Tom Grivosti has rejoined his Ross County team-mates on the training pitch as the luckless defender makes strides towards a recovery.
The 22-year-old Englishman, who spent a year on the sidelines with a broken toe, suffered a hamstring injury seven games into his comeback last November to face a second lengthy period out of the game.
Former Staggies managers Stuart Kettlewell and John Hughes spoke highly of Grivosti’s talent.
Kettlewell, in particular, played a big part in helping him ease into first-team life from the under-20s.
Current County boss Malky Mackay has been impressed with him since coming into Dingwall in May and explained he’s certainly on the way back, without putting a timeline on it.
He said: “A few weeks ago, Tom put boots on. When I arrived, he was recovering from his operation, so it was great to see him out walking then jogging in boots.
“He was doing some work with the physios then was out on the pitch and joining in with warm-ups and is now starting to join in with almost three-quarters of training.
“I have been there myself with long-term injuries and it’s not a pleasant place to be, especially for someone so young. It will take time for him to get back to match sharpness and having a career again.
“It’s a process. You put the boots back on and you mingle with the squad again and I’m delighted for him.”
Patience plays its part in comeback
Mackay has advised the defender not to rush now the end is in sight. That final bit of patience can prolong his career in the game.
The manager added: “I said to him he’s got 15 years ahead of him. Have patience. Your body has to last you for the next 15 years and you have to ensure that this injury doesn’t recur and recur because you’re too eager to get back.
“You have got to give yourself time. An extra bit of time at this end can be an extra five years at the other end. He is a young man who wants to get back in and impress me and get back into the team.
“It’s a case of needing to calm down, so that when you do get back you stay fit and you don’t break down again. That would be the worst thing in the world for him.”
Vokins operation after freak injury
Another player needing patience is on-loan full-back Jake Vokins who, on the eve of the league opener against St Johnstone, suffered a broken metatarsal.
His parent club Southampton have put the 21-year-old through an operation and Mackay explained how it happened.
He said: “It was so innocuous. He passed the ball and his stud clipped on the bottom of the grass and twisted and you thought it was something he was going to walk off in 10 minutes because it was the last minute of Friday before we played St Johnstone on the Saturday.
“As the afternoon wore on, you could see there was something not quite right there and we got him X-rayed quickly and it came back as a stress fracture in the fifth metatarsal. It was tiny but causing him major soreness.
“That was sent to the specialist in London and he said that needed immediate work done on it. Southampton dealt with the operation very quickly on Monday and he will be X-amount of weeks out.
“You just shake your head because he is another kid who came in and started really well in the first few games he played. Lucky white heather, eh?”
Vokins, who started his loan spell in impressive form in his two matches for County, is expected to be out for around 10 weeks.
