Duff close to first-team return
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| Michael Duff |
CLARETS boss Owen Coyle has hinted defender Michael Duff could be in the squad for next weekend's match against Norwich.
And he admitted he couldn't wait to have the Northern Ireland international back in a Burnley shirt, for his influence at both ends of the pitch.
Duff made his fifth appearance for the reserves this week in their 7-1 rout of Morecambe's second string and scored in the last minute - his second goal in as many games, having previously netted against Tranmere Rovers reserves.
And Coyle revealed he was excited about the way the 30-year-old stopper was shaping up.
He said: "He's getting better. Maybe another week or so, and I think Duffo's then going to start to really push himself on and say I'm available'.
"It's up to him now just to keep stepping it up, which he has done.
"I think his timing and everything else, given the period of time he's been out for, was always going to be an important thing.
"He looks confident in his challenges now, he's certainly not holding anything back.
"We just need to add that sharpness and timing and if we do that he'll be challenging like everybody else."
Duff has been out of the first team reckoning for almost six months after suffering multiple knee ligament damage and damage to his hamstring tendon against Crystal Palace back in September last year.
And he admitted that, during that time, he feared he would never play football again.
But, while Coyle was confident of his return before the end of the season, he stressed they would not be rushing him back.
He said: "Because his presence in both boxes is a big asset of his that's why I think his timing has to be spot on. It's a big part of his game.
"But he's improving by the week.
"We just need to take care we don't force him into doing things too soon because he's got a big, big future ahead of him."
9:24pm Friday 28th March 2008
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