Derby County manager Phillip Cocu has called for patience with Craig Forsyth and Andre Wisdom coming back from lengthy injuries, the Derbyshire Telegraph report.
Forysth and Wisdom missed large chunks of last season nursing injuries. Both players have returned to training this summer, but they are not yet ready for first-team action.
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Cocu held an open training session this week, and he told reporters the club needs to be realistic with the duo.
Craig will need some time after his injury. I have told him he will get more time on the training pitch and when the moment comes when he feels really comfortable himself of entering a game or maybe part of a game in the under-23s. That is what we are hoping for. He [Andre Wisdom] is outside on the training pitch, it is positive but we have to be realistic before playing (him).
Wisdom, 26, made just four Championship appearances in the second half of last season. A recurring knee injury kept him on the side-lines as he missed Derby’s challenge for promotion.
Forsyth had even worse luck, suffering an ACL injury on his left knee which ended his season last autumn. It was the third injury of its kind for the Scot during his Rams career, although the first on that knee.
Forsyth was Derby’s regular left-back prior to his injury. The former Watford man kept summer signing Scott Malone out of the team as he impressed both defensively and offensively.
Derby County’s left-back curse:
The left-back position, however, has been somewhat of a curse at Derby. Marcus Olsson missed all of last season with injury before being released this summer. Malone has also had his injury troubles.
Derby were forced to sign Ashley Cole as an emergency last January. The experienced defender was the fifth Rams left-back on the books, and he started the playoff final against Aston Villa.
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Forsyth will be hoping he can rediscover his top form upon his return. Academy graduate Max Lowe, meanwhile, is the club’s long-term solution and Cocu may start to integrate him more this season.