We all kind of knew, when Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank first spoke of it, that the injury to Destiny Udogie was actually much more serious than he made it sound.
After initially playing it down, saying Udogie would only be out a little while, Frank got more candid on Monday.
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Said Frank, ahead of the 3-0 win over Slavia Praha:
“Destiny, as I said after the [Brentford] game, picked up a hamstring injury at the end of the Newcastle game, so he’s out until January, unfortunately.”
Hearing January…it is probably more likely in February, given how things have gone with Udogie in the past. Frank also provided an update on James Maddison, and his recovery from his ACL tear:
“It’s very early stages. It’s still a long-term injury, so it’s good to see him out there, but very early stages. There’s no specific time frame. It will be a long time, unfortunately, before he’s available.”
Maddison is still out until next season, but it is good that he’s making some progress (or at least that is what it sounds like).
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, RG.org and Ratings.org. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.