ToffeeWeb - Season 2009-10

The Mail Bag

Finch Farm's Prognostic Failings

Has anyone else noticed EFC's frequent inaccurate medical press releases? Am I alone in wondering whether EFC have an adequately skilled team to diagnose injuries and issue reasonably accurate prognosis to the press?

Have you ever wondered what EFC's done to deserve the recent catalogue of serious injuries (unfortunately all affecting our most influential players)?

The latest injury to Capt'n Pip is another cruel blow but early fears were allayed with reports of it being "nothing too serious — just a deep gash under the knee". Another — "won't require him to go to hospital"... Just 24 hours later, we hear the worst-case scenario is that he could be out for 6/8 months.

Mikey has a setback in his recovery and Baz says his return has slipped by 6 weeks but now it's reported he may not return until the New Year... How come we get so many contrary press releases? Does it give confidence in our medical expertise at Finch Farm?

Lots of questions but I have no real answers as I'm not qualified to comment on medical matters but I would suggest EFC give greater thought to medical bulletins in future. Sometimes it is better to wait a day or two and have better information before commenting...

"The patient is has a serious injury"
"We are optimistic the patient will recover"
"The patient is dead"

All such press releases within just a few days are hardly likely in inspire confidence.
David Bryant, Liverpool Posted 14/09/2009 at 16:49:20

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Comments

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Lynn Thorne
1 Posted 15/09/2009 at 06:55:58

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I have often thought similar things. Also that our players often take much longer to return to the team than others.
How unlucky must we be though to sustain so many serious injuries in a short space of time.
Surely Moyes must have realised how short of cover we are in certain positions given our injury record. Or maybe he thought lightening wouldn’t strike twice - or three, four and five times

Patty Beesley
2 Posted 15/09/2009 at 09:14:32

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Also have you noticed how many injuries our players seem to get in training sessions!?!

David Alexander
3 Posted 15/09/2009 at 12:43:09

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Perhaps until the player can be told the full diagnosis the club don't think it right to tell the press and the rest of the world what may be wrong.

Neil Pearse
4 Posted 15/09/2009 at 14:31:32

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Perhaps diagnosing serious sports injuries is a little bit more complicated than you think?

On the PR front the club is really on a hiding to nothing on this one. They provide early info based on what they see - they are castigated for being wrong a day later. If they provided nothing for a few days they would be castigated for cover ups and concealment.

Jay Harris
5 Posted 15/09/2009 at 17:00:14

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I think it’s the one area of the club that’s reasonably honest.

They gave an immediate post match diagnosis on Neville before taking him home for further analysis and treatment.

And as they rightly say they will know better once the swelling is down.

Cant see anything wrong with that communication to be honest.

I think we should be more concerned with the big issues right now.

Pete Gunby
6 Posted 15/09/2009 at 17:24:14

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Initially, Pip had a minor injury and would have been able to play next week. However, the Doctor examining him was a diehard blue. Upon realizing that Pip would be back playing midfield again the Doc was faced with a dilemna. Bound by the hippocratic oath, "do no harm", the Doctor acted responsibly and ......scuttled Pip’s knee.

Viv Sharma
7 Posted 15/09/2009 at 20:36:36

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Remember the Australians medical team mocking us about Cahil being in good health ’for a change’. Makes you wonder...

Chris Ashton
8 Posted 15/09/2009 at 21:07:46

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Listen all our key injuries have been on the pitch not off it. every bad injury has came from a bad tackle or an akward landing. To be fair to the guys they can’t help that most of the sick bay have serious injuries.

Thinking back not too long ago Newcastle had half a squad one season because of their training ground that was causing the problems. At least we dont have that problem eh?

Dick Fearon
9 Posted 16/09/2009 at 00:14:10

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Viv, the best medicos have long ago left the UK for better paid and sunnier climes.

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