Aberdeen boss Jim Goodwin insists he will not rush the return from long-term injury of summer signing Callum Roberts.
Goodwin confirmed the winger will likely be ruled out until after the World Cup, which ends on December 18.
It is a hammer blow for the 25-year-old who picked up a hamstring injury in only his second game since signing for Aberdeen.
Having made just two substitute appearances, Roberts has yet to start for the Dons since arriving in a £100,000 transfer from National League Notts County.
Roberts faces a five-month nightmare lay-off having suffered the injury on August 5 in a 4-1 defeat of St Mirren.
Goodwin is ready to be patient with Roberts’ rehabilitation and will only start “pushing” the winger once he gets the all clear from his medical team.
Goodwin said: “I think it will realistically be after the World Cup.
“We are not going to put too much pressure on Callum.
“Once he is fit and ready and the medical team give us the all clear then we will start pushing him.
“But at the moment we will just have to be patient with that one.”
Keeping the winger’s spirits up
Scans confirmed Roberts injured his hamstring against St Mirren.
It has been a frustrating start to his Dons career for the former Newcastle winger.
Goodwin accepts Roberts will have been desperate to make an immediate impact at Pittodrie only to suffer the “real blow” of the injury setback.
With long-term injury a player’s mental wellbeing is equally as important as physical health and rehabilitation.
Goodwin insists he and the club’s medical staff are doing their best to keep the former England U20 international’s spirits up.
Goodwin said: “He is obviously very disappointed with what has happened.
“When you are a new player coming to a new club you want to make an impression early doors and hit the ground running.
“This has been a real blow to the boy.
“However we have a very good medical team here that have been trying to keep his spirits up.
“I have been having regular conversations with Callum as well just trying to keep his spirits up.”
Highly rated at Newcastle United
A product of the Newcastle Youth Academy, Roberts made two appearances for the St James’ Park club in the FA Cup against Leicester City (1-0 loss) and Blackburn Rovers.
He was handed a Newcastle start by Rafael Benitez in January 2019 and repaid that faith with a goal in a 4-2 FA Cup defeat of Blackburn.
However at the end of the 2018-19 season Newcastle released the playmaker.
Roberts recently admitted the agony at being released by boyhood club Newcastle United left him on the verge of quitting football.
After that setback Roberts moved to Blyth Spartans in National League North under the management of Newcastle legend Lee Clark.
In January 2017 Clark had taken Roberts on loan to Kilmarnock when boss at the Rugby Park club.
Roberts scored 17 goals in 22 for Blyth Spartans and that form earned a transfer to Notts County.
In his first full season with Notts County, Roberts scored 16 goals.
Ensure injured players not isolated
That prompted Aberdeen to swoop for the winger who had resurrected his career after leaving Newcastle.
Roberts was signed by Aberdeen a few days before the Premiership opener against Celtic at Parkhead.
He came off the bench midway through the second half of his Dons debut in the 2-0 loss to the Premiership champions.
Roberts again came off the bench in the next game, against St Mirren, only to suffer the injury blow.
He has played just 46 minutes for Aberdeen.
Goodwin said: “Callum has been mixing with the group the best he can.
“He is in a different part of the building most of the time from the rest of the lads.
“We do our best to make sure those guys are not feeling isolated.
“That is really important.
“To make sure they still feel a part of things which Callum definitely does.”
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