Derby County have been dealt a huge blow involving one of their senior players, and Paul Warne has delivered a further update surrounding the setback at Pride Park.
What's the latest news at Derby?
In League One so far this season, Warne’s side have won three and lost three of their opening six fixtures, so it’s been a mixed start to the new campaign, where having taken nine points out of a possible 18, they find themselves sat 11th in the table.
Whilst the summer transfer window has now closed, the Rams boss has hinted that he could enter the market to bolster his ranks with free agents due to Liam Thompson, Max Bird, Kane Wilson and Joe Ward being sidelined through injury, and another one of his stars who is now set to also be out of action is Jake Rooney.
During Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Bolton Wanderers, the centre-back was forced off the pitch after just 14 minutes with what appeared to be a serious problem, and having since had a scan to discover the extent of his issue, it sounds like he won’t be staging his comeback anytime soon.
How long is Jake Rooney out for?
According to Derby's official website, Rooney has sustained anterior cruciate ligament damage to his right knee, and Warne has publicly addressed supporters regarding his situation. He said:
“It's heartbreaking news for Jake to suffer this injury. He had forced his way into the team in the last few games and done really well. It's tough being a young professional when you're trying to make your way in the game and to have this sort of injury is hugely disappointing.
"We are gutted for him, but he’s got our full support and we’ll do everything we can to help him get back in the best possible condition.”
How good is Jake Rooney?
Despite only joining the club last summer from Burnley, Rooney has already made 21 senior appearances for Derby and has become a regular feature of the senior squad, so considering the positive impact he’s had, this news will of course be a blow to Warne.
The rising star, who pockets £760-per-week, was averaging 3.3 clearances and 2.7 tackles per third tier game prior to his absence, via WhoScored, highlighting his desire to get stuck in and showing the rock he was at the heart of the boss’ backline.
Furthermore, the 20-year-old is extremely calm and composed on the ball having recorded a 78.5% pass success rate which is the fourth-highest throughout the whole of the team, though this is yet another attribute that the manager will have to cope without for a large remainder of the season.
Rooney has been dubbed a "class act" by Rams reporter Leigh Curtis given the talent he has at such a young age, and whilst this injury will be a major setback in his development, here's hoping that he will return stronger to become an integral player for the long-term future of the club.
