TOM Bradshaw could be back before the end of the season, according to Neil Harris.
The Millwall boss was fearful that the Welsh striker could potentially be out for the rest of the campaign after he suffered an Achilles tear in training in the days before the 1-0 win over Watford.
But Bradshaw has since gone for a scan and had received a second opinion, raising Harris’ hopes that he could return before the summer.
Ahead of the game against Birmingham City this weekend, the Lions head coach said: “We got a different opinion with a different ultrasound scan just for clarity on the original news. It’s still a tear in the Achilles, that hasn’t changed. It’s just more optimistic with a different line of treatment, that we might get him back slightly quicker than the end of the season.
“When I spoke to you guys last week, it was sort of writing the season off or very close to it. And the hope that if he did get him back before the end, it would be really limited. He’s not going to be back next week or the week after, it’s just a little bit of positivity for us on the injury front that he might be back a couple of weeks before the end of the season and might get some involvement in the last two, three or four games if we’re lucky.”
Shaun Hutchinson has not appeared for Millwall since smashing home the winner on New Year’s Day at Bristol City but he could also be back before long.
Harris said: “Hutch has trained all week so he’s definitely available for the group now. Whether that’s thinking too soon for the starting eleven, whether that’s [involvement in] the matchday squad, we’ll have to see. There’s an under-21 game at The Den next week which is a realistic target for him for sure to get some minutes in as it will be for some of the other lads that haven’t played much recently.”
With Birmingham being the third game of the week for Millwall, Harris has warned that a few players are still in recovery mode and there could be changes.
Nine players have so far started every game under the 46-year-old coach, who has won two and drawn one of his three games so far.
He said: “We’ve got the usual when it comes to a three-game week. You have your issues you have to deal with during the week with the long journey, the minutes and the backlog of heavy pitches. So we have to check on one or two come the weekend, I’m not sure we’ll have the same squad as last week. I’m not going to say too much at the moment and we’ll have to look and see.
“Sometimes it’s about just trying to get ahead of the curve, making sure you don’t risk someone you don’t need to. There’s an element of putting faith and trust in players who haven’t had the opportunity yet as well. I’m very aware I’ve got some really good players in the building that haven’t really had a look-in from me at the moment or come off the bench and impacted but not had a start.
“So I have to be fair to the group and make the best judgement calls as I can. Won’t always get them right. I’ve been pretty good with team selection and the subs and I hope my luck continues.”