The suspension of first team fixtures has provided Rotherham United’s injured players with an opportunity to edge closer to full fitness, with the break in matches proving especially useful for long-term absentees Michael Ihiekwe and Clark Robertson.
With the Millers’ Roundwood headquarters currently locked down, players have been seeking their medical advice from the Head Physiotherapist Mark Hoy from afar, through regular video meetings.
The treatment room at the first team training ground is currently physically empty and Mark is hopeful that it will be equally sparsely populated when training resumes.
“A lot of my job has been video calls to the players, particularly the injured ones to make sure they're getting on with their programmes and to make sure they're looking after themselves and self-treating at home,” he told www.themillers.co.uk.
“Before the lockdown we kind of pre-empted it and we made sure that the players had everything that they would need at home.
“They've raided the gym. If you were to go in there up at the training ground there is very little equipment because they've all taken it home.
“They've got everything they need and the injured players are working on programmes that I am overseeing.”
Paul Warne’s side have been plagued with bad luck in the injury department this term, and losing defensive duo Michael Ihiekwe and Clark Robertson earlier in the campaign has just been part of their woes.
Both Ihiekwe and Robertson, nursing knee and foot injuries respectively, which would have almost definitely kept them out of action beyond the final game of the originally scheduled Sky Bet League One season on 3rd May, now have a chance of featuring again when the Millers return to action.
“With Michael Ihiekwe and Clark Robertson, both of them were looking at missing the rest of the season with the way things were going,” Mark explained.
“This break now has given us a great chance to push them on and get them back hopefully playing some football before the season does end.
“Michael is looking really good and I'm on [video calls] with him every single day.
“He's flying through everything we need to do. He's probably another few weeks away from being on the grass and by the time the squad come back into training again, he should be in and around them for when the season starts up.
“Clark has been unlucky and I know people will be wondering what is going on with him. He's been out now since really after Christmas. He had an operation on his groin and during his rehab he then had a setback with an injury to his foot.
“That's really been what is holding him back now, everything from his operation has healed up well and all that is behind him.
“It is just the problem with his foot which has held him back from running and getting himself back on the pitch.
“This enforced break has helped him. He's got himself a bike and he's out cycling all of the time around the roads.
“He has taken one of the Watt bikes from the training ground and he's flying on that at home as well, so hopefully when things settle down in terms of Government regulations and lockdown, like Michael he'll be back out on the grass with the lads and ready to go.”