Exclusive:Hibs injury news - assist king fitness update, Scotland hopeful latest and season-ending blow for top prospect
‘Hopeful’ verdict on all-action midfielder returning to help team clinch Euro spot
Hibs will have top chance maker Nicky Cadden back in the squad for this weekend’s trip to Aberdeen, with the wingback fully recovered from the “niggle” that forced him to miss Saturday’s thumping home win over Kilmarnock. But one of the brightest prospects in David Gray’s squad has been dealt a season-ending injury blow.
Easter Road gaffer Gray, who provided a “hopeful” update on the prospects of midfield dynamo Josh Mulligan returning to action, revealed that Cadden – top of the team charts in assists, expected assists and what the stats experts call big chances created – will be ready to face the Dons at Pittodrie.
The Hibs boss told The Evening News last night: “Yeah, Nicky has trained. Part trained at the start of the week. But fully trained today.
“We'll just see how he came through that. So he was good. We just sat him out of the weekend game with a niggle as a precaution, more than anything – but he should be available.”
Surgery recovery continues for midfielder
Scotland international hopeful Mulligan, meanwhile, is working his way back from surgery on the ankle injury sustained in January’s Scottish Cup loss at Dunfermline. Gray is optimistic about the former Dundee star’s prospects of finishing his first season at Easter Road with his boots on.
“Josh is getting there,” said the gaffer. “Back on the grass, which is great. I know I've said that a couple of weeks ago. He's been back on the grass, building him up.
“So now doing more back-to-back days on the grass. But no, he's not in full training yet.
“There's no actual timescale for that one. We always knew it would be after the split. So it was never going to be before the split.
“It depends how he then reacts when he does come back into the training environment. How quickly he goes.
“He's given himself every possibility to come back in the best shape he can. We're hopeful that we'll have him available for games before the end of the season.”
Youngster out for season
Less positive is the news on Rudi Molotnikov, who has been restricted to just five substitute appearances for the first team this season. The attacking midfielder, who suffered a serious ankle injury while helping out Darren McGregor’s under-20s team in the UEFA Youth League back in September, is now being forced to focus on next season.
“So he's had a setback with his ankle, which will keep him out for the rest of the season probably,” said Gray. “I think it's just really unfortunate for him.
“It was the one he did, what, 12 or 16 weeks ago. And then he did the other one in between, his other ankle. As a result of that, he's just redone the initial one.
“So he'll hopefully get everything sorted now. It’s a bit of a season where he'll be frustrated because of the injuries.
“And hopefully, I said this to him actually this morning, he can just get all his injuries out in one season. Hopefully moving forward, he can really benefit from a really strong pre-season.
“So being ready for the start of pre-season next year, as frustrating as it is for him, it's hopefully just one season where he can learn a different side to the game as well. Dealing with that frustration, dealing with adversity.
“I'm sure he'll come back better and stronger. We’re still waiting to find out if he needs an operation, so we're not actually in that position to say whether he does.
“It might just be a little bit of a stabiliser between now and then. To make sure that he's right for pre-season, and make sure he kicks on next year. Rather than taking risks between now and the end of the season for the last six games.”