Tony Mowbray has outlined the plan for Elliot Embleton following his most recent injury, which was reportedly a torn thigh muscle sustained while taking a corner in traning - it will unfortunately put him out of action for a number of months.
LOW
"It's a big blow for the boy - a huge blow. I've had long chats with him, he's been in my office, and I've been on the phone to him. He's obviously pretty down, pretty low."
NEEDED GAME TIME
"He had eight months out here [with a broken ankle] and the reason he went out on loan was to try and get some gametime at a level where he wouldn't find himself on the bench playing ten or 20 minutes here and there, but where he would be going out and playing. We felt that after an eight-month lay-off, that [a loan] would be more beneficial for him but a few weeks into that it looks like he has torn his thigh muscle and it's going to be a good few months [before he is ready to play again] I would think."
REHAB AT SUNDERLAND
"We discussed with him coming back here to do his rehab with what we would call his 'family', with the players here so he can be around the place and maybe he will come to some of the away games with us to integrate him into the club and make sure he feels part of what we're trying to do."
LOAN PLAN IN JANUARY
"I haven't had that discussion with Kristjaan so I don't know the answer to that. My first thought when I heard about the injury was the welfare of the boy, having earlier had the conversations with him about whether he would stay here and get some bits of gametime or does he want to go out [on loan] and play 20 games between September and January. We all thought the best thing was for him to go out on loan."
JUST WANTS TO PLAY
"The good thing about Embo is that he loves football, and he just wants to play. He doesn't really want to sit on the bench, he wants to play footy - I think he'd join a team in the park if it meant he was playing on a Saturday. That's why we thought, rather than him be frustrated sitting on the bench here, it was better to let him go and play at a high level football team in Derby County with 30,000 fans."
SCOUTING ROLE
"It was a good option for him, and that's why I'm a bit gutted for him because he's going to have to come back and do his rehab and get in that gym again as he has done for the last eight months. I have spoken to him about putting scouting tickets on for him if he wants to go and watch Man City or Liverpool or Man United or Arsenal to keep his mind occupied and not think he's got another four months or whatever in the gym every day, slogging his guts out. Yes he has to get fit, yes it's a process, but I think it's important he feels we are here for him and we're here to support him."
