Paul Warne talks to www.themillers.co.uk...
Rotherham United manager Paul Warne has backed striker Jamie Proctor to come back stronger than ever after revealing he looks set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
The former Bolton and Bradford front-man left last Saturday’s game against Charlton on a stretcher, with scans showing that he damaged his ACL resulting in an operation tomorrow.
Warne confirmed that the best scenario would be a return for the closing weeks of the current season, but says his close season signing has all the tools to come back stronger and fitter than before.
"Regrettably he has to have an operation tomorrow,” Warne confirmed to iFollow Millers.
“At best we might get him back for the last month of the season. That is a blow for us because he has been excellent. He has really bought into what we are trying to do and he has really given our team an athletic drive.
"I have seen Jamie at the training ground this morning and he has a smile on his face, he is staying upbeat. He knows he has our full support in his recovery. I've told him after his operation to try and get away and have a holiday for a week or so because he has a hard winter ahead. I am sure he will come back in really good shape; he is a really good professional. Like me, he monitors how many calories he burns so I don't think he'll put any weight on. He will look after himself, and we will look forward to getting him back when we do.”
Proctor has impressed alongside Kieffer Moore in attack since his arrival from Bolton, with the pair linking to great effect in the 5-0 victory against Southend. Proctor would then go on to cause Premier League Huddersfield a mountain of problems in the Carabao Cup, further enhancing his reputation.
“He forged a good partnership with Kieffer, so I am sincerely disappointed for the kid,” Warne continued.
“I went to see him at the hospital on Saturday night after the game, he was a little bit in shock because it is a hard thing to comprehend as a player. You have trained so hard for so long to get in the best shape, and when he played against Huddersfield it was probably the best 45 minutes I've seen from a Rotherham player up top. To be in that kind of form, and then for this to happen to him is brutal but I know that he will come back, he has a great attitude, and he'll take that into his recovery.”