Sheffield Wednesday: Garry Monk delivers fitness update on Julian Börner and two other defenders ahead of Blackburn Rovers clash

Owls centre-half Julian Börner is available for selection for their trip to struggling Blackburn Rovers this weekend having shown ‘no reaction’ to the ankle knock that saw him sit out of the 0-0 draw with Leeds United.
Julian Borner is available for selection for Sheffield Wednesday's trip to Blackburn on SaturdayJulian Borner is available for selection for Sheffield Wednesday's trip to Blackburn on Saturday
Julian Borner is available for selection for Sheffield Wednesday's trip to Blackburn on Saturday

Börner, who twisted his ankle on the wet Hillsborough turf just 10 minutes before the Yorkshire derby, has shown no sign of problems in training this week and will rejoin the Wednesday defence.

Owls boss Garry Monk said: “He's good. He's been back in training and had no reaction to anything.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“He just twisted his ankle in the warm up, we had to deal with that at the time, we did exceptionally well in dealing with that.

“He's been back in training this week so there are no problems. There's been no reaction.”

There were also injury update for club captain Tom Lees and on-loan Scotland international David Bates, who will both have to go through a period of building up their ‘football fitness’ before they are considered ready.

Monk revealed that Lees is likely to play in the under-23s clash with Burnley on Monday.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We're still building up Tom's football fitness,” he said. “He's been out on the training field all week, which is good. Every day he gets stronger and stronger.

David Bates will wait a little longer for his return to contentionDavid Bates will wait a little longer for his return to contention
David Bates will wait a little longer for his return to contention

“You can do all you want in terms of rehab but when you come back to the intensity of training we have to do right by him and make sure that when he's at a level that he's available for selection he can do himself justice.

“He'll get a game with the under 23s at the start of next week and we'll build him up again that week and assess him over that two week period going into the Swansea game. We'll judge it as we see it.”

On Hamburg-owned loanee Bates, who is yet to feature in Championship football, Monk said: “He’s had an injury up in his hip flexor area. He’s been out for the past two or three weeks.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“The plan for him is to be back into training next week. I think, generally, I try to work anyone who’s been over two weeks out, we try and give them a period of time when they do come back of football fitness and the possibility of playing two to three under-23 games to make sure that we tick all the boxes.”