McNair injury setback blow for new Cats boss
MIDFIELDER WILL MISS START OF SEASON
SUNDERLAND midfielder Paddy McNair has suffered a setback in his recovery from an ACL injury which means he will miss the start of the season.
The blow means he is unlikely to be back until the end of August or potentially even the start of September.
The 22-year-old ex-Manchester United player had just started to settle to life on Wearside when he suffered the season-ending knee injury during the home victory over Hull City last November. Both he and Duncan Watmore, who also suffered the same injury a few weeks later, had returned for preseason almost two weeks earlier than their team-mates and began a training schedule in Portugal to aid their recoveries.
In videos on the club’s social platforms McNair was even seen starting to begin work with a football, as he appeared ahead of Watmore in his recuperation.
However, tests on their return to Wearside revealed that his hopes of being fit for the start of the season were over. It’s a blow to Sunderland and new boss Simon Grayson, with the squad already short on numbers.
McNair is also considered a bright young player who could be a star of the Black Cats side in the second tier.
He put in his best performance to date for the club against Championship opposition QPR in the League Cup last season when he netted both in a 2-1 win.
Fellow central midfielder George Honeyman had been looking forward to the return of the duo.
He said during the pair’s trip to Portugal: “It will be a big boost to get Dunc and Paddy back because they’re going to be two big players for us this year.
“We have the makings of a really good, youthful team and there’s definitely a feeling among the players we can do something this year.”
In March, McNair had said his rehabilitation was going well.
However, he’s now considered a doubt for Northern Ireland’s World Cup qualifiers against San Marino and Czech Republic on September 1 and 4.