Melbourne Heart FC coach John Aloisi has confirmed that captain Harry Kewell will be sidelined for around two or three weeks as he recovers from an ankle injury sustained in training on Wednesday morning.
“It looks like it could be about two or three weeks,” Aloisi said.
“It was an unfortunate incident; it was only two minutes to go in training and he rolled his ankle, swelled up straight away and he went and had scans.”
Kewell, who had been unavailable for the last three weeks due to a case of whiplash inflicted in Round One, was devastated according to Aloisi with the latest setback.
“I haven’t seen a player that upset with an injury in a long long time,” he said.
“Harry was distraught because he wants to be out there, he wants to help the players and he wants to help the club.
“He’s been looking good in training and feeling great and that’s what’s even more frustrating for him.”
Aloisi did nevertheless take some consolation out of the injury, outlining that the 35-year-old hadn’t suffered any severe damage.
“It’s frustrating because they’re not major things [injuries]”, Aloisi said.
“They are little things that are keeping him out and we want him out there as quick as possible but these things you can’t prevent in football.
“Harry has been fine right throughout preseason, it’s just these little incidents that have happened and a rolled ankle you can never prevent.
“It’s just one of those injuries that happen with footballers and we just have to move on from that.”