in sport is a strain of the adductor muscles, which are located in the inside of the thigh. These muscles control movement of the leg away from the body.
Classically, it is the muscle tendon, which becomes stretched and inflamed.
A number of different factors have been implicated which increase the likelihood of suffering a groin strain. The most common is sudden movement such as sprinting, changing direction or hitting the ground after a jump.
This is particularly likely early in the match if the warm-up has been inadequate or later if fatigue is present.
Strenuous activity, with limited recovery or direct trauma, such as in a tackle may also result in groin injury.
Typically a player will feel a sudden sharp pain in the groin, which usually causes him to stop. Diagnosis is usually easy with pain on direct pressure on the tendon as it runs from the muscle up into the groin. Moving the leg out to the side against resistance will reproduce the pain.
Like all soft tissue injuries, rest, ice and anti-inflammatory medicines will help in the first 48-72 hours.
The degree of “stretch” and muscle damage will determine the length of time off sport. Resist your natural desire to start running and playing too early as incomplete rehabilitation may lead to a reoccurrence.
Severe tears may mean up to eight weeks out. Sports, like football or rugby, where frequent changes in direction are required will take longer than those, such as running, where movement is mostly in a straight line. Muscle strengthening and groin stretches are vital to prevent repeated injury.
Try to maintain fitness by swimming (avoid breast stroke) and gentle cycling. The key to getting back playing is a well-structured rehab programme and avoiding the temptation to go back too soon.