Jakirovic provided the latest on City’s long-term absentees including Butland, Gyabi and Matazo
Jack Butland in action for Hull City in pre-season(Image: Hull City AFC)
Sergej Jakirovic hopes to see Jack Butland and Darko Gyabi back in Hull City training by November as they push to overcome their respective injury issues.
Butland was the first man through the door at the MKM Stadium over the summer with the England international joining the Tigers from Rangers. He was always coming in to be a back up to the number one, a spot Konstantinos Tzolakis filled a month later, but the goalkeeper hasn’t had the chance to be involved at all yet after injuring himself in pre-season.
The 33-year-old picked up an elbow injury in training and had to go under the knife to resolve the issue, which ruled him out of the opening half of the Premier League season.
Christmas was originally spoken about for a return to action, but Butland is pushing for the start of December.
“He is good,” Jakirovic said when giving an update on Butland. “He is in protocol and the prediction is at the beginning of December he will be with us in the full training.
“He is very positive and very optimistic. The recovery is going well and we will see.
“The injury is about his arm and he is a goalkeeper so a strong shot towards goal, if he can save this and still feel something there, there could be problems. We are looking forward and I hope he will join us at least in November, this is our prediction.”
Gyabi hasn’t been involved either this season due to the groin injury he picked up during pre-season training in Slovenia. He had to have surgery and his extended absence meant he wasn’t included in Jakirovic’s 25-man training squad.
Whether he works his way back into the fold remains to be seen though with the head coach suggesting a loan move could be a possibility.
“Darko Gyabi has started to do individual sessions on the grass but he is still far away,” Jakirovic added. “His prediction is November I think. We will see because he is not registered in the 25. He needs to wait to January and then we will see after his recovery, maybe we will loan him, maybe he will stay with us. Depends.”
Completing his long-term injury round up, Jakirovic also spoke about Eliot Matazo’s recovery from the knee injury he suffered at Charlton Athletic last season.
“Everything is good, the surgery went good,” Jakirovic said. “He’s doing his recovery in France. He was here one month ago, everything went good and he told he would go to France and he has there recovery, under our control, of course.”