I think that McGinn will be eased back very slowly, so I don't really expect to see much of him at all this season. It of course is anybodies guess who will be still at the club next season.
I would think that IF McGinn gets into the squad this season he would be in place of Alex Kacaniklic. Or maybe rest Murray so as not to rush him.
I'm no medical expert, but if he manages 75-90 minutes for the reserves in a week or so, why wouldn't he be in contention for the first team bench? Once he has shown that he can get through most or all of a game without significant adverse effects, the question is surely whether he's good enough, rather than whether he's fit enough?
The issue that David Hart has is that the friendly games are just that. There are three distinct levels of competition starting at training where there is light contact, then friendlies with medium contact and then the 1st team matches are even more physical. They dont want to put him into competitive matches until they are certain there will be no set backs.
Sure, but once you're as confident as you can be that he can cope with friendlies, the next step is to give him a taste of the first team, even if only a few minutes at first. I don't expect him to start this season, but I'd go as far as to say that I'd be worried if he doesn't play at all.
Thats true, but can you be sure after only 3hrs 15mins when he has been out for over a year? Its a whole new level. But i am with you on wanting him to play at some point this year, even if it is just a 15min cameo in the last 6 games.
I think another part of it is that some fixtures at the end of the season will be at an intensity somewhere between friendlies and full-blooded league games where everything is on the line. Annoyingly we're playing quite a lot of playoff chasing clubs, but I'm thinking Ipswich and Peterborough in particular would be games to consider. Hopefully Boro will know if they're in the playoffs or not by the last game too.
I think we will see him on the bench in the next few weeks and then given a start as soon as we are confimed as "safe" - along with a few yoot players...
I reckon we will see him over Easter. Notice we have a few sides chasing the play-off places towards the end of this season so maybe Dyche will feel he ought to play a strong side to be fair to those chasing such spots but then he is paid by us to do what is best for our club... Not that McGinn on form would weaken the side.
Even if we are determined to play a full strength side for 46 games, I would rather have McGinn as a 75th minute replacement for Murray than Buaben.
Well at least we are in a position where we don't need to rush him back. We are not getting relegated and, unfortunately, are not about to win our last 10 games to make the playoffs so they can ease him back when he's ready. Only concern is if someone comes knocking. "Thanks for looking after him while he was injured, we'll take him now." Can't imagine who I'm referring to there!
A Buckley-sized offer in the summer would be difficult to resist, given the threat of complications, how long it takes McGinn to hit top gear, and the general depth of the squad.
Given current form, I suspect that we may finish above the unmentionable one in the table - so McGinn himself may well be choosy and rebuff such an approach. With any luck
I cant see us letting him go, why would we nurse him back to health and then let him go? I would hope not anyway.
I hope not too. But an owner who decided that ~£1m was good value for a talented, inconsistent player last summer would probably make the same call for a talented, slow to peak player who has just about recovered from a career-threatening injury this summer. I don't think I'm being anti-Bassini in saying that, it just strikes me as a similar risk-reward ratio to the Buckley deal.
