Cats play the waiting game with injured strike stars
process to take place.
“At the beginning of the week, he was running, finishing and joining in a bit of training - but he just doesn’t feel quite right.
“He hasn’t damaged his ankle any more, the doc just feels that has to happen.
“He had a CT scan on his ankle to check there was no hairline fracture and that was proved clear.
“It was quite a serious injury so when he comes back we have to make sure he’s ready.”
Parkinson will welcome a number of first-team players back into the fold this weekend, having been without 10 regulars for the trip to Gillingham in midweek.
Jordan Willis, Joel Lynch and George Dobson are all set to return to the squad, although the game is expected to come too soon for Marc McNulty, whose hamstring is proving an issue.
There was a doubt over the returning Tom Flanagan, who came back from international duty with a tight thigh, but Parkinson is confident he will be fit for the weekend.
Conor and Jon McLaughlin both also returned unscathed from international duty - albeit the former is unavailable for the visit of Coventry City.
Parkinson said: “Flanno had a bit of a tight thigh, but the game against Germany was probably a full stretch game for all the Northern
Ireland team.
“He’s trained this morning and he comes back into the squad.
“It’s good to have those boys back. Obviously Conor [McLaughlin] is suspended for this one, but he’ll be back on Tuesday.”
Also back from international duty is Benji Kimpioka, who will form part of the
Black Cats’ squad against the Sky Blues.
But while a number of youngsters were handed an opportunity against Gillingham, Parkinson admits the squad against Coventry will have a far more senior look to it.
“There’s a few of the senior boys back available, so the youngsters have had a good taste of it,” he claimed.
“There are a couple we have kept back and there’s a possibility of their inclusion in and around the 18 man squad.
“Benji is back and trained today. “He’ll be involved.” Parkinson, meanwhile, said he is in no rush to appoint a replacement for departed coach John Potter – who joined Jack Ross at Hibernian this week.
“At the moment we’re just getting these two games out the way,” he said.
“John - when the jobs became available, we thought he may well go with Jack if he got one of the big Edinburgh jobs.”