Sven Botman elected against having surgery on his knee injury earlier this season despite Newcastle United’s medical team advising for the centre-back to have an operation, Eddie Howe claims.
The 24-year-old Netherlands international initially suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury against Brentford in September, which subsequently went undetected for two games, but returned two months later following rest, having received conflicting advice from specialists as to the best course of action.
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Botman “aggravated the initial problem” during the 2-0 FA Cup defeat to Manchester City before the international break and now faces six-to-nine months out, having finally opted for surgery.
But Howe insists that it was the player’s choice not to go under the knife, which the club then supported, stressing that, “You can’t force a player to have an operation.”
“It’s a big blow,” Howe said. “It’s quite a complex story around Sven this season, since he got his knee injury.
“Initially he had a partial tear of his ACL. We sought specialist opinion on that injury and there were sort of conflicting reports coming back on what he should do next. Ultimately our medical team advised him to get surgery, he himself wanted to carry on playing.
“We always try to guide and help the players but ultimately it’s their bodies and they have to make the final decision. Unfortunately he succumbed to injury eventually.
“But I’ve seen several players from that injury carry on playing and stay fit. It’s a delicate period for him and he has a long period of rehab ahead of him and we wish him well and hope he comes back in a good place.”
Supporters have understandably questioned the decision to avoid surgery earlier in the season, given that Botman has subsequently required an operation and will miss an extended period.
“It was (player-led),” Howe said, when asked why there was no operation initially. “Of course, the medical team advised Sven and that’s all they can do in that do in that situation can make a recommendation.
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“Ultimately the player felt his knee was good, he felt his knee was strong. He felt confident in it, he did a lot of work to get back, he sought specialist opinion and they helped him. That was how it went.
“As always in these situations, we don’t have the benefit of hindsight, I wish we did. Now, he has a long period, he’s had the operation, it’s gone well, there was no other damage to the knee and it’s just the ACL, which is a great thing and hopefully he’ll be back pretty quickly.”
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Given the volume of injuries Newcastle have suffered this season, which Howe has described as “unprecedented”, there have been queries raised by some supporters about how the club has handled some of these fitness issues.
“No-one knows what goes on internally at any football club. People can make outside opinion based on what they think may have happened,” Howe said, when asked if he was defending the club’s medical department.
“But, of course, myself, the medical team and Sven, we’re party to knowing what did happen all through the process. Our aim was to try and give the player the best care possible, whether that was an operation or whether he wanted to carry on and play.
“We backed the decision. I think on the player side, the player is in a good mental place, he’s got no problems. Of course he’s disappointed, but now he’s looking very much to the future.”
Newcastle will have profitability and sustainability (PSR) constraints this summer, during what is viewed as a crucial transfer window for the club. Botman’s six-to-nine-month absence has only made those potential discussions even more complex and Howe has not ruled out signing another centre-back.
“It’s certainly something we’ll have to be aware of, of course,” Howe said of the impact Botman’s injury could have on summer plans. “We’ll have to look at the squad and see the depth we have in that position and then make a decision. It’s too early to say what we will or won’t do.”
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(Alex Dodd – CameraSport via Getty Images)
