Doncaster urged to stay patient on Okoronkwo
Doncaster Rovers boss Grant McCann says Everton loanee Frankie Okoronkwo still has “certain parameters” to hit before he is cleared to return, despite getting back onto the training pitch ahead of the Cardiff City game.
Okoronkwo, 21, made a bright start after arriving at the Eco-Power Stadium, but a hamstring injury in January has forced him to miss six matches. Rovers have not stood still without him, most notably taking a 2-1 derby win at Rotherham last weekend, but McCann’s comments suggest there will be no temptation to rush a key attacker back too early.
“He has had two sessions and still needs to hit certain parameters, such as sprint distances,” McCann said, adding that he will consult his coaching team, and specifically the sports science staff, before making a final call.
That detail matters, because it frames the decision as a process rather than a gut-feel gamble. With hamstrings, the risk is rarely the first game back, it is the second and third, when intensity ramps up and sharp changes of direction return.
Doncaster’s focus now turns to Cardiff, and Okoronkwo’s return looks closer, but not yet guaranteed.