Luton Manager Matt Bloomfield says that crocked Elijah Adebayo still has a “long career ahead of him” with the Hatters but knows what the striker will be going though after suffering the same serious knee injury when he was a player.
The Hatters received the news this week that the 27-year-old faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines after damaging his anterior cruciate ligament and underwent surgery yesterday.
Bloomfield suffered the same injury in March 2008 and returned to action for Wycombe in November of that year, which is on the lower end of the scale for recovery time, and the manager admits that he “rushed back”, which is not always advisable.
While Town are keen not to put a timescale on Adebayo’s recovery, the medical evidence from other similar injuries in the intervening 17 years suggests the former Fulham youth could be out for anywhere up to a year.
The Luton boss said: “In my understanding, to give the boys a little bit longer than what you maybe deem as absolutely necessary, helps protect them against further injury.
“I was certainly one of them who rushed back as soon as possible and I was really lucky that I never did it again, but there’s also other players that have rushed back and had a reoccurrence at some point. I’ve played with some and I know others who have who have done that.
“So, for my side, it’s being absolutely responsible to allow Eli to return in full strength, which he will, in full health, which he will, to build himself up, to be the player that we all know and love, right?
“Our supporters were singing his name last Saturday [against Leeds], and I’ve not heard that in my time here. It was incredible just to see the response to the way he was playing and it makes it feel probably all the more cruel. It’s the first time I’ve heard it and everyone was loving watching him and the way he was playing the way he was working.
“But we have to give him the time and if the evidence suggests that takes slightly longer, then so be it. I think it’s just he’ll be ready when he’s ready and I think it’s really, really crucial and key to give him the time.
“But, there’s been a lot of evidence. Medical research is going on all the time. I rushed back as quickly as I could, because that was my mindset. But I’m not sure that’s particularly the right way.”
Bloomfield added: “In my experience and watching other players go through it, I would rather give him a little bit longer to help him in his long-term future.
“It’s irresponsible for me as a manager with any player, with any injury, to try and rush them and play when they when they’re not right. So, he’ll be given the time that he needs to get himself right because he’s still got a long career ahead of him at our football club and we’re really excited about that.
“So yeah, he’ll be given the time he needs. It’s going to be a little while, of course. I’m sure there’ll be updates along the way, but we need to just make sure we give him the attention and the time that he needs to get himself back fully fit and he absolutely will.”
But having gone through the same injury, Bloomfield believes he’s in a good place to understand what Adebayo is going through.
“I can empathise because I’ve been there, I’ve done it, I’ve lived a journey in my previous job at Wycombe,” said the 41-year-old.
“I’m hoping that I can really connect with him on that level. I’ve been through that process and it’s a long road and we know that there’s a lot of hard work, but what I do now about Eli is that he is he’s a really courageous young man.
“He’s been through a tough period on the pitch, but he stood up to the challenge when we needed him. Was really building his confidence, really building his own belief and was incredible, I felt. The last few games we really started to see the real Eli and against Leeds, he was unplayable at times.
“I think it’s just such a shame, but the game of football can be cruel at times. Life can be cruel and you have to roll with the punches and when life gets you down, you have to pick yourself up and go again.”
With Adebayo having just had surgery on his knee, Bloomfield accepts that the early days of such a serious injury can be tough, though he says the striker is in “good spirits”.
“[It’s] not great early on. It’s a long road back and it’s a bit of a grieving process to go through to start off with because I think he’s been through a tough time and was building himself up and was in in great form.
“So it’s a real shame for Eli to not be able to finish the season with with us and it’s a real shame for us to not have him. So I think he’ll have a couple of quiet days. He seems in good spirits.
“He’s had his operation, that’s been a success, and now it’s just about ticking off the milestones until you’re back fully fit.
“Get yourself out of hospital, get home, get your knee bending, make sure that’s in a good condition, get off your crutches, all the little stages that you go along.
“I just found that easier when I did it, just to tick them off one by one because you always feel like you’re achieving that way.
“In football, you always want to achieve something, right? So I always looked at it as what can I achieve next? Now, off the crutches, walk properly, all the rest of it, fully bending your knee, all the little stages that go along, because without achieving one, you can’t move on to the next. So, just tick off those little stages and before you know it, you’re back out on the grass and the journey’s done.
“He’ll be fine. He’s a hard worker, Eli, and he sounds very, very strong and very, very motivated to get himself back. So I can’t wait to have him back.”
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