Bantams refusing to rush back injured youngsters

CONOR SELLARS says Bradford City are treading carefully through the frustrating process of trying to get two of their most talented youngsters back on the field after hamstring injuries.

Sellars and co-manager Mark Trueman have not yet had the benefit of working with Leeds United loanee Bryce Hosannah after the right-back tore his hamstring in early November, and left-sided defender Reece Staunton did likewise in his second game for the pair, having scored an equaliser in the first.

City will also have to do without Callum Cooke for the next four to six weeks after a scan revealed a hip injury.

Hosannah and Staunton were expected back long before now, but keep being delayed.

“We’ve been given timescales but they both keep having little setbacks which keep them out for another week or so,” explained Sellars.

“It’s so important with those types of injuries that you prevent them happening again because they can be quite detrimental to their development. Their safety and welfare is paramount in our thoughts so we’re just going to make sure when they come back they’re fully fit and ready.”

Hosannah is 21 and Staunton, who signed an improved contract this season, is 19 and Sellars and Trueman, with their recent backgrounds as academy coaches, are wary of asking too much too soon of them.

“They’re still getting to understand their bodies and when they feel stiff or when they’ve picked up an injury,” said Sellars. “They’ll develop that understanding but as young players you don’t want to get them into recurring injuries which make things worse over the long term.”

Hosannah’s rehabilitation has mainly been handled by the League Two club.

“There’s a lot of communication between both clubs but Bryce is primarily with us getting his treatment,” said Sellars. “Everything’s agreed in principle between the two clubs and we’re hoping he’s back soon.

“Me and Mark (Trueman) have maybe said two weeks, three weeks, four weeks for a while now but there’s no promises they’re going to be back any time over the next few weeks.”

The upper end of No 10 Cooke’s recovery period would have him aiming for the penultimate weekend of the regular season, when the Bantams host Scunthorpe United. They still have hopes of making the playoffs, but the first consecutive defeats of Sellars and Trueman’s reign have seen them recede.