Roy Keane will learn today whether Sunderland’s Kenwyne Jones faces another lengthy spell on the sidelines, amid concerns the towering striker could be out for months rather than weeks after his latest setback.
It was initially thought he had been left out for precautionary reasons after inflammation on the same knee that caused him to miss the first few months of the season, although Keane has taken the decision to have the problem examined more closely.
After undergoing scans on Monday, Jones travelled south yesterday to see a specialist in an attempt to find the root of the problem, with fears growing that his knee is in a worse state than initially thought.
Keane was trying to remain optimistic in the hope that tests yesterday would suggest his £6m striker would be back in action sooner rather than later.
But while he was keen not to ‘second guess’ the outcome, the Sunderland manager was waiting by the phone in the hope of hearing Jones will soon be able to return to his forward line – even if the next two matches with Blackburn are out of the question.
“You’re always concerned about your players,” said Keane. “As soon as he went over on it on Friday, we thought he might have a chance, but the swelling was too much. I will wait to see what the specialist says. So far it’s fingers crossed that it’s nothing too serious, but we don’t know.
“Let’s see what the scan shows and what the specialist says. He might say Kenwyne is fine or he might say it is a seven to ten days job, or a seven to ten months job. I don’t know. That is why he is seeing the specialist.”
Given the fractious relationship which exists between Trinidad & Tobago and Sunderland, Keane did not want to say too much until he had heard from the specialist. He did, however, admit that it would be highly unlikely that Jones would figure for T&T next week.
Jones has indicated he will travel to Port of Spain to face Cuba in a vital World Cup qualifier in seven days’ time, but Keane’s view is different.
If there is any chance of Jones playing, FIFA vice-president Jack Warner – a special advisor to the Trinidad & Tobago Football Federation – is likely to demand he travels to the Caribbean.
“Kenwyne has been selected but we will not know until the next 24 hours how his knee is.
“If he is not fit for us he will not be going to play for Trinidad,” insisted Keane.
“Carlos Edwards was selected for one of their games last year when he had been out a long time and he had to go and see someone in Birmingham just to confirm, so I would not expect Kenwyne to be going on a flight.
“I know that sometimes they ask a player to report but to expect them to fly halfway across the world to confirm he is injured, then that would be ridiculous.
Let’s see how the next 24 hours go.”
With Jones, George Mc- Cartney, Craig Gordon and Daryl Murphy all serious doubts for the next few games, Keane was exploring the possibility of recalling Carlos Edwards from his loan stint at Wolves last night.
During Sunderland’s recent run of three successive defeats, Keane feels he has learnt there is a real lack of pace on the flanks and that Edwards could be the man to provide that.
“I could call Carlos back,”
said Keane, who also admitted he is contemplating recalling Anthony Stokes from Sheffield United, although Michael Chopra would not be returning before January.
“I might do it in the next 24 hours – and Stokes after Saturday.
I have got to make these decisions.
“Carlos does give us something when he is fit and strong and I know he is enjoying it at Wolves and is having a run of games.
“But, again, that could change over the next few hours when we get more feedback on the lads in the treatment room.”
While Keane’s focus remains on trying to have his strongest squad available to improve Sunderland’s standing in the Premier League, he also accepts the importance of a good result against Blackburn tonight.
A victory would secure the Black Cats’ place in the fifth round of the competition for the first time in eight years, an interesting statistic considering how penalties were required to dispose of League One Northampton in the last round.
“I have tried to move on from Northampton,” said Keane, annoyed with sections of fans that reacted negatively after that triumph.
“It’s a pretty big week for us.
“In the previous round, one or two players took the eye off the ball and they thought they did not need to sprint.
“This is an opportunity for us to get in the last eight of a cup competition and that’s not happened here for a long time.”