Ferrie still blighted by knee painBRENDAN Rodgers has admitted Ferrie Bodde is again struggling with his knee as doubts remain over when he will return to action.
Bodde has not played a competitive game in 18 months because of his ongoing battle with a cruciate-ligament injury first suffered way back in November 2008.
Bodde, who has failed in two previous comeback attempts, had hoped to be fit for the start of the season after returning to training at the back end of the last campaign.
The Dutchman made a brief appearance in Swansea's pre- season friendly at Port Talbot last month, but has not been seen since.
Swansea said after the Port Talbot game that Bodde was suffering with a hamstring problem, but it has now emerged that his knee is still causing concern.
"It's a slow process with Ferrie," Rodgers said. "It's something we are monitoring on a day-to-day basis.
"He came through the beginning of pre-season well.
"He has not taken a backward step, but it's one where he is still getting some pain in his knee, which doesn't let him feel that he can push on as much as he would like.
"He is working tirelessly with our medical team â we are doing everything we can to give him the opportunity to play, but it's not something you can rush.
"It's something we just need to do in Ferrie's own time.
"When he feels right, hopefully he will get back on to the field."
Bodde was one of the stars of the Football League before his injury problems began.
And it is thanks to the immense talent he showed in his early days as a Swansea player that the club were prepared to offer him a new one-year performance-related contract this summer.
A less gifted player would almost certainly have been discarded after so long on the sidelines, but Swansea have fingers crossed that they will eventually be rewarded for their patience.
Fingers crossed he will be okay !!!!
